An alley or alleyway is a narrow, pedestrian lane found in urban areas which usually run between or behind buildings. In older cities and towns in Europe, alleys are often what is left of a medieval street network. In the British Isles an alley may be a right of way or ancient footpath in an urban setting. In Victorian urban development, alleys were built to allow for delivery of coal to the rear of houses.

Blind alleys have no outlet at one end.

Modern planning

---

Modern urban developments rarely incorporate alleys. Installation of gates to restrict alleyway access have significantly reduced burglary rates.

Andrés Duany, American architect, urban planner and a leader in the New Urbanism movement, an effort to end suburban sprawl, has long espoused the use of alleys as leading to a better integration of automobile and foot traffic in a neighborhood. His firm Duany Plater-Zyberk (DPZ) included alleys in their design for Prospect New Town, a New Urbanism project.

In some modern urban developments, a service road may be built to allow for waste collection, or rear access for fire engines and parking. Such roads are not alleys as they are too wide.

Other terms

---

The term "service road" is also used in the United Kingdom for a back road giving access to shops and retail units. An alley which are narrow pavements between/behind buildings are known as alleyways or "ginnels" or "snickets". This has led to the contrived word Snickelway, originally in York, though the term has become more wide-spread. In Australia and Canada the terms lane, laneway and serviceway are used. In the United States alleys are sometimes known as rear lanes because they are at the back of buildings.

Activities

---

Reduced usage of alleys can result in their decline. Under use, poor maintenance, poor night time illumination and narrow width may contribute to an increase in anti-social or illegal activities.

A bowling alley is a straight narrow lane or track used in the game of bowling.

See also

---

• Street

Streets