Locals protest against cycle and bus lane

[adrian30uk]

It takes around 45 minutes in the car during school times to get from Newhaven to Brighton which is only about 10 - 11 miles along the A259. To be quite honest with you its becoming a joke, there are now too many cars using this stretch of road in the mornings, anyway a couple of months ago the council posted leaflets proposing a new bus and cycle lane to ease the congestion along the A259, I thought what a great idea especially for people using the buses and of course cyclists get our own safe lane.

Anyway the other day I decided to pop in to the local garage and on the counter I saw a petition asking people to sign against the proposed bus and cycle lanes. I could not believe people had actually signed this peice of **** form. I thought the goverment where meant to be promoting the use of public transport and bikes, Look I am guilty of driving a car myself and I have driven this stretch before, and it is very very frustrating, but now I cycle it becuase driving makes me really frustrated.

So why dont other people just get of there fat arses leave there cars at home and use public transport or better still get some exercise and use there bikes, they will feel better and save money in the long run.

 

[James Hodson]

On Mon, 16 Aug 2004 18:50:12 +1000, adrian30uk
<[email protected]> wrote:

>It takes around 45 minutes in the car during school times to get from
>Newhaven to Brighton which is only about 10 - 11 miles along the A259.
>To be quite honest with you its becoming a joke, there are now too many
>cars using this stretch of road in the mornings, anyway a couple of
>months ago the council posted leaflets proposing a new bus and cycle
>lane to ease the congestion along the A259, I thought what a great idea
>especially for people using the buses and of course cyclists get our own
>safe lane.

[SNIP]

Hi Adrian

I have cycled along this bit of road a few times although not recently
and never during an early-morning ruck hour.

To be honest (as is my wont), I can't really see the nead for the
provisions you mention. Of course, if the local council wishes to keep
up its excellent work apropos cycle paths (I refer you to the Hove to
Brighton promenade path <ahem>) then who are we to intervene.

I do believe I have just swallowed my tongue.
James

 

[stupot]

The clue is in 'where' you found the petition.

A garage is always going to be against something that may reduce peoples
dependance upon buying petrol. And many petrol buyers are going to be too
stupid to see whose interests are 'really' getting promoted by signing
the petition.

Its just the same when the BBC's flagship news program tells you how
increased car use is going to benefit the Chinese people - and half the
glossy film footage is promo stuff from car manufacturers.

Think about who is promoting the issue?
And where their real interests lie?

adrian30uk wrote:
> Anyway the other day I decided to pop in to the local garage and on the
> counter I saw a petition asking people to sign against the proposed bus
> and cycle lanes.

 

[Tumbleweed]

"adrian30uk" <[email protected]> wrote in
message news:[email protected]...
>
> It takes around 45 minutes in the car during school times to get from
> Newhaven to Brighton which is only about 10 - 11 miles along the A259.
> To be quite honest with you its becoming a joke, there are now too many
> cars using this stretch of road in the mornings, anyway a couple of
> months ago the council posted leaflets proposing a new bus and cycle
> lane to ease the congestion along the A259, I thought what a great idea
> especially for people using the buses and of course cyclists get our own
> safe lane.
>
> Anyway the other day I decided to pop in to the local garage and on the
> counter I saw a petition asking people to sign against the proposed bus
> and cycle lanes. I could not believe people had actually signed this
> peice of **** form. I thought the goverment where meant to be promoting
> the use of public transport and bikes, Look I am guilty of driving a car
> myself and I have driven this stretch before, and it is very very
> frustrating, but now I cycle it becuase driving makes me really
> frustrated.

Would a new bus and cycle lane ease the congestion though? Do they plan to
add a new lane entirely, or reuse one of the existing lanes in which case it
might reduce the road space significantly, thereby actually *increasing*
congestion, and pollution?

>
> So why dont other people just get of there fat arses leave there cars
> at home and use public transport or better still get some exercise and
> use there bikes, they will feel better and save money in the long run.
>

Maybe they dont have your journey, and cycling would be impractical? maybe
they need to go somewhere else after they have arrived at their place of
work, so its impractical? maybe they need to carry enough luggage or 'stuff'
its impractical? Maybe they dont fancy getting soaked/sweaty in which case
its their choice to swap not getting soaked or sweaty or cold for about the
same time by driving in a car? (ie 11miles should take you about 40 minutes
I guess?)
Also, 11 miles is a pretty long commute. In the countries where cycling is
used for mass commutting like Holland, I believe most commute journeys are
pretty short, just a few k, nowhere near 11miles. We have designed this
country for the motor car, people have arranged their lives around the
assumpitions that derive from that, and just adding a few cycle lanes (or
even lots of them) isnt going to make any significant difference. Youd need
a lot more mixed use developments for example, wth factories and offices and
shops and housing much more close together and mixed, rather than out of
town business centres or factories miles away from where people live.

--
Tumbleweed

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