Hackney Council plans to ban most road traffic from 75% of its roads

[Chippy_Tea]

After recent discussion of 15 minute zones in cities It looks like London are going a srep further by banning car drivers, I wonder if EV's will be banned.


The sight of motorised vehicles could soon be a thing of the past in a large area of one London borough.

Hackney Council plans to ban most road traffic from 75% of its roads.

The move is an expansion of Low Traffic Neighbourhood measures and would be ‘the country’s most ambitious plan’ to tackle toxic air, according to the authority.

Mayor of Hackney Philip Glanville said the scheme would give Hackney the capital’s highest levels of cycle parking, car parking restrictions and public electric vehicle chargers.


https://metro.co.uk/2023/01/26/london-borough-plans-to-ban-vehicles-from-most-of-its-roads-18168369/

 

[Rodcx500z]

So whats the point of investing in electric cars which are very green according to the government and, are made for town and city use, sorry there is a bigger picture here which i will not comment on for fear of being called conspirisy nutter

 

[Chippy_Tea]

So whats the point of investing in electric cars which are very green according to the government and, are made for town and city use,

I. Haven't looked into it in detail but maybe they are going to allow Ev's and ban all other cars, this will help them get us out of our "dirty" cars and into clean ones.

 

[Stu's Brews]

I'd like to see more of the specifics of what is being proposed directly from the source (presumably the council) before passing too much judgement. I suspect though that the media headlines are somewhat sensationalist.

In any case, LTNs aren't about electric v. internal combustion. They are primarily about reducing traffic levels entirely by providing safe spaces for people to use forms of active travel such as walking or cycling.

 

[Stu's Brews]

https://news.hackney.gov.uk/low-traffic-hackney/
This is the Hackney Council press release on the topic.

'All the work is aimed at making it easier to get around on foot, by bike or by public transport, cleaning up the borough’s air and building a greener, healthier borough.'

 

[dad_of_jon]

I would use more rail but here only 5-6 miles from wales's second city train service is patchy. gotta love transport for fails.
You are more susceptible to travel plans going awry due to industrial, staff shortage, sickness bad transport logistically planning when relying on others.
Maybe public transport offers a better service in your neck of the woods, so it's walk, bike or car usually. under 20 mins each way I walk, 20 to 90 mins each way I cycle and over that it's a car. When abroad we often park the car and take a train which as seen below appears to be the most sustainable way to travel.

 

[MrJay83]

Roadblocks going up in Bath.

 

[Braufather]

https://news.hackney.gov.uk/low-traffic-hackney/
This is the Hackney Council press release on the topic.

'All the work is aimed at making it easier to get around on foot, by bike or by public transport, cleaning up the borough’s air and building a greener, healthier borough.'

good on them. i dont think anyone walks anywhere in Belfast, even to go 50 metres down the street most people drive

 

[Stu's Brews]

@Chippy_Tea why the angry face reaction to the Bath LTN?

Not trying to start an argument but genuinely interested to understand the negative reaction to them.

From my perspective, utopia would be that all journeys under 5 miles are conducted using one or a combination of walking, cycling, public transport, etc. With electric or hydrogen vehicles used for longer journeys and for things like deliveries. Obviously we are a long way from that being remotely feasible and perhaps LTNs aren't actually the best solution for helping achieve it.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I would rather they blocked the road than put these everywhere as they have in the next town to mine, they are so big you wait for the sound of scraping as you go over them.

 

[MrJay83]

good on them. i dont think anyone walks anywhere in Belfast, even to go 50 metres down the street most people drive

And for good reason. I have to drop my car into a city garage tomorrow for a check and I'll be forced to get two buses on to work followed by a bus & train to get home. My commute will go from 20-40 minutes to 120+ minutes.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

@Chippy_Tea why the angry face reaction to the Bath LTN?

Its going to mean everyone driving round the block to get to the street in front of the barricade, this is going to force cars into the surrounding streets with all the negatives that brings.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

And for good reason. I have to drop my car into a city garage tomorrow for a check and I'll be forced to get two buses on to work followed by a bus & train to get home. My commute will go from 20-40 minutes to 120+ minutes.

Exactly, public transport may be the bees knees where some members live for others its not fit for purpose, you wouldn't want to trust Northern Rail to get you to work on time if you lived where i do.

Troubled rail company Northern is to be brought under government control. The decision, which will see the firm's franchise stripped from operator Arriva Rail North following years of major disruption. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said passengers had "lost trust in the north's rail network".

 

[Stu's Brews]

Its going to mean everyone driving round the block to get to the street in front of the barricade, this is going to force cars into the surrounding streets with all the negatives that brings.


View attachment 81325

The law of unintended consequences I guess.

On paper, it's a sensible initiative (at least in terms of the goals) but perhaps the execution is a bit lacking.

Does seem like they are conveniently forgetting that vast amounts of investment are needed to improve public transport provisions. Without it people will continue to rely on private vehicles and will find such solutions too frustrating to see any potential benefits.

 

[Benfleet Brewery]

Its going to mean everyone driving round the block to get to the street in front of the barricade, this is going to force cars into the surrounding streets with all the negatives that brings.


View attachment 81325

These are the same roads the emergency services use too. I wouldn’t want to have a house fire or heart attack if I lived here!

 

[Chippy_Tea]

These are the same roads the emergency services use too. I wouldn’t want to have a house fire or heart attack if I lived here!

A very good point.

I cannot see many motorcyclists bothering to go round the block.

 

[Stu's Brews]

These are the same roads the emergency services use too. I wouldn’t want to have a house fire or heart attack if I lived here!

I guess the hope would be that the picture only tells a fraction of the story and that area is very easily and quickly accessible from an alternative route.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I guess the hope would be that the picture only tells a fraction of the story and that area is very easily and quickly accessible from an alternative route.

Its Southlands Bath, if you look at the map its a huge area i don't think blocking one end is a good idea for the reasons in this thread.

 

[Stu's Brews]

Its Southlands Bath, if you look at the map its a huge area i don't think blocking one end is a good idea for the reasons in this thread.

View attachment 81329

Looking at where the restriction is placed (details in link below), I agree it does look far from ideal for emergency access.

I can see the thinking behind it for cars, you can still enter/exit from either end to access your house. But it crucially prevents people using it as a through-road, which I presume was the original concern.

https://beta.bathnes.gov.uk/southlands-through-traffic-restriction-trial-etro-consultation

 

[dad_of_jon]

A very good point.

I cannot see many motorcyclists bothering to go round the block.


View attachment 81326

Council houses they look like. - how dare poorer people travel on our roads. let the peasants walk or take a manky old donkey instead. The rich must be allowed to swank around and do as they like. Block off a road in a more upmarket area they'll soon have an army of lawyers protesting.