Very recently, I posted this piece about the controversy surrounding a proposed liveable neighbourhood scheme covering an area in the east of Bristol: Thoughts on the Liveable Neighbourhood 'consultations' in the east of Bristol 30.10.23. For those readers not familiar with the concept, basically it's implementing measures to limit through traffic travelling across a neighbourhood and re-route it elsewhere. The aim is to stop rat-running and make the neighbourhood a pleasanter place in which to live by reducing the volume of traffic passing through residential streets. They're implemented using a variety of methods ranging from physical barriers such as planters in the road, through to electronic surveillance systems monitoring traffic flows in a particular area, issuing fines to those drivers deemed to be not allowed to pass through that area.
You are right, it is completely obvious. Taken at face value, LTNs, don't make any sense at all. But from a council's point of view, they have the obvious benefit of generating income - once the trial planters are replaced by ANPR cameras, LTNs bring fines. The thinking is also that "LTNs on their own aren't effective; there has to be lot of them". This is stated in the EBLN material and one of the Bristol councillors at a drop-in session said it to me directly. Remember they've been set up to create them by the Active Travel programme that started in March 2020 (note that date!) so even through central government appears to be backtracking they believe they've got the support.
The whole scheme, together with CAZ, basically gives councils a new right to control people's movements and public space. What could be more fun? Once they've got a taste of that, they're not going to give in easily, particularly as they are being cheered along by the cycling lobby and faux Greens.
You are right, it is completely obvious. Taken at face value, LTNs, don't make any sense at all. But from a council's point of view, they have the obvious benefit of generating income - once the trial planters are replaced by ANPR cameras, LTNs bring fines. The thinking is also that "LTNs on their own aren't effective; there has to be lot of them". This is stated in the EBLN material and one of the Bristol councillors at a drop-in session said it to me directly. Remember they've been set up to create them by the Active Travel programme that started in March 2020 (note that date!) so even through central government appears to be backtracking they believe they've got the support.
The whole scheme, together with CAZ, basically gives councils a new right to control people's movements and public space. What could be more fun? Once they've got a taste of that, they're not going to give in easily, particularly as they are being cheered along by the cycling lobby and faux Greens.
For The Stirriers' benefit, here's Alex's own latest Substack post, which I think they will like!
https://alexklaushofer.substack.com/p/discerning-greenwash-from-planet
Wow. You are writing almost exactly what I would. Thank you so much. How to get the Tom Cuthbertsons of the world to see all this?
Only too glad to be of service:) As for getting the powers that be to hear our views, if only I knew the answer to that one!
The insanity of government in full view.