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PostPosted: Fri Sep 26, 2014 9:56 am 
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Before leaving Hayes I used to commute through the Target Roundabout. I remember when those dreadful bus lanes were installed. That route has been very busy for many years, but the bus lanes converted what was once an unpleasant car/van journey into a near impossibility.

This political insanity is now universal, particularly across the UK and Europe. Across much of Europe they have much more land on which to install bus lanes and cycle routes, but the UK's road system simply doesn't have the space for bus lanes, neither will we have a public transport system that will ever be able to meet the needs of a 24/7 society.

My local authority has recently had a new Town Hall/Civic Centre built. I haven't been inside it - yet, but the from the outside it all looks very plush, comfortable, and very large. It has its own underground car park that provides very convenient, safe, and free car parking for the employees. This same local authority has greatly reduced public car parking in and around the town – and jacked up the parking charges. Bus lanes have also been introduced, all of which add the to the traffic congestion, reduce air quality, and raise the frustration level of drivers attempting to go about their lawful business.

According to the local traffic management 'plan', reducing car parking, increasing parking charges, and installing bus lanes are all intended to reduce traffic in the town and improve the environment. But at the same time, the local authority has provided free, safe, and very convenient car parking for themselves and their staff. The hypocrisy of these people is way beyond outrageous to the point it is clear to anybody with a modicum of common sense that the political class believe the public are the servants of the political elite.

About 18 months ago new bus lanes, complete with traffic signals to control them, were installed in and around town. These new bus lanes have seriously added to traffic congestion and increased car journey distances and times. After about 18 months two of the bus lanes remain totally unused by buses – and there are huge concrete blocks preventing any traffic from using the road occupied by the bus lanes. One of these blocked bus lanes converts what was previously an uninterrupted 50 yard through route into one of about half a mile that now has three mini-roundabouts, two sets of traffic signals, and a series of chicanes – all of which produce very heavy congestion that didn't previously occur. The other unused bus lane converts what was previously a reasonably safe standard four-point entry roundabout into a nightmare – a nightmare that has now resulted in several very nasty accidents. I have spoken to a local traffic patrol police officer about this particular bus lane roundabout conversion, he confirms that the dangers I see are very real indeed.

In addition to the road changes to install bus lanes, the local authority is busy installing a very large network of cycle paths, complete with additional traffic signals that provide priority for cyclists. At the same time the local roads are breaking-up from the effects of frost and heavy rain over the last two winters - but we are told there is NO MONEY to repair the roads. It appears that the political insanity knows no bounds.


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PostPosted: Fri Sep 26, 2014 7:21 pm 
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It just makes your blood boil.


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PostPosted: Fri Sep 26, 2014 10:21 pm 
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Westonman wrote:
.....

In addition to the road changes to install bus lanes, the local authority is busy installing a very large network of cycle paths, complete with additional traffic signals that provide priority for cyclists. At the same time the local roads are breaking-up from the effects of frost and heavy rain over the last two winters - but we are told there is NO MONEY to repair the roads. It appears that the political insanity knows no bounds.


In the meantime the madness that is Tfl and Boris Johnson are about to spend another £25m or so on
' upgrading' the 'super cycle highway'.

https://consultations.tfl.gov.uk/cycling/cs2-upgrade.

Note the following extract from their consultation :

"Our latest analysis shows the proposals would mean longer journey times for motorists and bus, coach and taxi passengers along most of the route, both during construction and once complete. There would also be longer journey times for users of many of the roads approaching the proposed route and longer waits for pedestrians at some signalised crossings".

In the mad dash to appease the green agenda by installing yet more cycle lanes, they are openly admitting that these plans are going to impose even longer journey times on BUSES and TAXI's. I thought the whole idea of bus lanes in the first place was to REDUCE the journey time for them and taxi's ?

Of course it also it mentions that motorists and coach passengers will also be subjected to longer delays and journey times, so that is 4 types of motorised transport which will be deliberately held up and delayed to make way for lycra clad Bradley Wiggins wannabees*. Think of all the extra fumes and pollution those vehicles will be pumping into the immediate surroundings and atmosphere while they sit and wait.

Last but by no means least, is the statement that there will be 'Longer waits for pedestrians at some signalised crossings '. I'm not even sure there such a word as signalised, but if there isn't, Tfl have just invented it. So the least polluting and harmless form of transport, Shank's Pony is also to be held up and delayed and forced to breathe in the resultant pollution ?

Common sense and years of experience tell me that pedestrians ( closely followed by cyclists ) are the least likely folk to wait patiently for traffic signals.

London is simply not suited to cycling in a way that cities like Amsterdam are. Why don't the powers that be understand that simple fact ? Make improvements where possible by all means, but don't bring the whole city to a standstill for what is still a very small minority, and is likely to remain so.

* Re my lycra clad comment earlier. Don't take my word for it, there's plenty of evidence out there on the internet.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZBKzkz6dFE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYOz86G_oYU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PeXgHnrM6E

Be safe out there folks. Moley


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PostPosted: Sat Sep 27, 2014 12:39 am 
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That is TRULY TRULY SHOCKING. I can hardly believe what I have just read. There it is in black and white and Boris is seriously not funny any more.


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PostPosted: Sat Sep 27, 2014 6:25 am 
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I think the underlying strategy is to make car travel as inconvenient as possible to try and tempt motorists off the roads.

I can understand the sentiment but they aren't going to get the vast majority to swap transport modes unless they provide alternatives.

I do use buses whenever possible but even they strain. I sometimes get a 140 to Northolt/South Harrow/Harrow depending on where up town I'm going. Even at 07:00 in the morning the 140 has standing passengers even though it's a 10 minutes service. Then at the tube you are lucky to get a seat.

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PostPosted: Sat Sep 27, 2014 6:59 am 
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Jon wrote:
That is TRULY TRULY SHOCKING. I can hardly believe what I have just read. There it is in black and white and Boris is seriously not funny any more.


What exactly is that you find truly truly shocking Jon ? It's a genuine question.

Is it the fact that Tfl are openly admitting they will bring the Capital to a grinding halt for the sake of a few cyclists, many of who ignore traffic signals anyway ?

Is it the fact that the deliberate and planned delays to motorised vehicles will pump more pollutants into the atmosphere ? ( Cue an even higher emission tax anytime soon. probably just after the next election )

Is it the fact that pedestrians will be forced to make longer detours to find a 'signalised crossing' ? Of course they won't do that, they will continue to cross roads wherever and whenever they feel like it, just as they always have and always will.

Apparently this scheme has been planned to cost £25m and that figure will inevitably increase , schemes like this always do. For some reason it is still being branded as the 'Barclays Cycle Superhighway, despite the fact Barclays have pulled out, and are ending their sponsorship well short of the £50m they originally agreed to pay. They saw it as bad publicity due to the number of accidents.

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle ... ay-2-video


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PostPosted: Sat Sep 27, 2014 8:23 am 
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With all this going on I'm glad that in the very near future I can take the car when I want to and not when work dictates it :)

And I do mean the 'very' near future ie this coming week :D

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PostPosted: Sat Sep 27, 2014 10:41 pm 
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ALL of those things Moley.

Kremmen: congratulations you lucky thing!


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PostPosted: Sun Sep 28, 2014 6:45 am 
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:D

Been a long time coming. 38 years connected to the buses industry from a driver at Uxbridge in 1976 to being in charge of the software used by most ex LBL companies to schedule and run the services.

You wouldn't believe how sophisticated the software is to run a bus service. The underlying data that delivers the bus stop 'countdown' info is ours.

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PostPosted: Sun Sep 28, 2014 10:48 am 
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It's very clever


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