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Greener, cleaner and safer roads



 
 
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  #1  
Old June 2nd 06, 08:44 AM posted to uk.rec.cycling
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Default Greener, cleaner and safer roads

The Tories' economic competitiveness policy group has put forward a
10-point transport plan. According to John Redwood, this would increase
road capacity by 10%, while cutting pollution. The proposals include:

- rephrasing traffic lights to give priority to main roads
- putting cycle lanes on pavements where there is room
- letting taxis and motorbikes use bus lanes
- providing more pedestrian footbridges and underpasses
- "reviewing" speed limits
- allowing drivers to turn left through red lights

Read more he
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/5039326.stm

Bob
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  #2  
Old June 2nd 06, 09:11 AM posted to uk.rec.cycling
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Default Greener, cleaner and safer roads

Bob Johnstone wrote:
The Tories' economic competitiveness policy group has put forward a
10-point transport plan. According to John Redwood, this would increase
road capacity by 10%, while cutting pollution. The proposals include:

- rephrasing traffic lights to give priority to main roads


A euphemism for reducing or cutting out pedestrian phases.

- putting cycle lanes on pavements where there is room


Get those slow cyclists out of our way!

- letting taxis and motorbikes use bus lanes


Taxis already do. In general bus lanes are good for cycling because
they contain little other traffic. Many are too narrow for even a
motorcycle to overtake a correctly-positioned cyclist, within the
lane, with sufficient clearance.

- providing more pedestrian footbridges and underpasses


See first idea. Would further discourage walking by increasing distance.

- "reviewing" speed limits


I don't think this means more 20mph limits - despite road capacity
being maximised at about 17mph.

- allowing drivers to turn left through red lights


This has all sorts of practical problems, and would further deter
walking. The main problems arise from most British traffic lights
having only two lanes per stopline. If it worked at all, it would work
better if drivers had to give way to pedestrians when turning on a
green light as well.

I'm not sure if it's worth making a fuss about this. It may be, if
Tory-run councils start trying to follow it (insofar as the law will
let them).

Colin McKenzie

--
On average in Britain, you're more likely to get a head injury walking
a mile than cycling it.
So why aren't we all exhorted to wear walking helmets?

  #3  
Old June 2nd 06, 09:19 AM posted to uk.rec.cycling
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Default Greener, cleaner and safer roads


"Bob Johnstone" wrote in message
...

- putting cycle lanes on pavements where there is room


Ah well, yet another reason not to vote Tory.


  #4  
Old June 2nd 06, 09:33 AM posted to uk.rec.cycling
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Default Greener, cleaner and safer roads

Bob Johnstone wrote:
The Tories' economic competitiveness policy group has put forward a
10-point transport plan. According to John Redwood, this would increase
road capacity by 10%, while cutting pollution.


Once upon a time, the current lot had shiny soundbites, too.
This one appears to be Redwood, the arch-enemy of nasty European
ideas about travelling by means other than a car.

The proposals include:

- rephrasing traffic lights to give priority to main roads


Yeah, right. And they haven't been trying that kind of thing
for upwards of 30 years now, have they?

- putting cycle lanes on pavements where there is room


So the corollary is to do something about the majority of
current "shared use" pavements where there isn't room?

- letting taxis and motorbikes use bus lanes


Erm, where are the bus lanes that taxis (at least) can't use?

- providing more pedestrian footbridges and underpasses


Yep. Don't you love walking a ten-minute detour to avoid
a ten-metre road crossing? Repeat until .. erm .. done for.

- "reviewing" speed limits


That could actually make sense, if it's clear that they
are going to move both ways (as appropriate to different
roads) and above all stop being so bloody halfhearted and
apologetic about enforcing them. I expect they do mean at
least the first part of that.

- allowing drivers to turn left through red lights


The corollary being prosecution of those who go straight
ahead through red lights?

--
not me guv
  #5  
Old June 2nd 06, 09:38 AM posted to uk.rec.cycling
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Default Greener, cleaner and safer roads

Bob Johnstone wrote:
The Tories' economic competitiveness policy group has put forward a
10-point transport plan. According to John Redwood, this would increase
road capacity by 10%, while cutting pollution. The proposals include:

- rephrasing traffic lights to give priority to main roads
- putting cycle lanes on pavements where there is room
- letting taxis and motorbikes use bus lanes
- providing more pedestrian footbridges and underpasses
- "reviewing" speed limits
- allowing drivers to turn left through red lights

Read more he
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/5039326.stm

Bob


I feel a letter to my MP, the shadow Secretary for Health, coming on one
the speech is made.

--
Tony

"Anyone who conducts an argument by appealing to authority is not using
his intelligence; he is just using his memory."
- Leonardo da Vinci
  #6  
Old June 2nd 06, 09:43 AM posted to uk.rec.cycling
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Default Greener, cleaner and safer roads




I feel a letter to my MP, the shadow Secretary for Health, coming on one
the speech is made.

--
Tony


One has already sent a missive to the Con Party HQ telling them what I think
of the Vulcan's moronic proposals...



  #7  
Old June 2nd 06, 10:07 AM posted to uk.rec.cycling
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Default Greener, cleaner and safer roads


Colin McKenzie wrote:
Bob Johnstone wrote:
- providing more pedestrian footbridges and underpasses

Would further discourage walking by increasing distance.



And also (particularly in the case of underpasses) provide more places
for "unsavoury" characters to congregate, leading to more people being
scared to use them.

PhilD

--


  #8  
Old June 2nd 06, 10:26 AM posted to uk.rec.cycling
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Default Greener, cleaner and safer roads

Jim Ley wrote:

On Fri, 02 Jun 2006 09:11:07 +0100, Colin McKenzie
wrote:


- letting taxis and motorbikes use bus lanes


Taxis already do.


What an incredibly London centric view.


??? AFAIK this is the norm throughout the country. It's just there are
more taxis in London. Anyway, what does it matter? I could have said
they all already do. Would you have called that a Bristol and certain
London streets-centric view?

In general bus lanes are good for cycling because
they contain little other traffic. Many are too narrow for even a
motorcycle to overtake a correctly-positioned cyclist, within the
lane, with sufficient clearance.


Then you're not cycling in the correct place, as there's plenty of
room to ride two abreast in a bus lane.


If you can't see the difference in clearance required between two
light vehicles going at the same speed, and a light vehicle being
passed by something far heavier at a closing speed of 20mph+, you may
wish to try cycling on one of the many roads in London with
free-flowing traffic and 3 metre-wide lanes. You will find that the
experience is best when you do not allow drivers to try to squeeze
past within the lane - and that you can't prevent motorcycles doing this.

If it worked at all, it would work
better if drivers had to give way to pedestrians when turning on a
green light as well.


Drivers do have to give way in that situation.


Only to avoid a collision. The green light takes away the pedestrian's
normal priority over turning traffic.

Colin McKenzie

--
On average in Britain, you're more likely to get a head injury walking
a mile than cycling it.
So why aren't we all exhorted to wear walking helmets?

  #9  
Old June 2nd 06, 10:46 AM posted to uk.rec.cycling
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Default Greener, cleaner and safer roads

Bob Johnstone wrote:

Read more he
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/5039326.stm


¦ "We are saying that cyclists and pedestrians are very important and
we want them
¦ to have better provision than they have at the moment," he said.

Oh, oh! I did hear him on the radio this morning when the interviewer
was suggesting that their plan was too car-centric say that they were
also going to do things to encourage cycling and make it safer. More
crappy farcilities then. :-(

--
Dave...

  #10  
Old June 2nd 06, 10:53 AM posted to uk.rec.cycling
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Default Greener, cleaner and safer roads

"Colin McKenzie" wrote in message
...

Bob Johnstone wrote:
The Tories' economic competitiveness policy group has put forward a
10-point transport plan. According to John Redwood, this would increase
road capacity by 10%, while cutting pollution. The proposals include:

- rephrasing traffic lights to give priority to main roads


A euphemism for reducing or cutting out pedestrian phases.

- putting cycle lanes on pavements where there is room


Get those slow cyclists out of our way!


I prefer off road cycle lanes as we are "expected" to use an on-road lane,
wheras an offroad lane is generally more aimed at families & kids than
"serious" cyclists.


 




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