Yet it is a much more peaceful place than it was last summer.

NEWYORKER: The General��s Dilemma

The end of the boom days also means that locals' favourite spots, such as Duryea's Lobster Deck, at the edge of a rotting, abandoned pier in Montauk - the New England Clam Chowder and Lobster Roll are essential summer pleasures - are now relatively peaceful on weekdays.

BBC: Escape from New York

Traffic on roads leading into Trafalgar Square is targeted for restrictions because planners are preparing motorists for its partial pedestrianisation next summer, when it will cease to be a giant roundabout and become a fairly peaceful public space once more.

ECONOMIST: London's roads