Low Traffic Neighbourhood - Councils abusing Covid Powers

[shocks]

Search didn't turn anything up on this, Council up here in Edinburgh ramming through Low Traffic Neighbourhood under guise of Safer Places for People and using emergency powers under Covid to circumvent consultation. Lots of upset neighbours, council dictating it will happen. How are the one's in the "south" doing ?

In a nutshell :

It's already a Low Traffic Neighbourhood. No rat running, speeding that they claim. Traffic flow didn't show it.

2600 objections from residents (circa 3400 households)

1000 at public meeting (socially distanced !) to hear councils position - completely ignored questions from residents.

Local Councillors, MSP and MP ignored in their supporting objections

STV :

https://twitter.com/i/status/1303422152025296900

BBC :

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-e...

Evening News / Scotsman

https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/opinio...

https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/opinio...

Councils Position (Summary)
https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/news/article/12963/tr...

[csd19]

Just the usual anti-car rhetoric from Edinburgh Council, between refusing to repair the roads and unleashing nonsense like this under the guise of Covid I'm really not surprised.

I was in Edinburgh for most of last week visiting my folks in Corstorphine and fk me, the traffic was ridiculous. The combination of poorly timed roadworks (or were they actually intentional?), and Covid-closing of lanes along St John's Road brought the place to a standstill on more than one occasion. I actually used Craig's Road at the prescribed 20mph and was one of only three cars on it mid-afternoon. The insistence of the council to continually ignore the residents they are supposed to serve is nothing than utter arrogance, again.

And don't get me started on the state of Clermiston Road following the sticky tar and chippings treatment, call that a finished surface? While conveniently ignoring the state of the road at the roundabout on top of the hill. Holy potholes batman...

For a while I had considered moving back home to Edinburgh after growing up there and loving the city, but not now. You can fking ram it.

[giggity]

This st is all over the place in full overdrive.

I’m sick of it. However I’m afraid it’s a one way road the the motorist is fked.

[CourtAgain]

Seems to be in the areas where cyclists have more sway over gullible councils and their planning departments. There was a news article about a fire engine not being to enter one of these adapted roads (blocked with new plant box) in South London, the fire brigade had to continue on foot as the fire engine couldn't fit.

Same cyclists gave Sadiq Khan to add to the problem in already congested Euston Road, reducing two lanes, plus bus lane to just one for everyone to use... it wouldn't be bad if we saw the cycles using said lanes

[MrJuice]

Yep, same in my local authority in NW London. It will result in the diversion of traffic from a road that is moderately able to cope with the traffic volume to a road that is absolutely not able to cope with the traffic volume. Utter madness. It's making a busy road into access only for residents and a side street will be taking up the slack. Madness.

[pavarotti1980]

My local council have gone on a similar way too. All due to the finer details of additional funding for COVID-19. They have to implement measures to accommodate additional pedestrians and cyclists and reduce pollution.

Gateshead Council decided in their wisdom to put in place measures which have made it virtually impossible to go north in Newcastle using the already busy A167. They planned to close the entire N/B carriageway to vehicles and make it cycle only and also replaced an E/B carriageway of road joining A167 to travel over the Tyne Bridge with a bus lane while simultaneously closing the existing bus lane which allowed the same journey as the new one.

The consequence is now is that vehicles wishing to go north from Gateshead to Newcastle have to travel through the middle of Gateshead town centre or travel a different route through the middle of Newcastle City Centre and surprise surprise this has caused utter chaos. On its first few days of operation a colleague whose commute was 30 minutes pre COVID (and 15 minutes during lockdown) was 90 minutes. My own commute which avoided the areas in question beforehand are now clogged up with traffic due to these changes.

Traffic planners have said changes are just temporary as per TRO however they are in the middle of 10 weeks of major road adaptations for a TRO which is only in place for 6 months. You can draw your own conclusions from that

[Das speck]

It’s a nightmare in Stanmore - a4140 - they’ve changed a duel carriageway into a single lane with a dedicated cycle lane, because of that the road has had the speed limit changed from 40 to 30.

The road already has a perfectly safe lay-by lanes on both sides.

all the shop lay-bys have had the parking reduced by 50%.

It’s going to be hard to reclaim the roads because the road planners live on another planet and commute using teleporters.

[yellowtr]

We are battling one locally in Surbiton. No consultation, its happening next week and residents are up in arms and the meeting about it is 3 days after it is being installed. Councillor was emailed as has totally avoided the questions raised. Essentially its money grab by Kingston Council in a cynical guise of Covid/Environmental issues. I can see it getting very messy when challenged legally.

[TEKNOPUG]

Google "islington road closure protests"

[mcdjl]

My council is working on its next 18 year plan which is out for consultation. One of the suggestions is that they develop green and blue infrastructure.This will include encouraging non motorised transport on the river Trent/Soar. Horse drawn barge anyone?

[PurpleTurtle]

This happened in my neighbourhood during August, anyone who knows Reading traffic predicted it would be an absolute nightmare and indeed it immediately transpired to be one, yet Reading Borough Council still went ahead with it despite lots of local objection in advance.

More than 1,000 locals got together in a well orchestrated campaign on Facebrag. Fortunately RBC saw a number of Labour seats being lost at the next local elections sense and removed it after about a week of chaos, so we could all put our pitchforks away.

Apparently it cost circa £45k but they reckon they can redeploy £30k of that funding elsewhere ... #chinnyreckon

https://www.getreading.co.uk/news/reading-berkshir...

ETA: I am/was a 'shielding' person under Covid, am a cyclist and pedestrian as well as car & motorcycle driver, so on one hand I'm grateful to the Council for trying to do 'something' but this was utterly bonkers from the off. As others say, just using Covid as an excuse to push through their wish list of changes because they've been given some 'free' money on top of their normal budget.

Edited by PurpleTurtle on Thursday 10th September 13:04

[MikeT66]

Same here in Trafford. A56 Dual carriageway reduced to single lane on sections. Introduced back in April I think (lockdown memory is a bit hazy, like a fuzzy dream) and I saw my first cyclist on it the other day (I use this bit twice a day). I initially thought it was temporary thing, but there's no sign of it going away anytime soon.

[Jezza30]

In Henley on Thames there is a council sign in red that reads 'COVID 19 - reduce your speed'

Quite what that means is beyond me??

[anonymous-user]

shocks said:

Search didn't turn anything up on this, Council up here in Edinburgh ramming through Low Traffic Neighbourhood under guise of Safer Places for People and using emergency powers under Covid to circumvent consultation. Lots of upset neighbours, council dictating it will happen. How are the one's in the "south" doing ?

In a nutshell :

It's already a Low Traffic Neighbourhood. No rat running, speeding that they claim. Traffic flow didn't show it.

2600 objections from residents (circa 3400 households)

1000 at public meeting (socially distanced !) to hear councils position - completely ignored questions from residents.

Local Councillors, MSP and MP ignored in their supporting objections

STV :

https://twitter.com/i/status/1303422152025296900

BBC :

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-e...

Evening News / Scotsman

https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/opinio...

https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/opinio...

Councils Position (Summary)
https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/news/article/12963/tr...

I’m convinced edinbroo council are still pissed off from having their congestion charge knocked back by residents years ago , and this a long with other “calming” ideas is petty revenge lol.

[oyster]

Jezza30 said:

In Henley on Thames there is a council sign in red that reads 'COVID 19 - reduce your speed'

Quite what that means is beyond me??

More likelihood of pedestrians in the road to help them socially distance from one another.
I'd have thought it pretty obvious.

[Byker28i]

Cardigan in Wales has shut the high street to cars, allowing foot traffic only forcing traffic down the small roads to bypass. The locals thought it was for the 6 weeks summer holidays but it looks like a long term thing. None of the locals nor shops think it's a good idea. The cafes have expanded out onto the pavement and roads with their tables and chairs so there's not as much room now.

https://www.cardigan-today.co.uk/article.cfm?id=13...

On the bright side the car parks were free...

[snowen250]

Here in Faversham in Kent we have had a similar thing:

- High Street now pedestrians only 7 days a week.

This means no deliveries for the shops, and no access for disabled. As the main car park is still a reasonable walk into the town if you are handicapped. All shops are against this move. The gates are supposed to be manned to allow emergency access. Except….they aren't. Hence the paramedics having to leg it up the high street the other week....

-20 mph everywhere.

I actually don't mind this. As the roads in town are narrow, with lots of parked cars and on sunny weekends lots of pedestrians. However, the signs are up, the roads have had big 20 markings painted on them. Yet apparently it is a 'consultation' my arse is it. Don't lie to us, if you are making a change without any chance for people to disagree, just do it. Don't pretend to listen.

[georgezippy]

Das speck said:

It’s a nightmare in Stanmore - a410 - they’ve changed a duel carriageway into a single lane with a dedicated cycle lane, because of that the road has had the speed limit changed from 40 to 30.

The road already has a perfectly safe lay-by lanes on both sides.

all the shop lay-bys have had the parking reduced by 50%.

It’s going to be hard to reclaim the roads because the road planners live on another planet and commute using teleporters.

Interesting you mention this one, I cycle and drive in that general direction quite often.
When cycling I wouldn't go on that road as there are better cycling options and the big problem is that there's a really dangerous roundabout at one end (for bikes) and at the other the road narrows and there's a steep hill and guess what, the cycle lane ends before that - where you really need it as you're riding up the hill and holding up traffic.
As a cyclist I think that alteration is a complete waste of time, am yet to see anyone cycle in it, and like all these pop up cycle lanes, they aren't where they are really needed and end just as you need one, it's clearly a box ticking exercise.
Narrow busy roads are the problem but it's too difficult or expensive to widen them and put in a cycle lane.

[Biker 1]

I drove through Felbridge/East Grinstead the other day, A22, main trunk route. There are wide pavements both sides, & a painted cycle lane that was done several years ago. Now they have installed several hundred fluorescent posts, all bolted to the road as a 'pop-up Covid 19 cycle lane', with a myriad of signs. Any cyclists visible during rush hour? None. Zero. Nada. How much did it cost? I'm guessing £50k plus, & for what? Madness & nobody accountable for squandering our hard earned tax contributions. No consultation, & as far as I can see, no actual need.

[Das speck]

georgezippy said:

Interesting you mention this one, I cycle and drive in that general direction quite often.
When cycling I wouldn't go on that road as there are better cycling options and the big problem is that there's a really dangerous roundabout at one end (for bikes) and at the other the road narrows and there's a steep hill and guess what, the cycle lane ends before that - where you really need it as you're riding up the hill and holding up traffic.
As a cyclist I think that alteration is a complete waste of time, am yet to see anyone cycle in it, and like all these pop up cycle lanes, they aren't where they are really needed and end just as you need one, it's clearly a box ticking exercise.
Narrow busy roads are the problem but it's too difficult or expensive to widen them and put in a cycle lane.

I grew up in the area, I rode around when I was a kid my brother bought his first house 35years ago opposite the old milcars.

I bought my first house 20 years at the top of the hill and my brother still lives there and it’s a nightmare all the time. Used to be just rush hour but it’s all the time now.

Since the new estate was built and the lights have controlling priority it’s utterly ridiculous and the cycle lane has topped it off!

Wait till they stop parking down near morrision that’s going to tip the area into permit parking like Wembley, but the parking on that part is stupid. It started happening when they built all the new flats in the morrisions car park.

What else is mental is the fking seagulls in the b&q car park hoards of them!