Friday, April 20, 2007

Creating conditions to justify a policy?

Let's see shall we, first they start secret plans for a congestion charge in Greenwich. The Council and Mayor both blame each other with a "nothing to do with us Guv" line and that it's one of many possibilities. Then the parking facilities at the local Tube station are drastically cut forces traffic to park within the perimeter of the proposed zones having a knock on impact on traffic congestion over all.

The Council then started proceedings to shut down an old school that sits on the edge of the proposed congestion zone and says it wants to move it to the other side of the said zone on waste ground that is contaminated with all sorts of shit, thereby forcing more traffic through the zone and creating greater congestion.

Finally the tidal flow system for Northbound traffic on the congested Blackwall Tunnel approach is scrapped on the grounds that there have been a handful of accidents in its 29 year existence, thereby dispersing traffic off the dual carriage-way and through Greenwich creating more congestion.

Soon we will hear a joint announcement from the Council, Mayor and TfL about how congestion in Greenwich has become untenable and a charge is the only solution to a situation they exasperated through either (a) deliberately manipulation or more likely (b) sheer incompetence in the traditional pastime of "thinking".

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9 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

And theres me thinking the new Bridge was a bad idea, why instead of policing the tunnel and prosecuting those resposible for the dangerous driving do they just issue a blanket rule that punishes everybody

3:41 pm  
Blogger sibonetic said...

I think ther is also another agenda at work here, put my thoughts on tidal flow here
http://sibonetic.blogspot.com/

but the bit relevant to your article is that I think this is partly behind the removal of the tidal flow...

'I also think that there is a hidden TfL agenga here, if they make traffic congestion at the Blackwall Tunnel worse, it improves their Business case for the Thames Gateway Bridge. More traffic will now divert off the A2 to use the Bridge (TfL have always said some of the projected traffic will be from outside the 'local' area') in order to limit this traffic their stated aim is to increase the tolls for non local traffic, the current projected level is £3, but more potential trafic = a higher charge, the projected bridge toll revenue will be greater, making it a more attractive proposition for a PFI partner.

4:16 pm  
Blogger Sash said...

and there was me thinking the London Underground got out bid by Quintain and AEG for the car park at North Greenwich, but now I find it's a big conspriacy. OoooOO

12:34 am  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Apparently as stated in "The Kent on Sunday" newspaper, the tunnel traffic is being changed after a thiry year period because it has become to dangerous, does anyone have any statistics to support this.ie accident figures, fatalities, or prosecutions. I frequently listen to the traffic broadcasts and normaly if there is a hold up at the tunnel it comes down to two major problems, namely volume of traffic, of oversized lorries, only on the odd occasion do I hear of an accident, but no more than you get on any other route into London

10:13 am  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

http://www.blackwalltunnel.co.uk

3:39 pm  
Blogger David Riddle said...

There was a serious one involving a motorcycle according to the traffic reports only a day or so before this was announced that caused chaos southbound.

Someone important involved?

Who knows...

3:41 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Having looked at Blackwall Tunnel web site as posted by anonymous, i wonder how it is that the Police on a regular weekly basis manage to sit and wait for people doing a left turn as they come off the A2 at Falconwood, i can see no safety hazzard turning left, and if thats where you live its quicker than going all the way round Eltham, it would also help with the tail back that sometime occurs, still i suppose its easy money.

8:04 am  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Here's some fun you can have. Why not ask the Labour Group about the proposed change of standing orders that will cut the number of deputy leaders to just one?

Also, the local parties will soon have to decide on whether to reselect sitting MPs. Confused, you will be.

8:19 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Stick average speed speed cameras that 'reduce' speed in the tidal tunnel to say 15 mph each way, maximum impact speed is then halved. Not rocket science this traffic management stuff.

11:49 pm  

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