LTNs on TV

[sheddy]

BBC1 8pm tonight or Iplayer

I’ll watch tomorrow, probably just another journo shoot show stirrer
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-65243274?

 

[fossyant]

I'll watch that if I remember. Very confrontational topic, and how dare you stop people driving everywhere !

If they are well thought out they can work well.

They tried one where my brother lived on his 'estate' and it basically funnelled most of the traffic down one residential street, but made it difficult to access his house - to get to his home, instead of 300 yards from the main road, you needed to drive another mile to access his home from the opposite direction - that was poorly thought out.

 

[Dogtrousers]

They're thinking of doing something round my neck of the woods. I found out on Twitter that a load of people are wetting their pants about it. It's of almost no interest to me. I got my car out of the garage for the first time in 6 weeks at the weekend (garden centre visit).

Like cycle infrastructure, if it's done well then it's fine. But it will probably be done incredibly badly.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

They are discussing all this on the TV now - a televised thing of BBC 5 Live - not sure if that means it is radio or TV but anyway

Seems like the critical thing is planning it and having great (not just good enough) public transport SERVICES

or being able to have nice warm sunny weather all day every day

So - making it easier for people to walk or cycle is all well and good - but do I really want to cycle to work when it is chucking it down with rain and I have to carry my laptop with me
So - OK I can have a waterproof bag - but I will still get to work wet and have to sit in work in a wet suit for the first few hours

I actually used to cycle to work before I retired
but only on nice days
I used to get up in the morning and the first thing I would do was look out of the window and if it was wet then it was a driving day - if not then it was a cycle day
which was made worse by the road outside our estate being frequently muddy - I realised that the slightest bit of wetness and cycling would mean that my trousers would be covered in muddy splats if I cycled in - not a good look for a teacher!!!

But that all costs money

 

[Cycleops]

Piece on the BBC site today about it. Good to see some are for them and willing to act as human bollards when the existing are stolen or vandalised.

Low Traffic Neighbourhoods: Is this the UK's most abused traffic bollard? https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-65243274

 

[fossyant]

- but do I really want to cycle to work when it is chucking it down with rain and I have to carry my laptop with me
So - OK I can have a waterproof bag - but I will still get to work wet and have to sit in work in a wet suit for the first few hours

Of course you do. Ortlieb panniers and cycle clothing - work clothing and laptop in panniers. Sorted !

 

[tom73]

The other growing problem is the tin hat brigade are moving on to 15 minute neighbourhoods adding in LTN as they go.
All of which is backed by past leading anti vac loons.

 

[I like Skol]

which was made worse by the road outside our estate being frequently muddy - I realised that the slightest bit of wetness and cycling would mean that my trousers would be covered in muddy splats if I cycled in - not a good look for a teacher!!!

Really? So owning a car that in general costs the owners £1000s a year and the population/environment even more and causes multiple issues/problems for everyone just so you can drive if it is raining, or..... buy some overtrousers. I think your lame excuses puts you squarely in the 'other people must do something about this problem I am causing' camp?

 

[Dogtrousers]

The other growing problem is the tin hat brigade are moving on to 15 minute neighbourhoods adding in LTN as they go.
All of which is backed by past leading anti vac loons.

I think this is why they are getting so much attention. Because of this "culture wars" thing. There's a certain subset of opponents who - truth be told - don't actually give a stuff either way about LTNs, but seeing that the proponents of LTNs are perceived to be the wrong sort of people - a bunch of lefty do gooders - then they pile in with their opposition. It's just arguing for the sake of arguing.

 

[Dadam]

So - making it easier for people to walk or cycle is all well and good - but do I really want to cycle to work when it is chucking it down with rain and I have to carry my laptop with me
So - OK I can have a waterproof bag - but I will still get to work wet and have to sit in work in a wet suit for the first few hours

I started cycling to work a few years ago, in summer, wearing more or less my work clothes (thankfully pretty casual at my workplace so no suits). But before long being Northern England there were some wet days, so initially I packed a change of clothes in a plastic bag inside my cheapy shopping pannier, then after a bit I bought a waterproof pannier with laptop storage. All you need is somewhere to store the wet things and ideally somewhere to hang them to dry until the trip home. It's not fun putting on wet things at the end of your working day, but it's not the end of the world.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Genuine question: Do LTNs go further than sticking planters at the junctions to prevent rat-running?

If they don't include a review of public transport then they are pretty pointless. Well, not pointless - I live on a rat-run and I'd be mildly pleased if steps were taken to minimise through traffic. Nice but not transformational. The reason I don't use my car is because I live in the public transport wonderland of SE London. I have bus and train options coming out of my ears.

IMO LTNs consisting only of anti-rat-running measures, would be are a bit meh. They don't provide a whole package of public transport, maybe a review of business rates to encourage local businesses, that kind of thing ...

 

[Drago]

In Greater Manchester the average car journey is less than one kilometer, and I can't see it being hugely different in most large cities. The lack of public transport angle is an excuse trotted out to justify people continuing to perpetuate their bone idle laziness.

 

[T4tomo]

Indeed, the whole point is to get people to use legs for the oodles of short journeys currently being done in cars.

 

[toffee]

Indeed, the whole point is to get people to use legs for the oodles of short journeys currently being done in cars.

I think that's the problem though. People don't want to actually use their legs.

 

[I like Skol]

Indeed, the whole point is to get people to use legs for the oodles of short journeys currently being done in cars.

I think that's the problem though. People don't want to actually use their legs.

Evidence of this, if evidence was needed, is clearly seen during my commute when I see quite a few people 'commuting' to work on an industrial estate I pass by and travelling on mid-sized e-scooters (A step up from the child/toy ones often seen being used by equally inactive youngsters). Surely any journey you may contemplate undertaking on one of these (1-2 miles?) would be doable on foot without the cost, risk and hassle of using a scooter, except that would mean having to do some activity under your own power?