[Travel] Cars and congestion

[Norman Potting]

Mrs P has friends who live a short walk from a tram stop on the very recently opened extension to Newhaven (a different one) . They have been eagerly awaiting this as they will be able to be in the heart of Edinburgh in around 20' with trams on a "turn up and go" frequency. They also anticipate a boost in proprty values. I eagerly await a trip on one when we next visit.

Meanwhile back in Sussex ESCC have received funds from somewhere in central government. Looking at the changes they basically repair the Covid created cuts and we lucky folk in the Northrn Heights of Sussex get back our 30' frequency to the coast. Mustn't grumble.

 

[Weststander]

Remember that talk on nsc a few weeks ago of a progressive alliance, from those unknowing that the Greens and Labour parties despise each other. Well.

 

[keaton]

Can't think of any reason there might have been less tourists visiting in 2020-2022

 

[zefarelly]

Remember that talk on nsc a few weeks ago of a progressive alliance, from those unknowing that the Greens and Labour parties despise each other. Well.

View attachment 162799

All of the central car parks are privately owned, and massively expensive. £28+ for a working day . . . . Thats just political slander.

more to the point, has f*** all to do with any practical solution.

 

[Stat Brother]

 

[Mo Gosfield]

An ever increasing population...an increasing ageing population...an ever increasing number of 17-18 yr olds wanting to drive...all = an ever increasing number of cars on the road.
The massive rise in online shopping sees a massive rise in light commercial vehicles on the road.
It's impossible to reverse these trends and we all have to accept ever more crowded and poorly maintained roads.

 

[worthingseagull123]

An ever increasing population...an increasing ageing population...an ever increasing number of 17-18 yr olds wanting to drive...all = an ever increasing number of cars on the road.
The massive rise in online shopping sees a massive rise in light commercial vehicles on the road.
It's impossible to reverse these trends and we all have to accept ever more crowded and poorly maintained roads.

Home working should reduce the commute.

 

[Chicken Run]

Home working should reduce the commute.

It does but the number of people popping out running ‘errands’ mid morning has increased, sometimes driving round Brighton at 10:30am these days feels like rush hour!

 

[Stat Brother]

It does but the number of people popping out running ‘errands’ mid morning has increased, sometimes driving round Brighton at 10:30am these days feels like rush hour!

That's just the manifestation of twice the number of cars on the road.

All of us can easily justify every car journey we take, but so often that justification is incredibly hollow.

Of those extended rush hour journeys I'd imagine the bulk are less 3 mile round trips, for one specific reason, taken by a single person.

That's absolute madness - but when your so handcuffed to your car you just can't see it.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Home working should reduce the commute.

An ever increasing population...an increasing ageing population...an ever increasing number of 17-18 yr olds wanting to drive...all = an ever increasing number of cars on the road.
The massive rise in online shopping sees a massive rise in light commercial vehicles on the road.
It's impossible to reverse these trends and we all have to accept ever more crowded and poorly maintained roads.

So nothing can be done then and we just surrender our town centres to the tyranny of the private car? I'd suggest that that the introduction of a congestion charge would reverse at least some of these trends overnight

 

[Stat Brother]

I can't possibly do a big shop without a car

 

[dazzer6666]

It does but the number of people popping out running ‘errands’ mid morning has increased, sometimes driving round Brighton at 10:30am these days feels like rush hour!

Definitely this………instead of fairly clear busy times that could be avoided with some planning, it’s now busy all the time. ‘Flexible working’ has really messed things up for those that don’t work

 

[Chicken Run]

Definitely this………instead of fairly clear busy times that could be avoided with some planning, it’s now busy all the time. ‘Flexible working’ has really messed things up for those that don’t work

And those that do on the roads of the city all day

 

[Gwylan]

.an ever increasing number of 17-18 yr olds wanting to drive...

There's been a dropping off in the number of young people learning to drive - this is the Uber and Lyft generation. It's been particularly noticeable in the US but is happening here too. I can see it my own kids, neither of whom has the slightest inclination in learning to drive. When I was their age, all the kids I knew were learning.

Have young people lost their drive to get behind the wheel?

For many, the lure of the open road was reason enough to learn how to drive – yet this rite of passage has taken a back seat among the youth

www.telegraph.co.uk

 

[worthingseagull123]

So nothing can be done then and we just surrender our town centres to the tyranny of the private car? I'd suggest that that the introduction of a congestion charge would reverse at least some of these trends overnight

I’m happy for those on lower incomes to be forced on to buses or bicycles. Those of us who can afford to remain in our cars, will see less traffic when we drive.

Good shout.

 

[dsr-burnley]

I’m happy for those on lower incomes to be forced on to buses or bicycles. Those of us who can afford to remain in our cars, will see less traffic when we drive.

Good shout.

That's the problem, isn't it. Ultimately the reason for congestion is that once of a day, you needed to be rich to drive are car. But as general wealth has increased and motoring has got relatively cheaper, driving has come within the range of far more people.

The easy solution is obviously to make it more expensive so only better off people can afford it. But are there any fairer solutions?

 

[Stat Brother]

 

[worthingseagull123]

Adam Bronkhurst is something of an attention seeker isn’t he.

His Twitter feed is quite remarkable.

 

[Weststander]

There's been a dropping off in the number of young people learning to drive - this is the Uber and Lyft generation. It's been particularly noticeable in the US but is happening here too. I can see it my own kids, neither of whom has the slightest inclination in learning to drive. When I was their age, all the kids I knew were learning.

Have young people lost their drive to get behind the wheel?

For many, the lure of the open road was reason enough to learn how to drive – yet this rite of passage has taken a back seat among the youth

www.telegraph.co.uk

That’s been the case for a quite a while. My friends/brothers and I rushed to pass our tests at 17 then bought very cheap cars.

One reason I think is thar starter insurance premiums for decades has been £2k a year.

But then bizarrely, car ownership relentlessly increases in the UK. Which shirley means that young folk do eventually buy cars, but say age 25 or later. I know people in their 30’s taking lessons.

 

[Gwylan]

That’s been the case for a quite a while. My friends/brothers and I rushed to pass our tests at 17 then bought very cheap cars.

One reason I think is thar starter insurance premiums for decades has been £2k a year.

But then bizarrely, car ownership relentlessly increases in the UK. Which shirley means that young folk do eventually buy cars, but say age 25 or later. I know people in their 30’s taking lessons.

That may be what's happened in the past but I wonder if that will happen in the future. We haven't had a generation brought up on Uber before. It was also the case that people had families/bought houses in their late 20s and car ownership went hand in hand with 'settling down' but that's not happening so much right now. I wonder whether we've reached peak car ownership.

Oh, and I'm thinking of starting driving lessons again and I'm 66. You're never too old