Unchain The Brighton Motorist

[Barrel of Fun]

A Facebook group just popped up on my timeline, full of people ready to vote out the Greens because they want to drive everywhere they want and to park cheaply. Ultimately a magnet for morons.

Granted, the council need to sort out some swift and reasonable P&R systems, but that doesn't seem to be considered by the Average Joe. Why does someone feel they have the right to be part of the problem (they are the traffic).

Streams of cars enter Brighton with just one occupant or two at the very most.

I'd love to see a car free city centre.

 

[£1.99]

Agree, car free city centre would be brilliant.

 

[Boris Yeltsin]

I agree. Would make it easier to park.

 

[Chicken Runner61]

No delivery vans or taxis?

What about tradesmen and window cleaners that use their cars to carry tools and equipment?

What about disability vehicles or cars with permits?

And how will you fund the council who make millions from parking and permits?

 

[BN9 BHA]

No delivery vans or taxis?

What about tradesmen and window cleaners that use their cars to carry tools and equipment?

What about disability vehicles or cars with permits?

And how will you fund the council who make millions from parking and permits?

Exactly this.

I come from Brighton originally and I am a tradesman but I will no longer work there, I turn down lots of jobs because of the parking restrictions.

 

[BN9 BHA]

A Facebook group just popped up on my timeline, full of people ready to vote out the Greens because they want to drive everywhere they want and to park cheaply. Ultimately a magnet for morons.

Granted, the council need to sort out some swift and reasonable P&R systems, but that doesn't seem to be considered by the Average Joe. Why does someone feel they have the right to be part of the problem (they are the traffic).

Streams of cars enter Brighton with just one occupant or two at the very most.

I'd love to see a car free city centre.

Car free city?
Hope you never need a cab then.

 

[BadFish]

The traders need access to Dixons

 

[dougdeep]

Shops with nothing to sell. That'll be fun.

 

[pastafarian]

I'd love to see a car free city centre.

I agree,there would be no need also for any of the city centre car parks with a car free centre,these can be turned into much needed high rise housing.

As for the visitors to the city with cars who use the Hotels and shops.....F#CK them and their gas guzzling evil machines.

They add nothing to the local economy.

 

[W.C.]

The traders need access to Dixons

They do say it'll help people in wheeeelchairs

 

[happypig]

Whilst the idea of a car-free city centre is attractive for a lot of people, it's not something that can be achieved by unilaterally declaring war on cars and their drivers as the Greens seem to have done (bus lanes, extortionate parking charges, 20mph speed limits to name three off the top of my head). To encourage people to leave their cars at home needs an integrated policy, which the Greens (or any other party) are unable to deliver because they don't control rail services and rail services are the key to getting people in and out of the city. An example, a while back I went to a gig at the Brighton Centre. My preferred way to get there would have been a walk to Eastbourne station, train over, walk to the Centre and back, train back to Eastbourne and taxi home. However, because I couldn't be sure that the gig would finish in time to make the last train, I took the car.
Another problem with using the train is that it costs too much; if I want to take mrs H for shopping and lunch, it costs over £20 just to get the train. I can drive over, park for 6 hours and drive back for £10 plus the cost of a gallon of fuel. I also have the convenience of being able to go and return when I want. I can also divert to other places (like stopping off in the Harveys shop for a bit of beer) and I can carry more.
If I could get two of us to Brighton and back for a tenner then I might think about using the trains but until then the car will be my transport of choice.

 

[wellquickwoody]

'Ultimately a magnet for morons.'

'........but that doesn't seem to be considered by the Average Joe.'

Average Joe? Normal, median, the norm, an everyday regular kind of guy of gal, what most people are like in other words? That is what democracy is all about, listening to the wishes and opinions of the majority, not riding roughshod over the electorates wishes like Kwikrap and his cronies are repeatedly doing.

Magnet for morons you say? Seeing as 'average Joe's' are the people joining and supporting this pressure group, does your opinion of them as morons demonstrate an inability to mix well with others?

 

[Guinness Boy]

At the risk of someone saying "won't someone please think of the children".......won't someone please think of the children? Particularly the very small variety that can't walk yet and need a buggy, and at the same time need a bag the size of Andorra to carry all their equipment in. It's so much easier to take them by car for this reason than public transport. There are two or three buggy spaces on most B&H buses and often they're full of mad old grannies who look at you like you've killed their first born if you ask them to move. And have you seen anyone try and get a buggy on and off a Coastway West service on game day? That's just short local journeys. If you're going to visit relatives or go on holiday in the UK then a car is far more practical if you have kids.

Then there's people who need to drive to get to their workplace because, while they might be near public transport here, their workplace is the middle of nowhere. And how do you think bus and train drivers get to and from the first or last service of the day?

 

[The Antikythera Mechanism]

Why do out of town mega shopping complexes have huge car parks? Because the majority of people want the convenience of being able to park close to their place of purchase. Ever seen people with full trolleys in supermarkets? That won't work with park and ride. Likewise with the purchase of large items. A car free city centre will not benefit the shops.

 

[Dean Deyn]

Note the OP said "city centre" not "city". There are car-free city centres all over Europe (and no doubt beyond). So it can be made to work without causing the collapse of the local economy.

 

[Max Paper]

The greens have done a fantastic job of bringing small/family businesses to their knees.

 

[Guinness Boy]

The greens have done a fantastic job of bringing small/family businesses to their knees whilst pretending to support local produce and independent shops.

Corrected a bit for you.

 

[Max Paper]

Corrected a bit for you.

Thanks

Also, over £18 for THREE hours parking in the NCP north road car park. EIGHTEEN QUID!

 

[Westdene Seagull]

A Facebook group just popped up on my timeline, full of people ready to vote out the Greens because they want to drive everywhere they want and to park cheaply. Ultimately a magnet for morons.

Granted, the council need to sort out some swift and reasonable P&R systems, but that doesn't seem to be considered by the Average Joe. Why does someone feel they have the right to be part of the problem (they are the traffic).

Streams of cars enter Brighton with just one occupant or two at the very most.

I'd love to see a car free city centre.

As Happy Pig touched on, it's more about the unrelenting war the council seem to have declared on car users.

While the bus services generally are good within the city the cost is ridiculously high. Also, because of the way B&H run their services it can take an age to get to where you're going. Much quicker by car ( and if you need to run a car then also much cheaper ).

If policies were more balanced to supporting ALL road users - not just those in favour with the council - then groups like Unchain the motorist wouldn't exist.

I'm sure I'm not the only one but I avoid the city centre like the plague - I think I've been there twice in the last year. Unless access is made easier and parking / public transport made cheaper then I will continue to avoid the city centre.

 

[Westdene Seagull]

Thanks

Also, over £18 for THREE hours parking in the NCP north road car park. EIGHTEEN QUID!

London Road car park is 8 quid of 9 hours ( I think ) - OK you have a short walk to the centre but much better value and the NCP rip off ( how else do you think the CEO maintains his boat ? ).