A FAIR DEAL FOR THE MOTORIST

 

 

 

 

 

 NO, BORIS, NO!!!

 

“YOUR MONEY OR YOUR WAY OF LIFE?”

 

Or why TFL’s wider initiative spells trouble!!!

 

·       In July 2013, a long set of documents was released under the heading Mayor’s Roads Task Force (RTF) reports (The key document proposing action is the TFL Response).

Other pages (linked below) look at the main concerns on the management of road space. This page covers some potentially positive measures, although the devil will be in the detail. Watch out for consultations and lobby your elected reps for a better deal.

 

·       POSSIBLE PLUS POINTS

 

·        Perhaps the biggest ‘plus’ is in managing disruption from roadworks.

 

TFL are looking at opportunities for underground ‘utility corridors’, which are located beneath carriageways and footways. These allow engineers to access the utilities using pedestrian entrances situated on the adjacent footway, removing the need for roadworks at these locations.

 

They are working at ensuring that roads and pavements are reinstated to a high standard ‘first time round’ after any works.

 

They are seeking to reinvest Lane Rental revenue into developing innovative technologies such as rapid hardening material and techniques such as ‘core and vac’ technology, which typically results in faster completion of works and shorter road closures.

 

  • Calcium Magnesium Acetate (CMA) has been specified as a non-corrosive de-icer specific for sections of road, maintaining its durability.

 

·        TFL are creating a Road Fatalities Review Group to bring together road safety experts to learn lessons from fatal and serious collisions.

 

  • They are also following-up the successful trial involving the installation of 100 blind spot safety mirrors for HGVs at signalised junctions.

 

  • TFL’s kerbside loading guidance provides for flexible use of road space, and enables the use of the footway for both pedestrians and loading purposes at different times.

 

·        There will be a logistics project to elicit ‘Best Practice’ from the lessons of the 2012 Olympics.

 

·        Real-time information that can help drivers avoid roadworks and snarl-ups will be considered A ‘plus’ so long as it adds something to what is currently available on traffic programmes and websites like the AA’s.

 

  • The SCOOT system enables TFL to adjust traffic signals in real time. It has been praised for speeding up traffic, although extending it for pedestrian crossings and cycling intensity by the end of 2018/19 might lose some of the benefits. One stated interest is in reducing the impact on emissions.

 

·       THE BALANCE OF PROPOSALS

 

Of previous pages outlining the proposals, the first covers:

 

  • Extending the Congestion Charge (road pricing)
  • Measures towards discouraging car use

 

The second covers:

 

  • Measures towards discouraging car use
  • Measures to reallocate road space away from drivers
  • Road closures, using flimsy excuses
  • Measures that will actually endanger road safety

 

The third covers.

 

  • Gratuitous restrictions on parking space provision
  • Banning current vehicles from Central London
  • Depressed speed limits
  • An expansion of lucrative box junction and speed cameras
  • Big Brother technology in cars (codenamed ‘ITS’)

 

TFL seem to have practically accepted the proposals from a task force loaded with vested interests (such as IBM, promoters of congestion charging and ‘smart cities’, road pricing lobbyists ‘London First’ [sic] and CILT; ‘green’ lobbyists, etc.

 

Drivers were apparently ‘represented’ by David Quarmby of the pro-road pricing RAC Foundation (RACF) and a former RACF man AA President Edmund King.

 

Where were the objections from the latter pair?, It is interesting that they are the former and current Chairmen of the DFT Motorists’ Forum that is supposed to champion drivers’ interests!.

 

·       PROPAGANDA WATCH

 

On balance, TFL’s response is of concern, given the persistent anti-car flavour. Their commitment to conduct customer satisfaction and attitude surveys to further improve service sounds rather hollow when related to drivers.

 

During 2013, TFL will be working closely with boroughs and other stakeholders to run a communications campaign. The aim is to ensure that their overall approach gains widespread acceptance in London.

 

TFL hint at “changing the processes by which decisions are made and how people are involved in these decisions”. This needs explaining, and could be an opportunity or a threat.

 

 

 

MANY THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT

 

 

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