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Well, this sounds positive

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Steve K | 2 months ago
8 likes

I would also add (after posting who the junior Minister responsible for active travel was yesterday) that it's a really good sign that it's the Secretary of State leading this herself rather than just leaving to a junior Minister - it's a sign of priority.

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chrisonabike replied to Steve K | 2 months ago
5 likes

Yes - although it's a massive ask. We know this because despite apparently being an open goal economically and for many other reasons even when things appeared to align previously projects have been canned, kicked into touch, funding removed or things simply allowed to wither and not been followed up. Witness Active Travel England / the Road Safety Investigation Branch / the review of road offenses / Gear Change / Cycling Demonstration Towns / National Cycling Strategy...

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Steve K replied to chrisonabike | 2 months ago
8 likes

chrisonabike wrote:

Yes - although it's a massive ask (we know this because despite being an open goal even when thinks appeared to align previously projects have been canned, kicked into touch, funding removed or things simply allowed to wither and not been followed up. Witness Active Travel England / the Road Safety Investigation Branch / the review of road offenses / Gear Change / Cycling Demonstration Towns / National Cycling Strategy

Oh yes, there's a massive gap between saying positive things and delivering - but it's so refreshing after the War on Motorists crap of the previous lot.

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brooksby replied to Steve K | 2 months ago
9 likes

Steve K wrote:

Oh yes, there's a massive gap between saying positive things and delivering - but it's so refreshing after the War on Motorists crap of the previous lot.

This morning's Sun has a long op-ed by Howard Cox of Fair Fuel UK, complaining about how people being fined for being in a hatched yellow junction box is apparently an evil and ongoing war on motorists, so I suspect that old habits don't exactly die easily…

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the little onion replied to brooksby | 2 months ago
7 likes

brooksby wrote:

Steve K wrote:

Oh yes, there's a massive gap between saying positive things and delivering - but it's so refreshing after the War on Motorists crap of the previous lot.

This morning's Sun has a long op-ed by Howard Cox of Fair Fuel UK, complaining about how people being fined for being in a hatched yellow junction box   breaking a well-known rule in the highway code is apparently an evil and ongoing war on motorists, so I suspect that old habits don't exactly die easily…

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hawkinspeter replied to brooksby | 2 months ago
8 likes

brooksby wrote:

This morning's Sun has a long op-ed by Howard Cox of Fair Fuel UK, complaining about how people being fined for being in a hatched yellow junction box is apparently an evil and ongoing war on motorists, so I suspect that old habits don't exactly die easily…

That doesn't even make any sense. The yellow junction box rule is to prevent traffic getting jammed up at those junctions, so it helps motorists if the rule is enforced so that traffic can flow better. I mean, are they suggesting that drivers want to sit in a queue behind a car blocking the junction?

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brooksby replied to hawkinspeter | 2 months ago
6 likes

hawkinspeter wrote:

brooksby wrote:

This morning's Sun has a long op-ed by Howard Cox of Fair Fuel UK, complaining about how people being fined for being in a hatched yellow junction box is apparently an evil and ongoing war on motorists, so I suspect that old habits don't exactly die easily…

That doesn't even make any sense. The yellow junction box rule is to prevent traffic getting jammed up at those junctions, so it helps motorists if the rule is enforced so that traffic can flow better. I mean, are they suggesting that drivers want to sit in a queue behind a car blocking the junction?

AFAICS, he thinks that the very existence of the yellow box is a tactic in the WoM.

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Steve K replied to brooksby | 2 months ago
7 likes

brooksby wrote:

hawkinspeter wrote:

brooksby wrote:

This morning's Sun has a long op-ed by Howard Cox of Fair Fuel UK, complaining about how people being fined for being in a hatched yellow junction box is apparently an evil and ongoing war on motorists, so I suspect that old habits don't exactly die easily…

That doesn't even make any sense. The yellow junction box rule is to prevent traffic getting jammed up at those junctions, so it helps motorists if the rule is enforced so that traffic can flow better. I mean, are they suggesting that drivers want to sit in a queue behind a car blocking the junction?

AFAICS, he thinks that the very existence of the yellow box is a tactic in the WoM.

Any form of enforcement activity on a motorist is "WoM" as far as he is concerned.  (As is any tax or duty.)

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andystow replied to hawkinspeter | 2 months ago
10 likes

hawkinspeter wrote:

brooksby wrote:

This morning's Sun has a long op-ed by Howard Cox of Fair Fuel UK, complaining about how people being fined for being in a hatched yellow junction box is apparently an evil and ongoing war on motorists, so I suspect that old habits don't exactly die easily…

That doesn't even make any sense. The yellow junction box rule is to prevent traffic getting jammed up at those junctions, so it helps motorists if the rule is enforced so that traffic can flow better. I mean, are they suggesting that drivers want to sit in a queue behind a car blocking the junction?

Each individual motorist would like to be able to block the junction with impunity. They don't, however, want other motorists to do so.

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brooksby replied to andystow | 2 months ago
7 likes

andystow wrote:

hawkinspeter wrote:

brooksby wrote:

This morning's Sun has a long op-ed by Howard Cox of Fair Fuel UK, complaining about how people being fined for being in a hatched yellow junction box is apparently an evil and ongoing war on motorists, so I suspect that old habits don't exactly die easily…

That doesn't even make any sense. The yellow junction box rule is to prevent traffic getting jammed up at those junctions, so it helps motorists if the rule is enforced so that traffic can flow better. I mean, are they suggesting that drivers want to sit in a queue behind a car blocking the junction?

Each individual motorist would like to be able to block the junction with impunity. They don't, however, want other motorists to do so.

I think that you've hit the nail on the head, Andy.

Holds true for many aspects of driving: another example is, "I want to be able to park where I want, but I don't want other people to be able to park where they want."

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chrisonabike replied to Steve K | 2 months ago
2 likes

Yes but a) Labour were very quick to follow (their strategy of "you can trust us, we're just like the Conservatives but fresher") b) previous Conservative administrations has started some of the promising projects I mentioned, which didn't take.

If I were paranoid (and simple- minded - it's more complex) I might add up the numbers of motor industry / road construction / motor freight lobbyists (to say nothing of business and industry - deliveries and customer parking) and compare to numbers of those seeking better streets, less local pollution etc. (Is there a single cycling lobbyist? )

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Steve K replied to chrisonabike | 2 months ago
7 likes

chrisonabike wrote:

Yes but a) Labour were very quick to follow (their strategy of "you can trust us, we're just like the Conservatives but fresher") b) previous Conservative administrations has started some of the promising projects I mentioned, which didn't take. If I were paranoid (and simple- minded - it's more complex) I might add up the numbers of motor industry / road construction / motor freight lobbyists (to say nothing of business and industry - deliveries and customer parking) and compare to numbers of those seeking better streets, less local pollution etc. (Is there a single cycling lobbyist? )

Their election strategy was very much don't frighten the horses.  But - other than Rachel Reeves on public spending - they've started to move away from that in a number of areas, for example union laws.  So I am going to remain optimistic.

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