Norwich: HGVs to be allowed in cycle lanes

wafflycat

http://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/cont...3A09%3A09%3A773

or

http://tinyurl.com/55x3dm

PoB

"wafflycat" <w*a*ff£y£cat*@£btco*nn£ect.com> wrote in message
news:-q-dnXI5HbSU64XVnZ2dneKdnZydnZ2d@bt.com...
|
http://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/cont...3A09%3A09%3A773
|
| or
|
| http://tinyurl.com/55x3dm
|

That has to be the about most brain-dead idea I have seen today. Buses I
don't mind being passed by, but HGVs give me the heeby-jeebies.

Gob-smacked. Truly.


Shame they don't supply e-mail contacts for those two folk from Norfolk
County (as far as I could tell on the Norfolk Council website) otherwise I
would

pOB

David Hansen

On Wed, 30 Apr 2008 15:19:23 +0100 someone who may be "PoB"
<Pob@lackof.org> wrote this:-

>That has to be the about most brain-dead idea I have seen today. Buses I
>don't mind being passed by, but HGVs give me the heeby-jeebies.

Consolidation depot - excellent idea.

Lorries in bus lane - possibly not a good idea at all. However,
there are a number of variables, particularly the lorry size. If
they are using small lorries that is very different to big lorries.
The lorry in the photograph might just be small enough, but that
depends on the size of the road concerned.

Five lorries a day depends now often they use the bus lane. Five
lorries once a day is different to five lorries an hour.

One thing they should certainly do is have prominent numbers or
letters painted on the lorries, whether they are driven in the bus
lane or not, with proper records of who was driving each one at any
time. Then any poor driving can be investigated thoroughly. The same
should be done with buses and taxis.




--
David Hansen, Edinburgh
I will *always* explain revoked encryption keys, unless RIP prevents me
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2000/00023--e.htm#54

Doki

"PoB" <Pob@lackof.org> wrote in message
news:fv9v9b$4ea$1@scotsman.ed.ac.uk...
>
> "wafflycat" <w*a*ff£y£cat*@£btco*nn£ect.com> wrote in message
> news:-q-dnXI5HbSU64XVnZ2dneKdnZydnZ2d@bt.com...
> |
> http://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/cont...3A09%3A09%3A773
> |
> | or
> |
> | http://tinyurl.com/55x3dm
> |
>
> That has to be the about most brain-dead idea I have seen today. Buses I
> don't mind being passed by, but HGVs give me the heeby-jeebies.
>
> Gob-smacked. Truly.
>
>
> Shame they don't supply e-mail contacts for those two folk from Norfolk
> County (as far as I could tell on the Norfolk Council website) otherwise I
> would

I'd sooner be passed by a HGV than a Bus anyway. Bus drivers generally drive
like they're on crack and get away with it.

Dave

"PoB" <Pob@lackof.org> wrote in message
news:fv9v9b$4ea$1@scotsman.ed.ac.uk...
>
> "wafflycat" <w*a*ff£y£cat*@£btco*nn£ect.com> wrote in message
> news:-q-dnXI5HbSU64XVnZ2dneKdnZydnZ2d@bt.com...
> |
> http://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/cont...3A09%3A09%3A773
> |
> | or
> |
> | http://tinyurl.com/55x3dm
> |
>
> That has to be the about most brain-dead idea I have seen today. Buses I
> don't mind being passed by, but HGVs give me the heeby-jeebies.
>
> Gob-smacked. Truly.
>
>
> Shame they don't supply e-mail contacts for those two folk from Norfolk
> County (as far as I could tell on the Norfolk Council website) otherwise I
> would
>
> pOB
>
>

I can only think that if one company are allowed to use the lanes others
will follow as will cars etc.

I also presume the cycle lanes are wider than the normal 2 foot or less.

Dave

PoB

"Doki" <mrdoki@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:67repjF2pfti2U1@mid.individual.net...

|
| I'd sooner be passed by a HGV than a Bus anyway. Bus drivers generally
drive
| like they're on crack and get away with it.
|
It's mainly the suction as the trailer goes past that freaks me.

pOB

wafflycat

"PoB" <Pob@lackof.org> wrote in message
news:fv9v9b$4ea$1@scotsman.ed.ac.uk...

>
> That has to be the about most brain-dead idea I have seen today. Buses I
> don't mind being passed by, but HGVs give me the heeby-jeebies.
>
> Gob-smacked. Truly.
>
>
> Shame they don't supply e-mail contacts for those two folk from Norfolk
> County (as far as I could tell on the Norfolk Council website) otherwise I
> would
>
> pOB
>

info@norwich.gov.uk
information@norfolk.gov.uk

Both of the above will work - I've had acknowledgement.

I think it's a damn fool idea, masquerading as being 'green' I mean. One of
the few cycle farcilities I find useful in Norwich are the bus/cycle lanes:
especially in times of high traffic volume. Once lorries start going in
them, it's the end of them basically, as other lorries *will* start using
them. Sort of defeats the purpose as regards buses and cycling.

Biggles

"Dave" <dave.barwickns@blueyonder.co.uk> wrote in message
news:99idnVWy5oLZGIXVRVnyjQA@eclipse.net.uk...
>
> I also presume the cycle lanes are wider than the normal 2 foot or less.
>
They are actually combined bus/cycle and taxi lanes. So wide enough for a
bus, but not wide enough for a bus or a van to pass a cycle (not when I'm in
it anyway).

Biggles

Chris Smith

wafflycat wrote:
> http://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/cont...3A09%3A09%3A773
>
>
> or
>
> http://tinyurl.com/55x3dm
>
>

Hmm... there's a perfectly good railway line between Wymondham and
Norwich - and a gert big goods yard at Norwich station that's very
underused. OK - perhaps a bit too radical - trains for freight - yeah,
daft idea...

HGVs on bike lanes is just silly.

Another alternative would be to get rid of the bike lane on the A11
altogether, and instead make Unthank Road (NW of the A11) and Hall Road
(SE of the A11) bike friendly routes - 10/15mph speed limit, no kerbs
between road and pavement (bollards are better for demarkation) and
ped/cyclists priority.

Chris

Geoff Lane

"wafflycat" <w*a*ff£y£cat*@£btco*nn£ect.com> wrote in
news:KfidnYtN0Z_iCYXVnZ2dnUVZ8t6inZ2d@bt.com:

> I think it's a damn fool idea, masquerading as being 'green' I mean.
> One of the few cycle farcilities I find useful in Norwich are the
> bus/cycle lanes: especially in times of high traffic volume. Once
> lorries start going in them, it's the end of them basically, as other
> lorries *will* start using them. Sort of defeats the purpose as
> regards buses and cycling.

Personally, I think your subject title is more than a little
sensationalist. HGVs are not to be allowed in cycle lanes. They are to
be allowed to one bus lane (Newmarket Road), which cyclist may also use.

The primary purpose of those lanes is to speed the progress of public
transport, and not for our benefit. I view the lorries involved in this
scheme as public transport for goods, since companies will use the
public service rather than their own vehicles. In general, I find LGV
drivers more courteous and considerate than bus drivers, and I'd rather
have an LGV than a bus behind me any day. Compared to the hundreds of
buses and taxis those lanes carry each day, a few lorries are small
potatoes.

If it's properly policed, I think this scheme is a brilliant idea and I
really hope it's taken up where I live. The permitted lorries would need
to be easily identified and drivers who are not permitted to use bus
lanes taken to task. You know, that might even help us because better
policing might just dissuade some violators from making a dash down the
last few yards of a bus lane before a roundabout or junction. I know
that type of inconsiderate driving has given me more than a few close
calls.

As to being "green", I reckon that a few lorries on the move will emit
considerably less than many more slowly making their way through
congestion. Also, even a small reduction in the number of vehicles using
the road can only reduce congestion. That said, it's a pity the lorry
they've bought is Euro-3 not Euro-4.

Unfortunately, with the extra time and double-handling elements
inevitable in this scheme, I can't see it being a success even if
they're allowed in the bus lane.

JMHO,

Geoff

wafflycat

The chances of it being properly policed are, IMO, somewhere between fat and
slim.

Geoff Lane

"wafflycat" <w*a*ff£y£cat*@£btco*nn£ect.com> wrote in
news:7dudnUdfhNqqOYXVnZ2dnUVZ8sCknZ2d@bt.com:

> The chances of it being properly policed are, IMO, somewhere between
> fat and slim.

Provided the permitted lorries are obviously marked, IMO the chances of a
significant increase in violators are about the same. However, given the
greed of your average council, the chances of them using this as an excuse
to put up a bus-lane camera are significantly greater.

Martin Dann

wafflycat wrote:
>
> "PoB" <Pob@lackof.org> wrote in message
> news:fv9v9b$4ea$1@scotsman.ed.ac.uk...
>
>>
>> That has to be the about most brain-dead idea I have seen today. Buses I
>> don't mind being passed by, but HGVs give me the heeby-jeebies.
>>
>> Gob-smacked. Truly.
>>
>>
>> Shame they don't supply e-mail contacts for those two folk from Norfolk
>> County (as far as I could tell on the Norfolk Council website)
>> otherwise I
>> would
>>
>> pOB
>>
>
> info@norwich.gov.uk
> information@norfolk.gov.uk
>
> Both of the above will work - I've had acknowledgement.
>
> I think it's a damn fool idea, masquerading as being 'green' I mean. One
> of the few cycle farcilities I find useful in Norwich are the bus/cycle
> lanes: especially in times of high traffic volume. Once lorries start
> going in them, it's the end of them basically, as other lorries *will*
> start using them. Sort of defeats the purpose as regards buses and cycling.

I think that once the system get going, other companies will want to use
the bus lanes, and they may be able to force the issue using some
competition laws (the consolidation company being given an unfair
advantage). Very soon you might have every wvm using the lanes as well.
The council could sell permits to allow people to use the bus lanes, but
once a driver has a permit, he will think he has a greater right to use
the lane than a mere cyclist.

Initially it sounds like a good idea, but once human nature gets
involved, it will turn out bad.


Having said that, I think the lorry consolidation scheme is an excellent
idea.

Paul Boyd

On 30/04/2008 14:35, wafflycat said,

> http://tinyurl.com/55x3dm

Look at the date of the article - it's 1st..... oh no, it is apparently
real! There is another scheme afoot to change the side of the road on
which we drive. They'll trial it with HGVs running on the right first
to see how it goes.

Well, it's as sensible an idea as putting HGVs onto cycle lanes!

--
Paul Boyd
http://www.paul-boyd.co.uk/