What would happen if I blocked a road?
Discussion
In brief, there is a horrendous traffic problem in our local community. One road in particular is at the centre of most problems. There have been numerous calls for a bypass, and numerous rejections for various reasons. There is currently an e-petition running in favour of a relief road.
Now, hypothetically, if I were to take a large van with a large sign drawing attention to the petition, to this particular road at 8am on a Monday, park it blocking as much of the carriageway as possible, lock it up and leave it there for a few hours, what could I expect to happen to me?
Now, hypothetically, if I were to take a large van with a large sign drawing attention to the petition, to this particular road at 8am on a Monday, park it blocking as much of the carriageway as possible, lock it up and leave it there for a few hours, what could I expect to happen to me?
The van wouldn't be there long.
In the current climate, there is very little money for existing roads' maintenance, let alone the construction of new roads. Simple congestion won't "score" highly enough to warrant what would be millions of pounds when there WILL be sites in the area that have a safety problem. Safety trumps congestions every time I'm afraid.
I know because I've spent the last 2 months prioritising schemes for the local authority. Relief roads anywhere are a pipe dream at the moment. One 8km road I've been looking at will take nearly the entire year's budget...
I assume the parish/district council are aware and have raised the problem with the CC? If a request comes in from a public authority, it tends to carry more (political) weight with the money people. And if you can get a local councillor on board - or even better an MP - then things will get a lot easier.
In the current climate, there is very little money for existing roads' maintenance, let alone the construction of new roads. Simple congestion won't "score" highly enough to warrant what would be millions of pounds when there WILL be sites in the area that have a safety problem. Safety trumps congestions every time I'm afraid.
I know because I've spent the last 2 months prioritising schemes for the local authority. Relief roads anywhere are a pipe dream at the moment. One 8km road I've been looking at will take nearly the entire year's budget...
I assume the parish/district council are aware and have raised the problem with the CC? If a request comes in from a public authority, it tends to carry more (political) weight with the money people. And if you can get a local councillor on board - or even better an MP - then things will get a lot easier.
OpulentBob said:
The van wouldn't be there long.
In the current climate, there is very little money for existing roads' maintenance, let alone the construction of new roads. Simple congestion won't "score" highly enough to warrant what would be millions of pounds when there WILL be sites in the area that have a safety problem. Safety trumps congestions every time I'm afraid.
I know because I've spent the last 2 months prioritising schemes for the local authority. Relief roads anywhere are a pipe dream at the moment. One 8km road I've been looking at will take nearly the entire year's budget...
I assume the parish/district council are aware and have raised the problem with the CC? If a request comes in from a public authority, it tends to carry more (political) weight with the money people. And if you can get a local councillor on board - or even better an MP - then things will get a lot easier.
Thank you for the sensible and knowledgable reply.In the current climate, there is very little money for existing roads' maintenance, let alone the construction of new roads. Simple congestion won't "score" highly enough to warrant what would be millions of pounds when there WILL be sites in the area that have a safety problem. Safety trumps congestions every time I'm afraid.
I know because I've spent the last 2 months prioritising schemes for the local authority. Relief roads anywhere are a pipe dream at the moment. One 8km road I've been looking at will take nearly the entire year's budget...
I assume the parish/district council are aware and have raised the problem with the CC? If a request comes in from a public authority, it tends to carry more (political) weight with the money people. And if you can get a local councillor on board - or even better an MP - then things will get a lot easier.
For some background info, here is a Wikipedia page: http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Longdendale_Bypass
The traffic situation on that stretch of the A57 is absolutely horrific. I honestly can't put into words how it affects the local residents. It's more than a little frustrating that all of the decisions are being made by people who don't have to sit in it every morning; the same goes for those opposing the proposals.
Bizarrely, although i'm a nailed-on southern poof, i drove that bit of road recently. Yeah, its s
t. Having had a quick skim read of the scheme and history, nothing in there is surprising. The locals want it, big green organisations don't. £315m is also an incredibly big amount of money, for what is in all honesty quite a low reduction in traffic figures. The provision of a bypass would create a rat run - arguably not a favourable swap.
I can see the green side of the argument, to an extent. The land was there first - why ruin it just because of humans and their refusal to use public transport etc. In my experience, build a new road and development alongside follows. Be it residential or industrial, it happens. And the big green spaces start to disappear and the beige areas start to merge.
But that's all a bit academic really - the sheer amount of money the scheme would cost is crazy. The funds simply aren't there. Maybe some sort of traffic management, like peak time HGV restrictions or something. I don't know enough about the behaviour or problems along there to comment - and there are far cleverer and more experienced strategy types than me who would have looked at this for years. It's just a st bit of the world for traffic. Just like Dartford (Essex/Kent crossing).
ETA that middle paragraph reads like I'm Swampy or something. I'm not - I design and build roads for a living - but I can appreciate how much of an impact they have.
ETA2 Just read the "alternative proposals" - they've got similar ideas to me. Modify existing to suit. Keep the new road in the back pocket for times of plenty.
t. Having had a quick skim read of the scheme and history, nothing in there is surprising. The locals want it, big green organisations don't. £315m is also an incredibly big amount of money, for what is in all honesty quite a low reduction in traffic figures. The provision of a bypass would create a rat run - arguably not a favourable swap. I can see the green side of the argument, to an extent. The land was there first - why ruin it just because of humans and their refusal to use public transport etc. In my experience, build a new road and development alongside follows. Be it residential or industrial, it happens. And the big green spaces start to disappear and the beige areas start to merge.
But that's all a bit academic really - the sheer amount of money the scheme would cost is crazy. The funds simply aren't there. Maybe some sort of traffic management, like peak time HGV restrictions or something. I don't know enough about the behaviour or problems along there to comment - and there are far cleverer and more experienced strategy types than me who would have looked at this for years. It's just a s
t bit of the world for traffic. Just like Dartford (Essex/Kent crossing).ETA that middle paragraph reads like I'm Swampy or something. I'm not - I design and build roads for a living - but I can appreciate how much of an impact they have.
Edited by OpulentBob on Friday 17th February 23:23
ETA2 Just read the "alternative proposals" - they've got similar ideas to me. Modify existing to suit. Keep the new road in the back pocket for times of plenty.
Edited by OpulentBob on Friday 17th February 23:28
No. Look, I didn't say I was going to do it. Quite frankly I don't have the balls, as I suspect someone might have something to say before I managed to leave the vicinity.
I was asking because I am trying to think of a way to draw attention to the petition (which is probably a waste of time) and make people aware that something could be done.
So, all of the keyboard warriors can allow their blood pressure to return to normal levels.
MBH - How did you come to be in that unfortunate predicament?!
I was asking because I am trying to think of a way to draw attention to the petition (which is probably a waste of time) and make people aware that something could be done.
So, all of the keyboard warriors can allow their blood pressure to return to normal levels.
MBH - How did you come to be in that unfortunate predicament?!
OpulentBob said:
Bizarrely, although i'm a nailed-on southern poof, i drove that bit of road recently. Yeah, its st. Having had a quick skim read of the scheme and history, nothing in there is surprising. The locals want it, big green organisations don't. £315m is also an incredibly big amount of money, for what is in all honesty quite a low reduction in traffic figures. The provision of a bypass would create a rat run - arguably not a favourable swap.
I can see the green side of the argument, to an extent. The land was there first - why ruin it just because of humans and their refusal to use public transport etc. In my experience, build a new road and development alongside follows. Be it residential or industrial, it happens. And the big green spaces start to disappear and the beige areas start to merge.
But that's all a bit academic really - the sheer amount of money the scheme would cost is crazy. The funds simply aren't there. Maybe some sort of traffic management, like peak time HGV restrictions or something. I don't know enough about the behaviour or problems along there to comment - and there are far cleverer and more experienced strategy types than me who would have looked at this for years. It's just a st bit of the world for traffic. Just like Dartford (Essex/Kent crossing).
ETA that middle paragraph reads like I'm Swampy or something. I'm not - I design and build roads for a living - but I can appreciate how much of an impact they have.
Cheers.t. Having had a quick skim read of the scheme and history, nothing in there is surprising. The locals want it, big green organisations don't. £315m is also an incredibly big amount of money, for what is in all honesty quite a low reduction in traffic figures. The provision of a bypass would create a rat run - arguably not a favourable swap. I can see the green side of the argument, to an extent. The land was there first - why ruin it just because of humans and their refusal to use public transport etc. In my experience, build a new road and development alongside follows. Be it residential or industrial, it happens. And the big green spaces start to disappear and the beige areas start to merge.
But that's all a bit academic really - the sheer amount of money the scheme would cost is crazy. The funds simply aren't there. Maybe some sort of traffic management, like peak time HGV restrictions or something. I don't know enough about the behaviour or problems along there to comment - and there are far cleverer and more experienced strategy types than me who would have looked at this for years. It's just a s
t bit of the world for traffic. Just like Dartford (Essex/Kent crossing).ETA that middle paragraph reads like I'm Swampy or something. I'm not - I design and build roads for a living - but I can appreciate how much of an impact they have.
Edited by OpulentBob on Friday 17th February 23:23
I'm not sure that any restrictions would work, since there is simply no other viable route. When you take into account the cities and towns the A57 links, then you get to the single-lane traffic lights at the top of Mottram Moor and realise it ALL has to get through there somehow, you realise just how big the problem is. Every now and then, some unfortunate b
d breaks down at the point of no return, and all hell breaks loose.The post above speaks sense. (Edit-a couple of posts above) I drive along such a road on the way to work. It is a mess of traffic lights and 3 lanes merging into 2, and for a while 1. There is a high immigrant population, and many of the drivers there are fresh into the country and as such have got bad driving habits, or not used to driving on the wrong side of the road. Add in a large amount of busses, HGVs, and pedestrians, and a road that takes 2 minutes at 4am, takes half an hour during the day.
But blocking it off for a protest is ridiculous. You would be affecting many people. I would probably be delayed by half an hour if that road was half blocked off, which would mean my manager would be seriously cross, and it would have an effect on my future as I currently need a good reference because I'm in the process of getting a new job, as well as going through the process of joining the army.
From another point of view, someone would be at work by themselves for an hour, which would mean they can't open the shop up, meaning the company loses money.
Furthermore-ambulans, police, paramedics, a man trying to get to his dying dad on time.
Think about it before you affect the lives of hundreds.
But blocking it off for a protest is ridiculous. You would be affecting many people. I would probably be delayed by half an hour if that road was half blocked off, which would mean my manager would be seriously cross, and it would have an effect on my future as I currently need a good reference because I'm in the process of getting a new job, as well as going through the process of joining the army.
From another point of view, someone would be at work by themselves for an hour, which would mean they can't open the shop up, meaning the company loses money.
Furthermore-ambulans, police, paramedics, a man trying to get to his dying dad on time.
Think about it before you affect the lives of hundreds.
SC7 said:
I was asking because I am trying to think of a way to draw attention to the petition (which is probably a waste of time) and make people aware that something could be done.
So, all of the keyboard warriors can allow their blood pressure to return to normal levels.
Er... down off that high horse. You did ask what would happen if you blocked a rush hour road, to raise awareness of congestion. So, all of the keyboard warriors can allow their blood pressure to return to normal levels.
Duhhh.
So you actually mean: 'how do I get a bypass built?'
simoid said:
Er... down off that high horse. You did ask what would happen if you blocked a rush hour road, to raise awareness of congestion.
Duhhh.
So you actually mean: 'how do I get a bypass built?'
ME on my high horse?!Duhhh.
So you actually mean: 'how do I get a bypass built?'
You can start by looking up "hypothetically" in the dictionary, then re-read my first post.
I was interested to know the legalities of such an act. At no point did I say I was planning to do it, or would even consider doing it.
Yeah temporary additional second or third lanes are a bad idea, all they do is create an inevitable bottleneck further up the road when it drops back down to a single lane. The other thing is HGV's being restricted to 40mph on SC's. Going slightly O/T here but it won't be long before all SC's are 40/50mph limits anyway, due to speed regulation equalling increased throughput etc.
fks sake. I'm sitting with a glass of red at nearly midnight on a friday and I'm waffling shop-talk. Step away from the iPhone... 
f
ks sake. I'm sitting with a glass of red at nearly midnight on a friday and I'm waffling shop-talk. Step away from the iPhone... SC7 said:
simoid said:
Er... down off that high horse. You did ask what would happen if you blocked a rush hour road, to raise awareness of congestion.
Duhhh.
So you actually mean: 'how do I get a bypass built?'
ME on my high horse?!Duhhh.
So you actually mean: 'how do I get a bypass built?'
You can start by looking up "hypothetically" in the dictionary, then re-read my first post.
I was interested to know the legalities of such an act. At no point did I say I was planning to do it, or would even consider doing it.
I know what hypothetically means. You asked what would happen if, hypothetically, you blocked a road.
Hypothetically, you'd be a knob.
Van done for obstructing highway. Since now you're backtracking and bringing in 'legalities'.
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