Traffic calming
Discussion
Had a letter from the council saying that some roads in my locality (including mine) are being considered for traffic calming measures, sleeping policemen and chicanes.
Is that it, now the road has been targeted is it just a matter of time or can people objecting stop it. Ive written a letter for what good it will do.
Any ideas about the best way of objecting.
Is that it, now the road has been targeted is it just a matter of time or can people objecting stop it. Ive written a letter for what good it will do.
Any ideas about the best way of objecting.
Join the ABD www.abd.org.uk
You can get a pack off them which describes how to object effectively.
You will need to get individuals to write to councillors and MPs on the subject. And NOT "format" letters either. Individually written ones so that they aren't interperted as a "movement" - which will just get ignored.
I'm currently contemplating how to get a road opened in my hometown myself...
You can get a pack off them which describes how to object effectively.
You will need to get individuals to write to councillors and MPs on the subject. And NOT "format" letters either. Individually written ones so that they aren't interperted as a "movement" - which will just get ignored.
I'm currently contemplating how to get a road opened in my hometown myself...
I remember reading somewhere that residents in a suburb of Stoke (?) are now pissed off.
With no history of problems the council installed various road "furniture".
Scrotes from outside the area are now treating the district as an obstacle course. Bombing it in their novas and saxos etc.
If you could get a copy of the newspaper report it may be a starting point.
Another angle is the increased polution and noise angle with cars accelerating between obstacles.
DAZ
Have a look at the ABD site, they may have a list of objections you could make.
With no history of problems the council installed various road "furniture".
Scrotes from outside the area are now treating the district as an obstacle course. Bombing it in their novas and saxos etc.
If you could get a copy of the newspaper report it may be a starting point.
Another angle is the increased polution and noise angle with cars accelerating between obstacles.
DAZ
Have a look at the ABD site, they may have a list of objections you could make.
quote:
I remember reading somewhere that residents in a suburb of Stoke (?) are now pissed off.
With no history of problems the council installed various road "furniture".
Scrotes from outside the area are now treating the district as an obstacle course. Bombing it in their novas and saxos etc.
If you could get a copy of the newspaper report it may be a starting point.
Another angle is the increased polution and noise angle with cars accelerating between obstacles.
DAZ
Have a look at the ABD site, they may have a list of objections you could make.
I think you will be able to find the article on www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=67423&command=newPage A mate of mine who still lives in Stoke says that since the introduction of traffic calming on his street, there have been many more accidents. Hope this helps.
Mark
The road we live on is also being considered for speed humps (I'm 100% in favour of them).
The council issued all the local residents with a letter stating their intentions, and a form to fill out saying what your preference was.
Since then we've had about 30 letters which have become more and more incomprehensible over time, to the point now where I read them and can't work out if I'm 'for' or 'against' what they're saying any more.
And we still havn't got any speed humps.
Some traffic calming measures can be disastrous (like Stoke) but if arrogant tossers keep driving down residential streets at 80mph+ then they've only got themselves to blame. If the rest of us have to suffer because of that then blame them, not the local council.
The council issued all the local residents with a letter stating their intentions, and a form to fill out saying what your preference was.
Since then we've had about 30 letters which have become more and more incomprehensible over time, to the point now where I read them and can't work out if I'm 'for' or 'against' what they're saying any more.
And we still havn't got any speed humps.
Some traffic calming measures can be disastrous (like Stoke) but if arrogant tossers keep driving down residential streets at 80mph+ then they've only got themselves to blame. If the rest of us have to suffer because of that then blame them, not the local council.
quote:
The road we live on is also being considered for speed humps (I'm 100% in favour of them).
Really? If you're in an Estate like mine a modicum of intelligently deployed traffic calming is perfectly sensible. As would a 20-25mph speed limit too actually.
Up residential roads with no need for through traffic well-lit, marked and painted chicanes provide a better answer than sports-car damaging speed humps.
Although even they are crap for letting the Emergency Services through... The BEST traffic calming device I've seen was on my old estate - inspired thinking from 20 years ago now.
The builder built "chicanes" which actually aren't. The road-narrowing section is a very slightly raised "cobbled" effect. At low speed you can drive around them. When two cars need to pass one just drives straight over it - its OK at *low* speed.
Anything faster than *low* and it rattles your teeth and grip is seriously reduced. Kids doing 80mph would spin instantly - but no-one ever does because its so obvious.
And the Emergency Services just drive straight over the top withou noticing.
Damn clever. Wish my new place had learned about this startling innovation. Instead I get bone-jarring humps I have to drive over at <5mph with School Run Mums bearing down on me in their fcuking Range Rovers looking on in disbelief that I seem to have slowed down in front of them and inconvenienced them slightly...and chicanes that mean that the Fire Engine will need to take the bollards out with their front grill to get to my house to stop it from burning down.
Pillocks - and I mean both our local Road Planners and the idiots that necessitate the most idiotic road furniture.
>> Edited by Don on Tuesday 20th August 15:18
Err - just to clarify - I meant I'm in favour of speed humps on OUR road - not other roads. It just so happens that our road wouldn't really suit other traffic calming measures, its not wide enough to start with.
I agree that in most other cases there are better solutions.
My main point was that its the irresponsible drivers that are to blame for all traffic claming, not the councils who are obliged to stop them.
I agree that in most other cases there are better solutions.
My main point was that its the irresponsible drivers that are to blame for all traffic claming, not the councils who are obliged to stop them.
quote:
My main point was that its the irresponsible drivers that are to blame for all traffic claming, not the councils who are obliged to stop them.
Well. I can see that if you do have joyriders and idiots on a stretch of road then you have to DO something about. Traffic calming may have a place in that.
All too often though I've seen traffic calming measures employed as a political tool. WHich is why I'm so skeptical about them.
Here's an example...
In my area a councillor lives on a road where school-run traffic from just over the border into another area (the one I used to live in) passes his house.
There are NO PATHS to the school. The PATHS that are there have NO LIGHTS. Paths run out and kids have to cross roads. Its no wonder that School Run Mum drives 'em to school - on her way to WORK!
So..what happens. Traffic Calming goes up. Makes it really difficult to get to the school via this road - even though the road is well up to the level of traffic. To go a non-calmed route would be a 4 mile round trip - not going to happen. The only justification for this calming is trying to stop the traffic being outside this blokes house - and he bought the fcuking house knowing that traffic went by it!
Talk about an abuse of power. The only good thing is that this is common knowledge. Of course. The people who are annoyed can't vote the bugger out - they're in the next ward along. And the calming? Causing accidents already.
Oh and there's worse. Much worse.
quote:
Continue.........Just omit identifiable names to get around the libel laws.
Right you are then. Next up: the Emergency Services access to my new estate.
Nice new estate been built. Lovely. Got two entrances - or would have in a normal world.
One entrance is off an existing residential road. After the estate entrance the road goes a short way and reaches a dead end. This dead end would have joined up with the second entrance at a roundabout on a main A road.
So the second entrance isn't open because the dead-end blocks it. This dead-end is just a heap of earth that has been grassed over. There is proper tarmac on both sides of it and it CLEARLY was supposed to be opened.
This would have provided access to my estate directly from a main road. Better for me - yep I'd be able to get to the fast roads more quickly, onto the motorway more quickly thereby saving fuel, and not passing through residential areas unnecessarily. This would have an environmental benefit, a safety benefit and a benefit to my pocket as I'd save money on petrol.
Not only that but it would mean more direct access for Emergency Services to our estate. That is - they would be able to access the estate more quickly thereby getting to the raging fire or dying individual faster SAVING LIVES.
But has this access been made available. NO! Why? A ***person-of-influence*** (who I do not know personally) lives up that dead end. Oh yes. And that would mean that traffic (rude word obviously) would pass by his house. That is clearly bad and the needs of the fcuking ONE get to outweigh the needs of the MANY. Well that person can fcuk right off as far as I'm concerned because I'll be carrying out a local campaign later in the year to get it opened.
I've even heard of RIDICULOUS plans to remove the grassy bank and put in bollards - to which the Emergency Services would have a KEY! What kind of A*** is that eh? THey're supposed to get out of the ambulance with the blue lights flashing and the siren blaring and UNLOCK A GATE!?>!?!?!?
Mad mad mad.
And there's worse. Much worse. But I'm shutting up now because its this sort of stuff that gets me all political and nonegreen is MUCH better at spewing vitriol than I am and, besides, I need to save some of it to actually let it out at the ones who deserve it rather than innocent PHers!
New estate.
Presumably you bought off plan? Thinking the road would be completed.
What were the proposed roads/access when planning permission was granted? Check with your solicitor who did the searches.
Would the access through the current blocked access have formed part of your contract with the developer? Doesn't the developer normally build the roads and then pass them over to the local authority at a later date? If so a few letters to the developer concerning their failure to complete the road system would be in order, pointing out risk of life etc.
A good point would be to speak to anyone who has called emrgency services. Get letters of complaint where appropriate, concerning delayed access etc. Bang these letters into local papers, asking why, let the bar stewards try and explain in a public forum.
Good luck with the upcoming war.
DAZ
Presumably you bought off plan? Thinking the road would be completed.
What were the proposed roads/access when planning permission was granted? Check with your solicitor who did the searches.
Would the access through the current blocked access have formed part of your contract with the developer? Doesn't the developer normally build the roads and then pass them over to the local authority at a later date? If so a few letters to the developer concerning their failure to complete the road system would be in order, pointing out risk of life etc.
A good point would be to speak to anyone who has called emrgency services. Get letters of complaint where appropriate, concerning delayed access etc. Bang these letters into local papers, asking why, let the bar stewards try and explain in a public forum.
Good luck with the upcoming war.
DAZ
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