Traffic & Transport
"It makes you wonder how much worse it can get before everything absolutely grinds to a halt through incompetence!"
Poor logistic management of schools and other facilities as well as over populating built up areas has contributed greatly to the congestion and pollution problems we are now facing and the fact that people cannot efficiently go about their business. However, this is not the whole story because a very large part of the problem has been caused and compounded by poorly thought out, inefficient traffic schemes, a lack of common sense and local authority incompetence, spending millions of pounds of taxpayers' money, making life more impossible on the road!
Less Efficient: The Government said in its own TV advert that "In the U.K., car travel is the single biggest contributor to our CO2 emissions!" Nevertheless, up and down the country, our local authorities have been spending very substantial amounts of public money every year implementing traffic schemes that are less efficient than the ones they replace.
Green Unfriendly: As well as being seriously inconvenient and annoying, such traffic schemes rob people of road resource, have a higher congestion factor, force traffic to stop and start unnecessarily and prevent traffic from going where it needs to go, forcing people out of their way by blocking access routes. Consequently, they have a notably higher pollution factor. They are, therefore, GREEN UNFRIENDLY! 🤢
More Unhealthy: Why is this happening? Well, there are few theories, ranging from the conspiracy against the car driver to downright incompetence. Whatever the case, our local authorities have behaved like rogue traders, spending millions of pounds of public money on schemes that make life more difficult for the people ultimately footing the bill.
Wasting Our Time: It was announced in August 2015 that London is officially the most congested city in Europe with the capital's drivers spending an average of 96 hours stuck in traffic in 2014. The equivalent of more than ten whole working days. Across the UK, drivers lost an average of 30 hours stuck in traffic in 2014. Three and a half working days for each of us. So, they are also costing us all, by wasting our time.
THE Most Congested! In 2016 it was announced that a study of more than one hundred cities had exposed Britain's roads as being THE most congested in Europe, London topping the league table. The traffic data company, Inrix, said that Britain has more than 20,000 traffic hotspots, well over double the number in Germany and more than ten times the number in France. London was the worst with over 12,000 each year.
Poorly Evaluated: How much does this inefficiency cost us individually and how much does it cost the economy? And yet our local authorities are still making matters worse rather than improving them! On top of this, logistic management is poor and housing density is still being increased in already overpopulated areas at the expense of recreational grounds and other facilities.
Interfere: It isn't very sensible to keep filling up an area with people, and not provide for them logistically, or enable them to go about their business. Local authorities don't understand the problems they themselves are creating. Inefficient traffic schemes, that hold people up and / or interfere with the natural flow, mean that people cannot get on and off the road as quickly as they should be able to.
Tipping Point! Apart from wasting everybody's time, this leads to a significant, otherwise unnecessary, build up of traffic on the roads, meaning more cars stuck on the road for longer. Eventually, the situation reaches a tipping point, making life in some places impossible, with people being left frustrated, stuck in traffic, coughing out fumes, compounding pollution, pollution related illnesses and stress levels.
Costing Us All: Even ignoring the stress from the sheer frustration of trying to operate in such a poorly managed society, air pollution is currently the biggest killer after cancer, obesity and heart disease and road traffic is currently the biggest polluter! Vehicle technology will improve and get cleaner as we evolve. However, we should still be thinking about making life, logistics, our roads and society more efficient! Not the reverse! Afterall, we all pay the price of inefficiency, and stress is still a killer, to say nothing of the monetary cost of inefficiency!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CONGESTION: PROBLEMS, ROOT CAUSES, TRENDS, SOLUTIONS
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Congestion: Problems, root causes, trends, solutions...
Are Local Authorities Acting Irresponsibly?
Promoting and installing traffic schemes that have so many negative factors makes people unhappy, is green unfriendly and is irresponsible. Especially when there are more efficient and less problematic solutions on offer!
Is Your Local Authority Causing Congestion?
You will often hear people say that congestion is due to the fact that there are too many cars on the road. But are the authorities making matters worse with their policies and strategies? What exactly are the facts?
Relieving Traffic Problems
Local authorities have obliviously, and sometimes even deliberately, it seems, created many of the traffic problems we see on our roads today. The reason we cannot go about our business expediently and efficiently is all too often simply due to bad traffic management and logistical planning. What can we do to reverse the trend?
Bus Lanes
Bus lanes are a bad idea. They cause congestion problems. The sums don't add up. We don't like them and we don't want them! We must stop the buses hogging the road resource and get all the traffic moving. Read the analysis!
What Have Our Local Authorities Done For Us?
Listing an abundance of negative and damaging factors that come along with the types of traffic scheme implemented by our local authorities.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
JUNCTION MANAGEMENT: SCHEME TYPES, PROCESSING EFFICIENCY, DRIVER INITIATIVE, ROUNDABOUTS VS TRAFFIC LIGHTS
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Junction Management: Scheme types, processing efficiency, driver initiative, roundabouts vs traffic lights...
Controlled traffic signalling systems can never be as efficient as driver initiative schemes such as roundabouts and slow and go junctions. They also have an inherent phase lag, where no traffic moves, causing a significant build up of congestion during periods of high-density traffic.
Traffic Scheme Efficiency
Whatever happened to driver initiative? Local authorities have cultivated a society where people are not encouraged or allowed to used their initiative or common sense thereby compounding congestion and pollution.
Give Traffic Lights The Red Light - Lights Out Campaign!
Traffic flows better when the lights are out... Calling for the removal of unnecessary traffic lighting at junctions and on roundabouts and the institution of more driver initiative schemes with independent pedestrian crossing.
Roundabouts - The Best Of All?
Roundabouts seem to be, by far, the best junction interface on offer. We look at the pros and cons, the need for speed reduction on roundabouts to prevent speeding drivers and allow integration. Educating drivers to use the interface efficiently.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PEDESTRIAN CROSSING: SAFETY AND EFFICIENCY, TYPES OF CROSSING, FLAWS, ADVANTAGES, DISADVANTAGES
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pedestrian Crossing: Safety and efficiency, types of crossing, flaws, advantages...
Pedestrian Crossing
Many people think that pelican crossings are safer but this is not necessarily the case. In many cases, they are also extremely inefficient. Can we do better with a safer and far more efficient system with emphasis on driver and pedestrian initiative? For example, you will never see a pedestrian having to wait in the rain at a at a Zebra Crossing, or cars being made to stop and wait for invisible pedestrians to cross.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TRAFFIC CALMING: OBJECTIVES, POLICY, EFFICIENCY, DISADVANTAGES, DAMAGE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Traffic Calming: Objectives, policy, efficiency, disadvantages, damage...
Stop Giving Us The Hump!
A call for local authorities to stop wasting money on humps and bumps, which mess up the roads, ruin the quality of motoring, and are highly unpopular with the majority of people (after all, there are less archaic, more efficient and more uniform methods of slowing traffic) and do something about potholes and general quality of road surfaces, which in many areas are appalling and sadly under-funded.
Current Traffic Calming Policy
Current traffic calming policy is archaic often poorly evaluated and is causing an array of serious problems of its own. What's wrong with it? Read the facts!
The Creeping Kerbstone
What is going on? Calling for the eradication and removal of appendages and obstacles that force traffic to stop unnecessarily, when the only necessary objective, if there is one, is to slow traffic down.
20 MPH Speed Limits
Another unhelpful and dictatorial enforcement of a policy that the majority of people do not want. Symbolic of the UK's own authoritarian state, where the authorities can do what THEY like, using public money to make life more difficult for people. The public have no say and no vote!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHARGES & FINES: TOLLS, FINES, IMMORALITY AND CORRUPTION
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Charges & Fines: Tolls, fines, immorality and corruption...
The Dartford Double Crossing
The Dartford Crossing is a major part of the M25, the busiest motorway in Europe. It was originally opened in 1963 as the Dartford Toll Tunnel and the people were promised that it would become a toll-free crossing when paid for. However, the politicians did not stick to their word, they double-crossed the people and the people are still being inconvenienced and charged for the crossing fifty years on. The tolls cause extreme congestion, defeating and countermanding the whole principle of motorway efficiency and of late, it's got even worse with the switchover from manned toll booths to automatic number plate recognition and online charging. A regime giving rise to its own set of problems...
London Congestion Charge - Pricing People Off The Road!
A corrupt and unfair system. Read the reasons why!
London Low Emission Zone - Forcing People Off The Road!
Many people will find the introduction of the LEZ difficult to overcome. Some will inevitably be forced off the road, unable to work with their vehicles. Another corrupt and unfair system penalizing the poorer people in society.
London Ultra Low Emission Zone - Forcing People Off The Road!
Penalizing those who can least afford it for the pollution problems local authorities have created with their own inept management of population density, logistic planning and idiotic traffic schemes. Once again, people have not been given a vote, and once again, the people have to pay!
Covert Cameras And Exploitative Speed Trapping
Many perfectly safe drivers with previously unblemished histories, have been penalized in recent years, even though they have not been driving dangerously. The reason? Sneaky covert cameras, often mobile, in inappropriate and unnecessary locations. Nobody disagrees with the objective of clearly marked and signposted speed cameras in accident black spots, however, for the authorities to exploit the principle for the purpose of making money from motorists who are not driving dangerously is simply corruption.
Toll Roads
As with congestion charging, this kind of scheme is unfair and a corrupt system because it favours the rich and penalizes the poor. People already pay massive amounts of road and fuel tax, for the purpose of financing the roads. We should not really be squeezed for additional money to pay for what we are already paying for, in the provision and upkeep of our roads. We also have to factor in to this equation the fact that local authorities appear to have cottoned on to the idea that if they deliberately cause congestion with inefficient traffic schemes, they can charge for the privilege of getting about.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PARKING: UNDERPROVISION, PROBLEMS, PAVEMENT PARKING BAN, CHARGES, FINES, IMMORALITY AND CORRUPTION
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Parking: Underprovision, problems, pavement parking ban, charges, fines, immorality and corruption...
Parking
Without the ability to park, the taxpaying public cannot go about its business and life becomes impossible. We look at some of the problems caused by the local authorities as they abuse the position of trust that they are in.
Looking at the problems caused by the lack of docking facilities with local shops, amenities and schools and too many parking restrictions. Campaigning to stop parking corruption - local authorities creating and then exploiting parking problems. Campaigning also for the local authorities to drop the ridiculous and annoying attitude that it is not their responsibility to provide enough parking (even though they're paid to manage our infrastructure) and that if you choose to have a car you should be parking in your garden. Well, not everybody is that privileged. Oh, and who is it that paints all the yellow lines everywhere?
Parking - Private Companies
Looking at the corruption prevalent in the private parking industry, where private companies are catching people out with deliberate trickery. Insufficient signage, misleading correspondence, threats and intimidation, extorting money out of people. Behaviour that is allowed to go on unchecked in a society where screwing the ordinary people seems to be fashionable and par for course. We need sensible and trusted parking facilities so that we can effectively go about our business. It should be the responsibility of those we vote into power to ensure that this happens. Unfortunately, we are being dramatically short-changed and even seriously exploited, as unscrupulous local authorities and private companies see the motorist as a means of making some easy and immoral money.
Pavement Parking
Looking at the problems instituted by the poorly thought-out footway parking ban and campaigning for a revised and more practical formula.
Car Park Top Up Ticketing
There have been too many instances of local councils fining people for topping up their car park tickets. People try and do the decent thing and then get penalised. What's it all about? Read the link.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LOCAL ISSUES - BEXLEY COUNCIL
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Local Issues...
Local Issues - Bexley Council
A comprehensive analysis of some of the retrogressive traffic scheming and traffic management in Slade Green demonstrating the problems they have created by our local authority.
Local Issues - Transport for London
Traffic and Transport issues relevant to Transport for London, including the London Congestion charge, the London low emission zone and the Dartford to Falconwood A2 remodelling scheme with revised 24/7 50mph speed limit.
Local Issues - Traffic Scheme Analysis Programme
A series of enquiries aimed at getting some explanation from the authorities as to why certain traffic schemes that the public find disagreeable and nonsensical have been implemented. We look at some of the reasoning behind the implementation of the various schemes and the cost involved and whether it can be seen to be justified.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PROTOCOL AND EDUCATION: CONSIDERATION FOR THE MOTORIST AND MAJORITY TAXPAYER, EDUCATION FOR ROAD USERS AND PEDESTRIANS
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Protocol and Education: Local authority policy, attitude and mindset, road-user and public protocol education...
It is very apparent that we need a change of the outdated mindset currently expressed by our local authorities, who have behaved in a corrupt and inconsiderate fashion, blatantly abusing their position and the trust we put in them. We also need to do more to encourage the right behaviour on and around our roads, as some motorists seem to be simply devoid of consideration and awareness.
Consideration For The Motorist
Is the majority taxpayer being disregarded walked all over by inconsiderate people in our local authorities? Are the local authorities giving the motorist the consideration they should?
Bus Or Car?
Can buses ever outweigh the benefits of using one's own personal transport in the form of the motorcar?
Road Protocol Awareness
A call for the government to run regular adverts on road protocol, showing people how they should indicate when negotiating a roundabout, etc., encouraging people to give way where necessary, and encouraging people to say thank you when someone gives way for them, after all it costs nothing to say thank you and all such things make motoring and negotiating our congested roads a more pleasurable experience.
Winker Or Wanker?
There are a significant number of remiss motorists on the road now that simply do not bother to use their indicators. At best, this can be considered thoughtless and inconsiderate, at worst, potentially dangerous and liable to cause accidents. Is this perhaps something that could be corrected with public information adverts and / or notices? Driving standards could definitely be improved.
Personal Transport
Campaigning for the rights of people to use personal transport efficiently and effectively. Recognising the absolutely vital need for people to be able to use personal transport to meet the demands and requirements of today's modern lifestyle and acknowledging the fact that one could not possibly manage one's affairs and requirements by relying on public transport alone. People should not be forced and priced off the roads by devious and corrupt local authorities, who abuse their position, spending ill-affordable public money to inconvenience the people they are robbing it from.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PUBLIC TRANSPORT
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Public Transport...
HS 2 - High Speed Rail Link
HS2 has been estimated to cost around 20 billion pounds, a figure which will probably go up substantially. The building of it will inconvenience a lot of people and some will lose their homes. Many people are unhappy about it, but as usual, the public have had, and get, no say. The end result is said to shave just 20 minutes off the London to Birmingham rail journey time. As with HS1, it will be more expensive to use than the standard train and the ordinary people (who paid for it) probably won't be able to afford to use it. Is it worth it? Well, in such austere times isn't it about time the people in charge stopped spending such substantial chunks of public money, without asking the public if it's ok and if it's what the people want to spend it on?
Motoring Infotainment - Necessary? Gimmick? Distraction?
Manufacturers are now incorporating social media facilities with the in-car entertainment systems. Such facilities are not actually necessary people already have such facilities on their mobile phones, are they therefore just a gimmick? It is difficult enough getting young people to focus on the job in hand much of time as it is, tempting people to interact with social media when they should be interacting with the road environment is asking for trouble. We have already seen enough accidents and fatalities caused by people using their mobiles, especially when they are texting, a somewhat ridiculous thing to do when driving. However, people have and as a result, others have died. Should we therefore be building such facilities into cars which will encourage people and cause more distraction? The manufacturers, as usual, only think about making money, however, the rest of us should be considering the wider ramifications. When on the road, distraction causes death! Not a good thing!
Accident Fuel Spillage
Diesel fuel spillages cause a lot of problems on our roads today. The clear up operation often results in affected sections having to be completely resurfaced and can result in sections of busy motorway being closed for periods of eight hours or more, while the authorities try and mop up the mess. Is there more that can be done to safeguard the contents of diesel tanks, especially on lorries, who tanks are usually quite exposed on the outside of the vehicle and who carry hundreds of litres of fuel?
Accident Clearance Action Policy
We know the police have an important job to do when there is an accident on the motorway or similar. However, many other people also have important jobs to do. Many people also have appointments to meet, jobs to do, flights to catch, and children to pick up as well as homes to go to. In other words, when roads are closed off for hours on end as the result of an accident, literally thousands of people are greatly and severely inconvenienced. The amount of lost revenue involved when traffic is brought to a standstill for hours on end is also colossal. It should, therefore, be considered vital to clear the scene of an accident enough to get traffic moving again as quickly as possible and we would like to see the relevant authorities putting considerable emphasis on achieving this objective.
Traffic Calming
The consensus of public opinion is in favour
of clearly marked 'non-exploitative' speed cameras in places where necessary as opposed to humps, bumps and kerbstone appendages. There are many disadvantages to the types of traffic scheme currently being implemented by the local authorities. Many people are not in favour of their methods and we are actively campaigning for a more sensible and up-to-date approach to curtailing the speed of the minority speeding motorist.
Open Up Congestion Overflow Routes
In some instances, local authorities have restricted access to and closed roads against the grain of common sense. We would like to see these changes reversed and such roads opened up again so as to allow vehicles to spread out, and when necessary, use certain back roads and short cuts that many local authorities have disabled access to, and so enable a reduction in congestion and travelling times. It makes sense to get people where they need to be as quickly and efficiently as possible and then they're off the road. If we can shorten everyone's half hour journey by ten minutes, we will instantly have a third less traffic on the road.
Abolish Traffic Wardens
A suggestion to abolish traffic wardens (too many of whom are sneaky, petty and over zealous), in favour of putting more policemen on the beat.
Bus Lane Cameras And Motorcycles
Motorcyclists are currently being penalised in the form of a £50.00 fine, if they are caught on camera using the bus lanes. This is a ludicrous situation and, along with many other aspects of today's inept traffic management policies, makes no sense at all - except to the authorities, who just love sucking the money out of people. Motorcyclists should not be being penalised for using bus lanes, they do not get in the way of the buses and do not hold anyone up. It is also safer for the motorcyclist, who, let's face it, is not very well protected compared to a car driver.
Footways For Cyclists And Pedestrians
It is much safer for cyclists to use pavements than roads and in many instances, it can be seen to make much more sense for cyclists and pedestrians to share pavements. Many pavements all over the country are completely devoid of pedestrians for the majority of the time. In instances such as these, at least, it would make sense for cyclists and pedestrians to sensibly share the allocated resource. The protocol would be (as for motor vehicles on the road), for cyclists to observe sensible speed limits, stopping distances, and give priority to pedestrians.
No To Fining Drivers!
Why are the Government fining drivers for the infiltration of migrants? The drivers have enough to put up with as it is, and the migrants have plenty of tactics that can catch drivers out. It is about time the Government took some responsibility for helping to deal with the problem that they are partly responsible for causing rather than dumping the responsibility on those on the front line, having to put up with all the problems as they try and go about their business.
Abolish Road Tax
Many people feel that it is way past time that the Government abolished the road tax system and put the levy on petrol instead. This means that the more you use the roads the more you pay. The bigger the vehicle you drive the more you pay. The more gas guzzling you do and the more pollution you cause, the more you pay. Fair?