There is a great deal of irrationality in the world at present. A good example was a webinar I attended this morning run by Landor Links on Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs). These are being promoted by the Government and frequently consist of road closures using the euphemistically named “modal filters” Several of the speakers promoted the wonders of such schemes typically using slides showing the joy of cycling in sunny weather. They failed to cover how the residents of boroughs such as Waltham Forest got to vote on the proposals, before or after implementation – they did not of course! I know there is a very large amount of opposition in Waltham Forest, in Lewisham in the Oval area, in Islington and several other parts of London. But the Covid-19 epidemic is being used to justify emergency measures without any public consultation.
It’s all quite disgraceful as democracy is being undermined and the road network is being destroyed. Traffic congestion in Lewisham for example has been made a lot worse to my personal knowledge and that’s even before the schools return. Labour controlled Councils are frequently a particular problem as they tend to like to decide what is good for you rather than listening to their electorate or taking into account any rational arguments.
This is all part of the Mayor of London’s Transport Strategy which we have been campaigning against for some time (see https://www.freedomfordrivers.org/against-mts.htm ). But boroughs such as Lewisham controlled by keen cyclists are pushing through simple anti-car measures without any reason and to the disadvantage of many groups of people who need to use vehicles.
Roger Lawson
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I also live in the Lewisham area and although as far as I know there are no road closures in my area of the Borough, what annoys me is this constant suggested alternative of “ride a bike”, I am 86 lets face it riding a bike is not an option and the other is use public transport, because of my age I am classed as vunerable to covid 19, so the last thing I need is to go on a bus.
I depend on my car 100% and because of planned extention of ULEZ I have a old vehicle that does not comply which means I have to buy another car. I am fed up with this anti car attitude that is ill conceived and very selfish and since cyclist now have so much power it’s time they obeyed the rules of the road.
Yes we are not all young athletic males. Apart from the elderly and disabled, we are getting lots of responses from females, possibly because they are concerned about security or have to lug kids or shopping around.