Scientists: world likely to exceed 1.5 degrees overheating in the next 5 years
Cambs drivers: Sure, but expecting me to pay to drive my car into Cambridge is an extremist fantasy!
Forget bro-science solutions like tunnels or hyperloops, and the unaffordable pipedream of railed solutions. The humble (electric) bus shall be the backbone of Camb's future transport system - and it's a future within realistic reach.
As Cambridge transitions away from the car and (even) more towards the bicycle, there will be a need for on-road cycle hangars. Why are there none yet? Where are people meant to store their cargo bikes? As a bonus, installing them reduces car parking ...
Reminder: in the UK driving is not a "right". The State issues a revocable licence to certain people for the use of motor vehicles. So drivers are there under license (unlike pedestrians, cyclists, equestrians etc who are there by right)
In quite a few cases the cycle infrastructure in Cambridge is so sh*t cyclists will ride on the road in preference (as is their right). The answer is better cycle infrastructure.
This idea that there's some "Plan B" to Cambridge's Sustainable Travel Zone that will be loved by all ... Fact is, any feasible plan for reducing motor car use will be vociferously opposed because it impinges on driver privilege
Considering that
@Camcycle
is meant to have its tentacles into all aspects of budgeting and decision making, it's strange that the cycle infrastructure in Cambs is often so poor
There is solid scientific evidence for what cities need to do when tackling traffic congestion. Considering its supposed status as a science nexus, it's a disgrace that Cambridge has failed to adopt an evidence-based approach to its own problems
Typical conflation of "residents" with "motorists" from
@CambridgeIndy
- pedestrians, bus users and cyclists won't be "grinding to a halt" and might even have a better time of it as improvements like these get rolled out ...
Scientists: Most of Cambridgeshire predicted to be 'underwater' by 2030
Cambs drivers: What needs to be sunk is the outrageous idea I should drive my car less!
Always puzzled me how motorists object to having traffic offending monitored because 'it's a money-making tool'. Who cares? If the money from their fines benefit the public purse and deters the motor crims that's a win/win in my book
Just walking along Mill Rd and a black Audi TT roars westbound over the bridge at - must've been 50mph+ All pedestrians on the pavement swivelling round to gawp in disbelief. The filter cannot come too soon ...
Many drivers try to play a 'what about the poor?' card when defending their driving privileges; it's those very privileges however that are part of the problem.
You don’t need to make a special trip to see drivers make an illegal right turn from Mill Rd into Devonshire Rd; just walk past. Every. Bloody. Day. There’s a reason this is Cambs’ most dangerous road.
#Scofflaw
#Drivers
So there's some concern about cutting down trees next to roads for cycleways. The solution: keep the trees, ban cars and make the existing road the (tree-lined) cycleway. A win all round.
Despite the sub-zero temperatures people were gathering at Reality Checkpoint this morning to voice their support for the Cambridge Sustainable Travel Zone
Just another lunchtime on Mill Rd. A pushchair user is forced onto the road by a pavement-parked car. Moments later a lorry makes an illegal right turn into Devonshire Rd.
#Scofflaw
#Motorists
Something for advocates of A10 'dualling' to educate themselves with (also might be wise to educate themselves that this govt doesn't deliver on its promises anyway, so meh)
⚠️
#Cambridge
DELAYS on various routes into the city this morning with LONGER delays present on
#A1134
Barnwell Road, Brooks Road and Perne Road.
Please allow extra time for your journey.
"Motorized individual transport represents a cost imposed on society that is not covered by fees and taxes. In contrast, active transport constitutes a benefit to both individual and society, mostly because of positive health outcomes."
Meanwhile in the new (ish) Ironworks estate, double yellow lines are taken as an invitation to park on the pavement. What a car sewer this development is.
@Hill_Group_UK
@camcitco
#newhomes
🚨 NEW: Sadiq Khan leads in London by **27%**
🟥 LAB 50% (+10)
🟦 CON 23% (-12)
🟧 LIB DEM 10% (+6)
🟩 GREEN 7% (-1)
🟪 REF 5% (+5)
Via Lord Ashcroft polling, 23 Oct - 8 Nov (+/- vs 2021)
First impressions from the consultation response on Cambridge's Sustainable Travel Zone: opposition to it, though expected, is a lot less strong than was rumoured. This augurs well for some refactored version of it to get implemented.
People in Cambridge are up in arms about Squirrel Nutkin and some scraggy fruit trees in a commercial orchard. Meanwhile, a few miles, away this is happening without so much as a comment
This is VERY interesting — imagine if every decision-maker in YOUR city, elected or appointed, was required to experience just a small taste of what it’s like to be a bike-rider on badly designed, unsafe (aka typical) roads?
HT to
@SarikaPanda
I mean, seriously - why do we even want motor traffic along the Backs? It really spoils the place. Green it over and add some tasteful pathing for walking / wheeling / cycling. Maybe even plant some trees where the road was.
The more I think about it, the more I come round to thinking Mill Rd needs to be single carriageway with passing places, and private motor vehicles banned except for access or within delivery hours. Nothing else leaves sufficient room for a nice streetscape.
⚠️
#Cambridge
HEAVY traffic is present on
#A1307
Hills Road S/B between Brooklands Avenue and Granhams Road and
#A1134
#Trumpington
Road between The Fen Causeway and High Street in both directions.
Please allow extra time for your journey
What was originally a simple pro-car movement has invited in racism, conspiracy theories and climate and COVID denial. And then they boast about 'numbers'.
The fact is, congestion charging is an essential component of any credible traffic reduction scheme. People campaigning _against_ such charging are in effect campaigning _for_ congestion, and _for_ continued harm to our city.
🚲
#Cambridge
is the authority area with the largest proportion of commuters using a bicycle to get to work, according to
#Census2021
🏆💫
Examine more of the local
#commuting
&
#remoteworking
trends in our 'Travel to Work' Census topic summary 👇
If you've only got limited space and cars and vans *need* to go along a route. This is a great way to do it:
A free flowing two-way cycle lane and alternating single traffic lane controlled by a traffic light.
👌👐👏
So why did Piers Corbyn feel a need to get involved in how we fix Cambridge's congestion? And I spoke with people who came to the rally from as far away at Yorkshire. This is bizarre.
The pavement straddled parking (permitted) in Romsey makes pavement use a disaster. When residents' parking comes in it needs to be scrapped. As a bonus this will also reduce the overall parking in the area ...
Pavement parking should get a fine and 3 points on the licence. Simple. The Highway Code should be broadened so this is unambiguously an offence nationally, not just in London
Meanwhile, over on the "Friends of Mill Rd Bridge" Facebook page, climate change denial has broken out in response to the apparently intolerable burden of traffic restriction outside a primary school ...
It's true there are some 'crazies' opposing Cambridge congestion charging, and some politicians sniffing opportunity. But the real hurdle to overcome is deep ingrained motonormativity
So, we in Cambridge didn't get the STZ, but we might get higher council taxes so extra buses can sit in the traffic jams that haven't been addressed! Brilliant!
Presumably there are some decent Tories left alarmed at the fact that portions of the Party now seem to be coming out with stuff which sounds an awful lot like Nick Griffin a decade ago?
Conservative MP Tom Hunt, "If you walk into your town center, people speaking English is almost a rarity"
Sophy Ridge, "That's not what people find, come on"
Tom Hunt, "Lots of people when they walk into their town centers across the country often feel that way"
Personally I always thought Mill Rd bridge should be traffic filtered because it was a strategic imperative for improving the area (no matter what people thought). But for those who wanted a democratic 'mandate' ... well, you got it: 72%
Friends of Mill road bridge are dishonestly presenting the fine for driving through a bus gate as a "toll". Reminder: if you drive past this sign in a motor car you are committing a traffic offence.
In Lyon, residents owning cars >3,800 lbs (4,400 for EVs) will have to pay €540/year for a parking permit, 3x more than those owning small models.
Good move. Weight-based vehicle fees help address the climate and safety risks of car bloat.
Intrigued how "Friends of Mill Road Bridge" have dishonestly framed what will happen if you drive through a bus gate as a "charge". In fact it's:
- breaking the law
- voiding insurance for the transit (so pray there's no 'incident')
- liable to prosecution with points & fine
So in Cambridge the LibDems are blaming (checks notes) the LibDems for the collapse of Cambridge's Sustainable Travel plans. It is going to be very hard for this party to rebuild any local credibility wrt transport and sustainability.
Ambulance on emergency call held up earlier by van parked in Hills Road bus lane - also causing chaos for buses. Sure it’s more hassle to park safely and legally but this is really unacceptable
Congestion in Oxford is the core issue we must solve to improve our transport system 🚌🚲🚶🏼
🌹
@LabourOxon
successfully turned the Tory protest motion into a motion of responsible government and it was voted through unanimously
My speech from Tuesday's Full Council meeting🎥👇🏼