Traffic disruption and the Proms

[Ferretfancy]

I have just had an email warning from the RAH that there will be major traffic disruption in London and Surrey this weekend, with road closures due to the Prudential Ride London 2013 cycling festival.

The TfL website has full travel details for anybody attending the Proms, and remember Tannhauser starts at 6 pm on Sunday. It seems to be mostly road closures to the north and west, the tube seems mostly OK apart from limited closures for engineering work.

Have a nice weekend,
Ferret

[amateur51]

When I read the title of this thread, I just assumed it was Caliban taking his empties to the bottle bank and vinteuil renewing his library books

[Nick Armstrong]

When I read the title of this thread, I just assumed it was Caliban taking his empties to the bottle bank and vinteuil renewing his library books

Or vice versa...

This is the page: http://www.tfl.gov.uk/gettingaround/...-on-3-4-august

The two "Maps of travel disruptions" are particularly instructive.

Can't find the specific instructions about the Proms though...

[Flosshilde]

When I read the title of this thread, I just assumed it was Caliban taking his empties to the bottle bank and vinteuil renewing his library books

I thought that the prom queues were so big that they were blocking the roads.

[Dave2002]

A word of warning about this. This seems likely to recur every year from now on. We were warned about it by a circular which came through the letter box at least a month ago. It means that driving in our area is going to be rather restricted for a very extended period, and I hope to goodness the trains work, as I'm intending to go to that Wagner concert on Sunday.

Who decides these things? Boris? OK - the Olympic cycle race days were quite fun, and most people entered into the excitement, but who has decided that there should be annual races which will clearly necessitate road closures on each occasion?

[Bryn]

A word of warning about this. This seems likely to recur every year from now on. We were warned about it by a circular which came through the letter box at least a month ago. It means that driving in our area is going to be rather restricted for a very extended period, and I hope to goodness the trains work, as I'm intending to go to that Wagner concert on Sunday.

Who decides these things? Boris? OK - the Olympic cycle race days were quite fun, and most people entered into the excitement, but who has decided that there should be annual races which will clearly necessitate road closures on each occasion?

I wonder how much road tax the participants and organisers are paying for their exclusive use of the public highway on these occasions?

[Dave2002]

I wonder how much road tax the participants and organisers are paying for their exclusive use of the public highway on these occasions?

I notice that Boris is riding around. A genius this guy, manages to get something in place without, AFAIK, consulting the vast majority of those affected by the traffic disruption, including many not even in his own area of control. Sneaks in the "annual" ride. OK - he is riding for charity, but what about generating income so that Surrey CC and other affected areas can actually improve the road systems, including dedicated cycle tracks, and filling in the many potholes in the roads round Surrey - which surely must also affect cyclists.

I thought at first it only affected parts of Surrey, but I then discovered that it affects quite a lot of the central area of London, including the RAH. Fortunately, it seem that the trains to and from Surrey are working - though perhaps it would have been possible to provide a better than Sunday service given the nature of the special event.

It is my belief also that some "normal" Sunday activity will be disrupted, such as making it impossible for people to get to the local dumps. I'd be interested to know whether these are closed today, and also whether those who work in them are being paid for the day.

If this is to become an annual event, there should be much more publicity many months in advance, even a year in advance, and also much better suggestions as to how to manage. Last year, for the Olympics we decided that rather than risk being trapped, as we had to be outside the area during that period, we would have to leave early. Wasn't a problem, though did increase our costs for hotel accommodation.

If given the choice, I would actually support these rides, if only once per year, but they need to be done with much more care, and information etc. If a substantial number of people did not want them to be held annually, then a rethink should be done.

[Petrushka]

Just taken a quick look on TV - hardly anybody watching on the pavements. It's a participatory thing I suppose but if I'd booked a weekend in London while this is on I'd be well cheesed off. I'm paying for my sister and niece to go down with me on Aug 31 and it's already cost an arm and a leg. Any problems in getting around that weekend will not be welcome.

[Sir Velo]

I wonder how much road tax the participants and organisers are paying for their exclusive use of the public highway on these occasions?

Probably as much as you or I do since all council tax payers pay for use of the highway, as this is how roads maintenance is funded. What you mistakenly call Road Tax is a vehicle excise duty, levied according to level of Co2 emissions and has nothing to do with the right to use the highway. Motorists have no more rights to the highway than other road users (e.g. pedestrians; cyclists; equestrians etc). Road Tax went out in 1937.

If cyclists were subject to VED, they would automatically be exempt. Of course, why don't you lobby for cyclists to be brought into the scope of VED. It won't raise any income and will cost millions to administrate. Still if that's what you consider a good use of taxpayers' money...

[amateur51]

Motorists have no more rights to the highway than other road users (e.g. pedestrians; cyclists; equestrians etc).

I thought that pedestrians, cyclists and equestrians were not allowed on motorways

[Mr Pee]

I'm really surprised that some people are complaining about this- it is one day of the year when some roads are closed for an event, which, the professional races aside, is raising a lot of money for charity. Perhaps you would like the London Marathon to be scrapped as well- after all, the road closures for that are pretty disruptive. And it makes a change, doesn't it, for cycles to be slowing the traffic rather than the thousands of cars that usually do the same job. One bicycle rider is one less car adding to the congestion, or one less body trying to squeeze onto a train.

As Sir Velo has pointed out, the whole road tax argument means nothing for the reasons he has mentioned, an argument which also ignores the fact that most cyclists are car drivers as well, so do pay VED. And a bicycle is a few pounds of non-polluting transport, which does minimal damage to the road surface, rather then several tons of pollution belching car, which does far more damage both to the road and the environment.

My brother lives in Bogota, and there, every Sunday, the roads are closed off to vehicles so that cyclists can enjoy the city without fear of being flattened or asphyxiated. I am sure we can cope with one day of the year where the same thing happens here.

Anyway, it's a lovely afternoon, and I'm off for a bike ride. Then I shall come home and watch the conclusion of the men's road race on the TV.

[jean]

Agree with every word of that, Mr Pee.

The best outcome of such events would be that more and more people realise how pleasant it is to cycle in cities free of motor traffic and leave their cars at home in future.

[Sir Velo]

Just taken a quick look on TV - hardly anybody watching on the pavements. It's a participatory thing I suppose but if I'd booked a weekend in London while this is on I'd be well cheesed off. I'm paying for my sister and niece to go down with me on Aug 31 and it's already cost an arm and a leg. Any problems in getting around that weekend will not be welcome.

Well, it's this weekend only so I wouldn't worry Pet, you won't need to walk more than a couple of hundred yards.

Having said that, wouldn't it be a good idea for central London to be traffic free every Sunday? Think of the benefit to the air and the environment, not to mention Londoners' health as the polluted city cleansed its lungs. Instead of being ferried everywhere in Co2-emitting, gas-guzzler charabancs and Chelsea tractors at about 10 mph, everyone could cycle everywhere at at least half the speed again while helping save the NHS millions in treating obesity related illness!

[Mr Pee]

...wouldn't it be a good idea for central London to be traffic free every Sunday? Think of the benefit to the air and the environment, not to mention Londoners' health as the polluted city cleansed its lungs. Instead of being ferried everywhere in Co2-emitting, gas-guzzler charabancs and Chelsea tractors at about 10 mph, everyone could cycle everywhere at at least half the speed again while helping save the NHS millions in treating obesity related illness!

[Flosshilde]

Well, it's this weekend only so I wouldn't worry Pet, you won't need to walk more than a couple of hundred yards.

Having said that, wouldn't it be a good idea for central London to be traffic free every Sunday?

I think there have been 'traffic-free' Sundays in the past.

Palermo closes of one (or both, possibly) of the main North-South roads on Sundays & the street is filled with cafes, market stalls & people enjoying the peace. If Palermo can do it, I'm sure London can.