[hawkinspeter]

https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/through-traffic-banned-parts-bristol-8295492

This should be introduced towards the end of this year as an experimental trial – I wish it could happen sooner as it covers where I live. We had questionnaires about it during lockdown, though I think that was just about making Beaufort Rd (by the cemetery) one way to motorised traffic.

Topic

[slc]

Traffic management leading to

Traffic management leading to congestion when the re-routed drivers prefer* to queue with their engines on, choking the school children and holding up the bus, is the worst thing in 60 years apparently. 

https://www.bristol247.com/news-and-features/features/liveable-neighbourhood-worst-thing-area-60-years/

I agree. Those drivers should all be fined until they pack it in.

*Adjustments? Frustrated drivers might be interested to know that when I pass through between 7 and 7.30 am, and between 6 and 7 pm, the roads are in my estimation no busier than they were before. No queue outside St Pats, just a few vehicles at the lights.

[hawkinspeter]

Opinion piece on Bristol247

Opinion piece on Bristol247.com: https://www.bristol247.com/opinion/your-say/i-wondered-how-many-parents-actually-need-to-drive-to-pick-up-their-children-from-a-school/

It’s nice to see that other people hold similar opinions to ourselves about LTNs, though I’m not sure about this line which seems to encourage dangerous cycling and walking:

I often bump into people when I am walking or cycling which usually adds some joy to my day

[brooksby]

I trust that the police will

I trust that the police will be putting some effort into stopping this?

I cannot believe that people would behave like this 

I appreciate that it doesn’t affect the people in the graves, but their family and friends not unreasonably don’t expect the graves to be vandalised by utter motons*…

As you say: disgusting.

 

(edit) *I would wager that the motons, if ever called out on it, would deny that what they were doing was “vandalism” (probably right after they said, “But cyclists…”)

[Hirsute]

I still can’t understand why
I still can’t understand why anyone would even contemplate that, let alone actually do it.

[chrisonabike]

This is disgusting behaviour:

hawkinspeter wrote:

This is disgusting behaviour: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c2egj8ezm0no

Not a good sight.

Am now thinking about adding some specific provisions to my will e.g. I’d like to be buried next to a cycle path (perhaps they could pop me in while doing some road works?) with a cylindrical metal headstone …

[hawkinspeter]

This is disgusting behaviour:

This is disgusting behaviour: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c2egj8ezm0no

The route through Avon View Cemetery in east Bristol is only supposed to be used by hearses, maintenance vehicles or visitors with limited mobility.

But drivers have been using the route regularly to avoid heavy traffic and bypass roadblocks within the East Bristol Liveable Neighbourhood scheme.

The cemetery installed bollards to block the road, but people have since driven directly over graves to evade the closure.

[Bmblbzzz]

The losers include drivers,

The losers include drivers, but everyone living and breathing in the proposed area is a loser if it doesn’t go ahead.

[hawkinspeter]

chrisonabike wrote:

Well, it’s a victory for people power… unfortunately I think a mistaken one *.  The problem (as Chris Boardman has noted) is that such failures tend to cause the council to retreat **.  And “plucky locals defeat bureaucracy” is a story which may well inspire others (think about the vandalism of LTN / ULEZ signs and cameras, or the burning of planters…)

* As slc has noted – it will be a burden to residents – if only slight, and if only temporary.  That’s because all the other motorists, of course… and without making a start that will never change.  Although as Dnnnnnn notes some of these stories stretch the boundaries of “inconvenience” or in the case specified “is that actually a real thing”?

** Oddly I’m not sure councils cave in so often when it’s driving infra, and getting blocked doing that in one place doesn’t seem to cause them to stop building driving infra in others.  Apparently this only applies to “untested – well, untested here” active travel measures…

This does show the effectiveness of peaceful protest (unless you’re protesting against environment destruction in which case the UK will imprison you), but I don’t agree with their aims.

Ultimately, any change is going to bring advantages and disadvantages and unusually, this time the losers are drivers. I wonder what the percentage of supporters is for residents around Avonvale Rd?

[chrisonabike]

Well, it’s a victory for

Well, it’s a victory for people power… unfortunately I think a mistaken one *.  The problem (as Chris Boardman has noted) is that such failures tend to cause the council to retreat **.  And “plucky locals defeat bureaucracy” is a story which may well inspire others (think about the vandalism of LTN / ULEZ signs and cameras, or the burning of planters…)

* As slc has noted – it will be a burden to residents – if only slight, and if only temporary.  That’s because all the other motorists, of course… and without making a start that will never change.  Although as Dnnnnnn notes some of these stories stretch the boundaries of “inconvenience” or in the case specified “is that actually a real thing”?

** Oddly I’m not sure councils cave in so often when it’s driving infra, and getting blocked doing that in one place doesn’t seem to cause them to stop building driving infra in others.  Apparently this only applies to “untested – well, untested here” active travel measures…

[brooksby]

Council admits it is

Council admits it is ‘impossible’ to carry on with Liveable Neighbourhood trial after protests stopped it

https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/council-admit-impossible-carry-liveable-9899415

Council chiefs have admitted protests by local residents and anti-Liveable Neighbourhood campaigners have made it ‘impossible’ to continue installing the infrastructure to continue with the trial project – and are also costing the council tens of thousands of pounds.

The deputy leader of Bristol City Council said the people obstructing council contractors to install planters and concrete blocks to stop through traffic on roads in Barton Hill were putting contractors, themselves and other pedestrians at risk, and taking resources away from the police.

[brooksby]

Dnnnnnn wrote:

“If it bleeds it leads”, as the old saying goes.

I thought the saying was, “If it bleeds, we can kill it”? 

[slc]

Dnnnnnn wrote:

but it does sound like she might just be – y’know – wrong.

Effectively the argument that councils and others keen to see the scheme succeed are stuck with. Always a difficult sell – convincng people that things will work out because they will turn out to be wrong. Very much the kind of thing that gets you jeered out of town, as the council reps found, even if it is also at the core of sane democracy.

A good thing that populism is on the way out then…

 

[Dnnnnnn]

hawkinspeter wrote:

hawkinspeter wrote:

I think that’s a problem in general with journalists – most of the time they’re just copying press releases or simply repeating quotes without doing anything deeper such as getting to the truth of the matter.

“If it bleeds it leads”, as the old saying goes. And the EBLN is great for the local media – like a mini-Brexit with more human interest.

I do have some sympathy for local reporters though – there’s probably not a lot of reward when people want your work for free. And at least they didn’t turn it into a “KILLER BUS GATE” headline.

[hawkinspeter]

Dnnnnnn wrote:

I do wish the reporters would challenge some of the claims made, e.g.
“”If I need to get to [my friend] in an emergency, I’ve got to go the long way round and it could cost his life”.
From where to where is this journey? What emergency, life-critical care relies on one nearby friend – and why? What happens when the carer-friend isn’t nearby? And – if I was this friend – I’d want to know why the person I rely on to save my life isn’t prepared to risk a fine for driving through a bus gate*!
*which might also make the emergency response journey quicker by removing most traffic currently using that route.

I’m sure she is genuinely concerned – like the disabled woman who claims she can’t get her regular-sized van down a street the bin lorries manage OK – but it does sound like she might just be – y’know – wrong.

I think that’s a problem in general with journalists – most of the time they’re just copying press releases or simply repeating quotes without doing anything deeper such as getting to the truth of the matter.

Where’s Hunter S Thompson when you need him? (Or even Spider Jerusalem)

[Dnnnnnn]

hawkinspeter wrote:

https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/police-called-residents-block-work-9895466

It’s proper kicking off!

I do wish the reporters would challenge some of the claims made, e.g.
“”If I need to get to [my friend] in an emergency, I’ve got to go the long way round and it could cost his life”.
From where to where is this journey? What emergency, life-critical care relies on one nearby friend – and why? What happens when the carer-friend isn’t nearby? And – if I was this friend – I’d want to know why the person I rely on to save my life isn’t prepared to risk a fine for driving through a bus gate*!
*which might also make the emergency response journey quicker by removing most traffic currently using that route.

I’m sure she is genuinely concerned – like the disabled woman who claims she can’t get her regular-sized van down a street the bin lorries manage OK – but it does sound like she might just be – y’know – wrong.

[Author]

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