Great Posts and Comments.
Living in war time London the bus was the way to get around and explore
which I took advantage of. I knew all the local bus routes and loved going down to the London Docks .
They were real communities with very  few cars. School nearby, many local shops to run errands to  and play with friends  in the street and court yards of the tenements where most people lived. Times were tough but the camaraderie of the local children with the added  advantage of having  grandparents and other family members  living close by  was an added bonus for support.
One cannot turn the clock back but city planners have a lot to answer   for of the soulless sub divisions they have  created and consequent social challenges people families have to face.