How hopeful are you that the future will be much better?

[united4ever]

With regards to cycle infrastructure and mainstream participation etc? Do you think London will follow Paris's lead and get close to banning cars, will LTNs be kept once this 18 month trial is up? But more broadly do you think things will be much better in a decade or so?

I have moments where I think there is a cultural shift but am aware that my views, news sources and friends are all like minded so maybe I am in a great echo chamber. What do you think then in a decade....worse, better or same?

 

[Slick]

Won't be the step change most of us would hope for but it will be better. I still feel it would be criminal to let it even get back to where it was before lockdown.

 

[HMS_Dave]

I think eventually in the long term when cars drive themselves and we all just sit listening to commercials in Johnny Cab.

 

[mjr]

I think eventually in the long term when cars drive themselves and we all just sit listening to commercials in Johnny Cab.

But will Johnny really be voiced by the holographic doctor from Star Trek?

 

[classic33]

Similar question was asked on C+, 15 years ago. Locally there's been no real difference in those Years.

Many schemes have gone through early planning, but never been followed through. A couple of major disasters, Leeds to Bradford superhighway being the best known.

 

[dutchguylivingintheuk]

Unless they spend all that money on better infrastructure, coordinated, usefull and consistanly i don't see much change in 15 years or 30 for that matter.
What i mean is that every sinle council, borough council, county council of whatever you got more seems to have their own approach, wich means for example if i want to go from village 1 to city 2 passing city 2a and villages 1a, 3d and 4 i have to switch roads, have a wide dedicate cycle lne in the arrow and a narrow, flooded with tree,branches and mcdonalds path on the other and something in between by many many more. alsio with a little bit of rain or snow lots of paths are inaccessible, because there either flooded or to muddy to drive with a normal cycle, why do councils hate tarmac on route XX's so much?

 

[contadino]

My perspective is that of a leisure cyclist - if I need to go shopping, I walk into town (zombie apocalypse notwithstanding) and I work at home anyway.

Around here there have been a few good improvements in cycling infrastructure and there's no denying that the development of the eBike and folding bike markets has led to an increase in cycle use.

However, each year drivers are more aggressive and abuse of cyclists is now mainstream. The council can't do anything without getting ranted at and abused. My neighbour manages public consultations and was telling me that restraining orders and police intervention is now normal on every project. All of which serves to slow the pace of change down to a standstill. We live in a time when having a tantrum trumps due process.

 

[Darius_Jedburgh]

I'm not emotely interested in what goes on in London. The self centred oicks are little better than the pillocks in Brussels in their thinking that the country revolves around them.

 

[annedonnelly]

I think, at least locally, that there will be some improvements. Northumberland CC seem pretty determined about their carbon-zero plan which includes a lot of sustainable travel options.

I'm hoping that as drivers are forced to change to electric vehicles they'll not have a version with a loud, impressive exhaust which might take some of the fun out of racing around the place in the evening. Though I expect you'll be able to buy after market gadgets to make the noise for you.

 

[weareHKR]

I'm not emotely interested in what goes on in London. The self centred oicks are little better than the pillocks in Brussels in their thinking that the country revolves around them.

 

[Drago]

Change will be slow, but it will happen. Following 2030 car numbers will start to dwindle - not only are there insufficient materials to replace every ICE car one for one with a battery car, that relative rarity will elevate prices beyond the reach of many. In addition, most other western markets will be scrabbling for those same resources, further elevating prices.

Whether or not national or local government does anything to make cycling more appealing and more mainstream is uncertain. However, the end of the age of the motor car as king is now within view, as is the end of unfettered, unrestricted personal car use. With seriously reduced car numbers and a proportionately higher number of cyclists the government will be forced to start giving us some consideration as a user group. Hell, I may even live to see it.

As for London, there is a significant proportion of londoners that would sooner sit in a car for 40 minutes than walk for 10. Hell, in greater Manchester the average car journey is now less than 1 kilometer (yes, 1000 metres, 1200 odd lazy, casual paces) distance and I don't suppose Larndon is far behind. The future of London is in the hands of its own people and their own outlook and motivation - what happens there will be down to them and no one else.

The whole LTN thing is a joke. Not the concept itself, but the manner in which it is being considered. When trying to reduce crime the police aren't forced to take into account the views of bank robbers. When fighting cancer the scientists aren't forced to take into account the views of the Marlboro Man. Yet one of the factors determining the success, and the ongoing existence or otherwise, of LTN's is a public consultation involving the views of motorists, the very people causing the congestion, the pollution and the danger. It's madness - they are the disease, yet they are being allowed so much influence over the cure.

Don't vote in twits for mayors, eschew the car, start riding bicycles. Simple really, and it always has been. This idea that the future relies on government schemes of various sorts is rubbish - it'll change when Londoners really want it to, and not a moment sooner.

 

[Baldy]

Can't say I give a toss what happens in London, I don't live there. As far the rest of Britain I very much doubt much will change.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

It needs to become considerable unwoke to drive and own a car. Until the wokists wake up to this. Nothing will change.

 

[Baldy]

Unwoke, Wokest, Qu'est-ce que c'est?

 

[Milkfloat]

Seeing as nothing has really changed over the last 30 years except for a little bit of generally crappy infrastructure and an increase in irate drivers I don't predict anything revolutionary in the next 30 years. I am sure a little bit of noise will be made by politicians but fundamentally the funding will not be made available and attitudes will not change.

Proper self driving cars are miles away (pardon the pun) from reality and even then it will take decades for normal cars to be driven off the roads.