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BBC R4 Today Programme this morning - a report on "walking", including the government's strategy (or lack of) to encourage it. A spokesman from T2000 invited on, inevitably put forward the usual proposals such as removing roadside barriers and "crossing points", in the interests of "uncaging" the pedestrians and helping them to feel "more comfortable". Oh, and (naturally enough) "slowing traffic down".

A shame Paul wasn't invited on to debunk this dangerous nonsense.

No transcript, I'm afraid, I expect it'll be on the BBC "Listen again" site later.

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Keep right on to the end of the road ...

Are they insane?


Perhaps if they actually educated people in Green Cross Code properly, had proper adverts and THINK! campaigns on prime TV and more schools adopted a fair and balanced input into road safety and courtesy - perhaps then all of society would feel more "comfortable".

But even so - you keep the barricades and the crossing points - as this helps ensure safety and prevent j-walking and loitering in the roadway.

Interestingly, today's "Express" is actually launching one of its "crusades" to segregate cycle lanes from the roadway - "as they do in Holland and Northern Germany. "


Methinks they will have to include crusade to "Keep our footpaths and roadside barriers, pelicans and other crossings!"

I actually do walk to work and have no desire at all to be 'uncaged'.

Nor do I feel threatened or intidimidated by either the volume or speed of traffic.

Some crossings could certainly be improved. Subways need to be better maintained and cleaned once in a while. And an 8 foot electric fence should be erected down the centre of every urban dual carriageway to encourage use of the proper crossing points.

Well, well, well.

It turns out (I've just read the latest ABD press release) that the words I've attributed to T2000 emanated, instead from Mr Andrew Bennett MP (Denton and Reddish, Lab), although in my defence he did follow a T2000 spokesman on the air, and the sentiments could easily have come from them or from their Siamese twins, "Living Streets".

It's a good job he has no ministerial responsiblity, although whether he'd actually be any worse than Kim Howells is open to debate!

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Keep right on to the end of the road ...

The ABD press release is now available on-line at:

http://www.abd.org.uk/pr/401.htm

Walking and Cycling Need Better Roads, says ABD

Government "Walking Strategy" Makes "Ministry of Silly Walks" look Sensible!

In the wake of the recent obesity report, there has been renewed discussion about ways of encouraging walking and cycling. Unfortunately, the Government's ideas for a "walking strategy" are nothing more than a tired rehash of the unworkable transport policies that have blighted Britain's cities for the past ten years.

MP Andrew Bennett, talking on Radio 4 on 28 May, summarised this nonsensical position very well. Mr Bennett seems to think that mixing pedestrians, cyclists, trucks, cars and buses in close proximity is going to improve things for everyone! Investing in proper roads where traffic flows are unimpeded and where vulnerable road users have dedicated, pleasant facilities separating them from traffic, is according to Bennett, going to make things worse!

"This position is risible," says the ABD's Nigel Humphries. "Nobody wants to walk or cycle down congested roads littered with dangerous traffic calming obstructions and fuming drivers jockeying for position. But Local Authorities have been browbeaten into creating just these conditions for the last ten years - and the results are clear. Britain's cities have ground to a halt, resulting in dangerous conflict between road users. Any improvements in bus services due to bus lanes have been negated by endless red lights and other obstructions supposedly designed to help pedestrians but which in reality turn them into cannon fodder in the war to obstruct motorised traffic. People have voted with their feet and flocked to out of town business, retail and residential developments, which has worsened the very car dependency that people like Mr Bennett are trying to reduce."

It's time to get our cities moving again by putting an end to this shambles. Britain needs better roads - for buses, cyclists and pedestrians as well as cars. This means upgrading access roads and building in separate cycle and walkways which separate traffic from vulnerable road users.

Makes the point very well, in my view.

Regards,

Peter

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"Show me someone who says that they have never exceeded a speed limit, and I'll show you a liar, or a menace." (Austin Williams - Director, Transport Research Group)

Any views expressed in this post are personal opinions and may not represent the views of Safe Speed