Centralised discussion space for TfL plans and cycling in London

filled out corny <3

Came here to vent after seeing my local forum go into meltdown over news that the Dulwich Square LTN is permanent (with some tweaks), but completed the Railton survey instead and feel much better, cheers Corny :)

An unexpected development on the Oxford Circus 'piazza' plans (with a strange excuse--installing a temporary traffic scheme is obviously a lot more straightforward than putting up a silly mound, even if it's at Oxford Circus), although I assume it'll only be a delay:

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/oxford-street-pedestrian-piazza-plans-on-hold-marble-arch-mound-fiasco-b955687.html

As I said above, I don't support the 'piazza' plans, as I think they'll be detrimental to cycling, but I assume that the 'international design competition' will still go ahead and that a permanent scheme taken from it will eventually be implemented. The only possibility for it not to happen would be if pedestrian flows caused by Crossrail turned out lower than expected:

This means Crossrail — which will have two stations on Oxford Street, at Tottenham Court Road and Bond Street — could open next year before extra space is created for pedestrians.

I don't think they'll turn out to be so low that more space for pedestrians doesn't have to be created, though.

Some crash stats from 2021:

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/cyclists-london-deaths-serious-injuries-tfl-sadiq-vision-zero-b955411.html

It's not a clear picture, and no evidence is included of higher numbers cycling, which is extremely difficult to measure. The number of riders killed so far this year is certainly a worrying trend.

yeah, not sure why LTN's going permanent is causing so much angst to the public. Lots of signs up on croxted road and in east dulwich. Seems like another case of people fearing relatively positive change, rather than the precarious negative status quo..

Lots of signs up on croxted road and in east dulwich

Almost all of those drives have SUVs parked upfront too.

Assuming you are not suffering from consultation fatigue.... public consultation on Islington's St Peter’s low traffic neighbourhood trial opened on Monday 13 September and runs until Monday 11 October. You can take part in the consultation by visiting: https://www.islington.gov.uk/consultations/2021/st-peters-people-friendly-streets-trial

Please reply to the consultation if you or your family have enjoyed better walking and cycling east of Angel, on Danbury Street, Wharf Road, Prebend St, Quietway 2, etc since the trial started in summer 2020.

Almost all local people I speak to enjoy the new changes, but few appreciate the impact of the small but organised groups against LTNs, and the need to push back on the anti's and tell councillors to keep going.

Every response helps - it is islington's "first" LTN which they are consulting on after a year of people experiencing it. It would be good to get an overwhelmingly positive response to the trial.

The scale of the challenge to improve air quality, reduce car traffic and reduce road danger was in full view during council-organised consultation events. I attended one event at the weekend and had a chat with local officers to show our support; the Cabinet Member for transport was also there and getting absolutely mobbed by a (small) handful of (very) loud anti's - taxi lobby etc. They were shouting, bullying, and intimidating local people who have positive views of the LTN. Police / support officers attended to de-escalate.

Hats off to councillors in Islington and Hackney and elsewhere working towards the right things. Really unpleasant people are against LTNs. No wonder some councils don't have the resilience to keep LTNs in place. It takes commitment and whole lot of energy to see these things through.

Yeah, the posters and signage are the particularly nutty bit (inc the ‘All Roads Matter’ in some shops!?). On the south circular, houses with big driveways, multi cars and signs - took a picture in the summer of one house with 6 cars on driveway and ‘Stop The Road Closures’ sign. That’s literally 30+ metres of congestion parked right there!

I’d post it but people absolutely lost their shit when someone posted a SUV in a drive next to Anti-LTN sign, claiming they were stalking and invading civil liberties. …Mate, they’ve put a sign up, are people meant to read it or not? :S

Its beyond parody, i wouldnt bother. These are not the people who can be convinced so there is no point engaging with them.

People need to look at driving like eating meat/flying, if you want to keep doing it, fine but it has collective consequences.

Update on day 3 of the LTN on Church Street. There seems to be a bit less traffic. Surprising number of cars and vans still going through though.

Is it enforced by a camera? One on my road is enforced by camera and it took a few weeks for people to stop just driving straight through (I think once google maps updated)

Is it enforced by a camera?

not sure - i hope so

There's a suggestion on Twitter that Google ignores what the council has told them and uses driver behaviour to gauge whether a road is really open or not.

Given it also sends drivers that way and many will trust their phone over silly road signs, there's a long cycle before it gives in and considers the road closed.

I believe it's camera enforced, as it's part time and buses are allowed through.

You can mark roads as closed on Google maps. I imagine a group of people doing that may help the process along.

....it was genuinely you who encouraged me to do my bit with some community activism!

Urghhh, it's an absolute sewer, and I will take your advice and walk away. I pointed out the positive change that's coming (long-planned ANPR access for emergency services) and next thing I'm a gloating fanboy of poisoning low-income neighbourhoods....

Weirdly none of their ire is ever directed at the actual cause of the pollution, only those making effort to reduce.

there are genuine people on the fence though, in most cases its consequential of policy e.g. scrapped a car (too old) and cant afford one or dont want to spend money on a car and now looking for alternative ways to move around.

They can be persuaded so I would say defiantly limit the social media interactions to either engaging with those OR busting myths that cunts like LTDA/ABD spread but with a time filter. 10-15 mins a day.

Social media isnt real life. Most people are okay. The fringe (on either side) gets too enlarged on the internet.

worth looking at their ironic behaviour during the 'fuel shortage' though. Some who were staunchly against LTN so that they can keep driving to sainsbrys now appealing people to think before they drive etc.

Its ALWAYS policy driven. The end goal is to stir up political will, every thing else is just noise.

There's a small group that make up an echo-chamber, and will never change their minds. I try to call out any disinfo or scaremongering they post, in order that other viewers to the thread can be properly informed. I often point out that when they post provable nonsense it only undermines any reasonable points they have, and outs them as known BS merchants.

Got better stuff to do with my time than check images of fictitious protests across London to dismantle a feeble post about support for an astroturf account....

I use the railton LTN a lot and have responded.

The nearby Oval ltn is also being consulted on - http://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/OSConsult

This one is important for people who use Q5, from Oval to Clapham.

Round the corner from me have responded.

Apparently it is running quite close, the same as the railton one. The pro-traffic mob are better at mobilising angry people.

Constant stories about the funding issues--quite simply, the Government must reinstate a TfL funding settlement and stop playing silly political games on the back of Londoners.

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/fresh-warning-cash-threat-key-thames-bridge-tunnel-vauxhaull-tfl-b968472.html

It’s hard to choose which is the best of the many many examples of the Tories’ overwhelming nihilism, but their willingness to wreck the infrastructure of their own capital city to make a political point is a pretty good one.

The thing is that you wonder if they hoped it would limit Khan to one term. Well, he's in his second term now and won very convincingly. Do they see the additional problems caused by the pandemic as a renewed opportunity for the next elections ... in 2024? Bleurgh.

Obviously, they're also gerrymandering by abolishing STV.

gets too enlarged on the internet.

I get emails about that all the time...