What have us cyclists been saying for ages?

[MontyVeda]

if driverless cabs become the norm... i think you'll both be a tad disgruntled at the cost per journey

 

[lane]

The fact is most car use is between a short 2 hour window mornings and night. Everyone would want a car at the same time there would be very little reduction in numbers. When you take the girls to school everyone else is wanting a cat at the same time.

 

[MontyVeda]

We need to get back into the general mindset of allowing kids to walk to and from school. It's better for their health and the environment.

 

[Andy in Germany]

The fact is most car use is between a short 2 hour window mornings and night. Everyone would want a car at the same time there would be very little reduction in numbers. When you take the girls to school everyone else is wanting a cat at the same time.

This could have a number of consequences/possible problems:

• There will either have to be a surplus built into the system, which will increase the price per kilometre, and meaning there will not be a massive reduction in vehicles overall, and/or there's simply not enough vehicles at peak times.
• This will either leave a lot of people disgruntled at the price, or a lot of people without transport, or those who can afford it will pay a premium to get a car at peak times.
• This also leaves a practical problem: all those cars will need recharging at once, assuming they are battery powered, so there will be a big increase in energy demand twice a day, in fact this is about the same time as we already have peaks, compounding the problem.
• Availability or cost issues will lead a lot of people to look for alternatives, either cycling, public transport or a non-autonomous car. These people could potentially be excluded from the more desirable jobs (Or indeed any job, see below).
• So at this point, unless there is separate infrastructure for at least private vehicles and public transport/active transport, buses and cars will still get stuck in traffic at peak times: and users of other transport forms will be disadvantaged for the benefit of the relatively small number of people able to afford to use the new system.

Unfortunately a belief in "Technology" has become in many ways an alternative religion, so people are told the next big technological advance will solve the problems caused by the last big technological advance, and the process repeats itself.

Instead of building automatic vehicles and making our towns for them, it would be far cheaper, easier, and more pleasant just to make use of technology we already have, and design neighbourhoods that everyone can access by walking and cycling, and connect these by public transport...

 

[lane]

Virtually every transport system in the world suffers from a problem of "peak demand" either increasing prices or resulting in congestion - no matter if it is rail, car, bus or air. Any peak demand built into the system will inevitably result in either one of these issues whatever the mode.

 

[lane]

We need to get back into the general mindset of allowing kids to walk to and from school. It's better for their health and the environment.

Partly mindset but also investment in infrastructure to make it possible. I have posted previously suspend all expenditure on road schemes for 5 years and invest in cycling infrastructure by which time we should have the best in the world. At very little real cost because most road improvement schemes ultimately achieve XXXX all.

 

[icowden]

We need to get back into the general mindset of allowing kids to walk to and from school. It's better for their health and the environment.

In order to do that you have to live close enough to the school. For us it's a 15 minute drive but about 90 minutes walk (about 5 miles). Plus with the amount of gear they have to bring to and from (instruments, pe kits, swimming kit, huge amounts of school books) walking just isn't a feasible option. Cycling might be on some days but the route is too dangerous at present.

We don't have any useful public transport in that direction. Even the school bus network is too far from us to be useful, and would be more expensive than driving.

 

[lane]

In order to do that you have to live close enough to the school. For us it's a 15 minute drive but about 90 minutes walk (about 5 miles). Plus with the amount of gear they have to bring to and from (instruments, pe kits, swimming kit, huge amounts of school books) walking just isn't a feasible option. Cycling might be on some days but the route is too dangerous at present.

We don't have any useful public transport in that direction. Even the school bus network is too far from us to be useful, and would be more expensive than driving.

It's all your fault you should have made sure you live right next door to the school or just not had any children. Shame on you.

 

[Andy in Germany]

Virtually every transport system in the world suffers from a problem of "peak demand" either increasing prices or resulting in congestion - no matter if it is rail, car, bus or air. Any peak demand built into the system will inevitably result in either one of these issues whatever the mode.

This problem already exists, of course, my point is that with this 'solution', unless you deliberately price people out, you are investing a lot of money for a whole lot of nothing: all the above problems you mention are compounded because we're dealing with lots of vehicles, so they wouldn't reduce congestion, while effectively excluding many people from travelling because they will fill existing roads.

If we're going to invest millions in solving a problem, then making our towns accessible for active travel and improving public transport, which can move many more people along a given road per hour, is far more sensible than pouring it into yet another new technology.

 

[tom73]

So much research is going into climate change but one key part is missing. In the Uk it turns out only 2% is going into Social science. Which as a SS Grad is puzzling without really knowing why people make the choices they do you can't start to change them. Many now know they need to change but very few do. Many say I wolund if ... or I'd pay more for... But most won't no party get's to power who say's we will but tax up and give it to ......

We are for sure going to need sticks as well carrots unless we really understand why society continues to carry on the way it is.
We can't work out which sticks will work and with which social groups. Many pushed for a sugar tax without really understand it's effects.
The fact that it's bring in more money than they thought say most are willing to pay it. Equally they really only effect the ones who can't afford it but have no choice to pay it. Equally we can't fully understand which carrots really work and which just end up as an easy way for big boys to make even more out of public money.

 

[Drago]

Sticks, big sticks, are what is required. The problem is that the people who are able to wield a big stick have a vested interest in getting themselves elected again in 5 years, so their view is very short and their actions often acquiesce to the electorate. An independent is what's required, created with cross part support, and given sweeping powers to do what is required without fear of electoral backlash. Democracy is nice when the going is good, but jf the public won't act at a time of existential crisis then a benign dictatorship is what is necessary.

Alas, none of this will ever happen. As the last house is engulfed by rising g sea levels the owner, with their last breath, will complain that they needed the car to get to work 4 miles away.

 

[rogerzilla]

I'm not sure why people buy these houses. I looked at one on a new estate. Parking hell even on a weekday lunchtime. Bought a 1980s house with plenty of parking space for £50,000 less.

 

[classic33]

In order to do that you have to live close enough to the school. For us it's a 15 minute drive but about 90 minutes walk (about 5 miles). Plus with the amount of gear they have to bring to and from (instruments, pe kits, swimming kit, huge amounts of school books) walking just isn't a feasible option. Cycling might be on some days but the route is too dangerous at present.

Lived three miles, straight line distance, from the school, but walked to and from school daily for the last two years I was there. Crossing a busy "A" road, in an area known for it's accident rate. Never bothered me, but walking has been given the "unsafe" tag.

 

[Drago]

I'm not sure why people buy these houses. I looked at one on a new estate. Parking hell even on a weekday lunchtime. Bought a 1980s house with plenty of parking space for £50,000 less.

Lego boxes, houses for those with no imagination and low expectations.

 

[Tom B]

One estate near where I used to live built in the late 90s early 00s has a through walking route (but not through to vehicles) to a school.

Yet they built the lawns down to the road with no pavement. Okay it's a quietish road but with 50odd houses. How was that ever allowed?

I walked across the lawns.