The immense social changes and the dramatic growth in the urban population engendered the need to improve urban space to meet the new demands. The first step was the destruction of the walls surrounding the cities and the construction of "eixamples" (extensions) and new suburbs. Sewers and mains supply water became more commonplace. Gas supply was introduced to some cities and made a decisive contribution to street lighting. Transport was modernised by the introduction of horse-drawn trams. Public services also increased: hospitals, clinics, fire stations, and municipal police stations all contributed to the cities' functioning.
