Ok then, opponents to LTNs. How will you reduce traffic on main roads. References to data or reports would be useful. What sort of capital costs are involved And what might a programme look like?
OK, a few ideas. I think we have to start at the policy level.
1) Widespread controlled parking zones to create a future management framework.
2) Limiting the number of permits residents can obtain. My own borough lets you have as many as you like so demand outstrips kerbside
1) Widespread controlled parking zones to create a future management framework.
2) Limiting the number of permits residents can obtain. My own borough lets you have as many as you like so demand outstrips kerbside
3) Emissions-based pricing of residents' permits to speed up adoption of cleaner vehicles. This may be the straw which leads people to give up cars rather than renew.
4) Size-based limits on residents' vehicles.
5) Charging for destination parking - this goes hand in hand with
4) Size-based limits on residents' vehicles.
5) Charging for destination parking - this goes hand in hand with
CPZs on any asset the local authority owns. CPZs stops visitors parking anywhere unless they pay - shopping streets, car parks, parks, leisure centres etc. If private owners undercut, don't worry for now.
6) Year on year of removing on-street car parking. All of a sudden main roads start to get some space freed up for cycle tracks, wider footways, loading bays etc.
7) Work place charging schemes to bring in revenue to help pay for main road retrofits.
7) Work place charging schemes to bring in revenue to help pay for main road retrofits.
8) Start to close council-owned car parking. If it's urban, go for mixed-use redevelopment to shift revenue from parking income to rental income. Parking in parks potentially restored to parkland.
9) Development of the council's local plan to bring in maximum parking standards.
9) Development of the council's local plan to bring in maximum parking standards.
10) Bus priority - both links and junctions as required to get buses to run to certain journey times to make them attractive.
11) Use of traffic signal timings to stack longer distance traffic outside of the built up areas. Bus priority could allow HGVs through for deliveries
11) Use of traffic signal timings to stack longer distance traffic outside of the built up areas. Bus priority could allow HGVs through for deliveries
12) Constant review and tightening of policies to make driving into town unattractive unless it's to help buses, coaches, (taxis where appropriate) and HGVs.
13) Traffic circulation plans so people who are driving in or HGVs delivering go out the way they came.
14) Development of consolidation hubs to switch some deliveries to cargobikes and electric vans.
14) Development of consolidation hubs to switch some deliveries to cargobikes and electric vans.
15) As main road capacity demand reduces, we can take more space back for people, introduce squares and maybe close some roads to traffic altogether (trams with grass anyone?)
Of course, this is about a longer-term plan which will take several years to implement. I've ignored congestion charging for now because that helps people who can afford it. Once we start going after main roads, we will quickly need to jump back to putting in our LTNs and that
needs to be faced because we already know that they reduce traffic over an area and they increase cycling and especially walking - in my view, they are at the vanguard of changing places. Other opinions available. /ends
