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As Talkbackers are spread all over the country I wondered if anyone had heard talk in their local papers or council stuff about it being considered in their area.
In Nottingham the talk has been about using the A453 for this, as it does get very congested, (but doesn't have much alternative transport routes to offset it, and only this one entry point off the motorway south of the city)so this would personally effect me.
So many of the search engine results concentrate on London's system, and it didn't want to remove London results for some reason- so it's hard to pin down specific places to look at.
If any Talkbackers have any locations they can suggest, I'd be very grateful. Thanks.
Today the congestion charge of £8 a day was extended to cover Kensington and Chelsea.
Jenny, yes, that extension was the first thing that came up on the search engines.
I haven't heard much news yet today, so I'll keep an eye out for it.
Any normal sane person could tell the authorities that these schemes don't stop congestion, as often there are no practical alternatives, public transport doesn't run at the times and where you need to go,and work and schools run set times so everyone travels at the same time.
Fifteen years ago our council began consultation on proposed improvements, and many many residents gave their opinion on the possible choices- the most popular and pratical route (which the majority favoured and the most expensive)was not the one chosen, and the one they chose caused the most controversy. They are slowly getting toward starting it, but in the meantime the traffic problem has got much worse.
I also don't feel these schemes that they bring in are fair to the people who live there.
(There was also a news item yesterday about people using Oyster cards but still having to pay full fare. This is because those in a hurry or unused to using the cards rush when scanning them so they don't register properly and the full fare is extracted from the balance.)
This seems to suggest that people don't want it to apply to them but would welcome it if it kept everyone else off the roads!
Oddly enough, someone sent me the above link a couple of days ago. Not sure if it'll help.
Toll roads are common place in Europe and the USA - in both cases there are usually also 'toll free' alternatives to travellers for whom money and not time is more important. I've used toll roads in the USA and they are much more free-flowing (and therefore quicker)
We live about 35 miles east of London and I travel up there for business about once a month - my partner Daniel commutes to Cannon Street / Bank by coach daily. We both feel the congestion charge does seem to have eased the traffic considerably - from this side of the river at least.
Because of congestion, I have taken to travelling by train now for most of my further business appointments. As a lone traveller, it usually works out about the same cost or less than the car journey would (plus you can read and snooze on the train!). SE trains (and maybe other providers) also offer group discounts for 3 or 4 or more adult passengers travelling together - at least one third off the ususal fare.
And on final eco-friendly note, a great website for travelling just about anywhere in the world without flying is at www.seat61.com - we went across Scandanavia (Norway to Sweden to Finland and back again)for our hols last summer using ships and trains only - it was fabulous!
Sorry to ramble Carol, hope some of this is helpful!!
"CONGESTION in central London has got worse, despite the introduction of the C-charge, it emerged this week.
While the amount of traffic entering London has been cut by about 20 per cent, congestion in the central charging zone has actually risen in the past year.
Mayor Ken Livingstone said the problems were largely due to an increase in utilities works in the capital.
In 2006 there was a marked rise in the number of road closures and disruptions due to water and gas works, he said.
However, the mayor insisted that if the charging scheme were not in place, the roads would be verging on gridlock.
The volume of traffic entering the city has been cut by 20 per cent since charging was introduced, Transport for London figures show.
An extension to the existing zone, to be launched on February 19, is expected to reduce congestion in the western area by between 10 and 15 per cent.
The operating hours will also be cut by half an hour, with the zone in force from 7am to 6pm, Monday to Friday.
Mr Livingstone called on the Government to speed up new legislation that will give Transport for London and individual boroughs more powers to co-ordinate street works in the city.
"Without congestion charging, central London would almost certainly have ground to a halt by now," he said.
"But the planning and carrying out of street works is extremely chaotic and is now having a negative impact on the effectiveness of the measures brought in to tackle congestion."
Between 2004 and 2006 the amount of street works being conducted in the capital almost doubled.
Works being carried out by Thames Water to replace its leaking pipe network were causing particular problems, Mr Livingstone said.
But he stressed that, with 25 per cent of purified water currently being lost, the work was crucial for the city.
Last year leaks totalled 894 million litres a day - the equivalent of 344 Olympic-sized swimming pools.
"We are not complaining about this work being done," Mr Livingstone said.
"It should have been done 30 years ago. It has got to be done to reduce the leaks.
"However, what is urgently needed is greater co-ordination to minimise the impact on London's roads and traffic."
A Thames Water spokesman said: "We are striving to minimise disruption. We always co-ordinate our work with other utility companies and local authorities to reduce the impact on traffic.
"Around 60% of our pipe replacement activity is carried out using methods that don't involve digging trenches.
"We appreciate the inconvenience this causes but we hope that Londoners recognise that this work is essential and it will mean our water system is fit for the 21st Century and beyond."
Peter Brown, Chief Operating Officer at Transport for London's London Streets, added: "We recognise how important the renewal of London's ageing utilities system is, and part of our job is to facilitate that work.
"However, it is extremely difficult to do that in a well co-ordinated and managed way and the situation will become intolerable without the legislation that we have been awaiting for two years."
In the coming months Thames Water has works planned for Shepherd's Bush Green at the Holland Park Roundabout and on Harrow Road at the junction with Chippenham Road and Paddington Green.
The water accompany hopes to have replaced 1,000 miles of water network across London by 2010."
It is a big subject, and when you look at what the Government say they intend, and what they've said recently- well they aren't quite the same thing.
I actually downloaded the Dept. of Transport's PDF document of the Government's response to the Select Committee's review (July 05). That alone made interesting reading, as it indicated it might mean that different size cars could be charged different amounts on the same route, if the local authority so chose.
And yes, there are tracking implication in these ideas.
Negotiating Parliament Square, The Bank and getting to Charing Cross Station have all become easier than driving in many towns around England.
The reasoning of utility company roadworks explains disruption problems but I still believe ease of traffic flow to be far better than ten years ago.
Can I have one?
Horse parks could be interesting places!
Now you mention the fact I can understand the frustration of suffering congested "suburbs" for the sake of visitors (such as myself) enjoying the ease of central London commuting.
Children have an inset day today, half-term next week.
TT, I want to use different places, because clearly they will each be trying to deal with the same problem but with different causes.
Basically I believe a one size policy does not fit all. But I need to look at different places.
Obviously Nottingham I know the problems and what has been done already within the city, banning cars except taxis from certain roads, just leads to long queues of buses all trying to use the same bus stops at the same time, and the queue is now buses not cars.
Jenny, has Brighton been having congestion problems for a while, or has the local council been fiddling around with traffic routes or road works?
I find that congestion around Nottingham increases everytime there is a road improvement scheme implemented, eventually it settles down but it moves the problem to another set of roads.
Bus lanes, good or bad?
Public transport is probably the main cause of congestion increases here. One of the bus companies has decided to reduce and/or reroute buses. This often leads to people having to use their cars, because the alternative options take too long or require further walking.
Yes everyone should walk more, but who wants to do that when it's freezing cold or raining so heavily you and your clothes are wet before you reach your destination.
How much consultation do your bus companies give to their passengers before they implement cuts or changes?
I think sometimes, when passengers get consulted it seems to depend on the socio-economic grouping of the bus users.
There were good points made, including the one that pointed out they didn't have congestion in their area.
The area would now cover many of the schools and hospitals.
If you need the car to get to hospital for regular treatment- such as chemotherapy or such, a car to take you their, and bring you home is vital. So you are basically being penalised for being sick. And there are no exceptions to the charge.
I'll definitely have a look.
I've been making a note of all the places mentioned on the new items today, for further investigation.
Thanks.
Just had an hour or so of searching various organisations websites for comparison info, plus official stuff from the Dept. of Transport and H.M Treasury. Very informative.
They worked out how much mileage they did before they began the process. And gave their viewpoints on the issues.
To calculate how much it might cost them, an expert from Leeds University constructed a two band system, so the city centre and main roads into it were charged higher than the outer ring.
Apart from the fact that no one knows what system will be used, under this one they had all expected to pay more.
But at the end the majority were still not convinced by the idea.
If you signed the petition, you'll be getting an email from the PM; I'm waiting for mine.
Pity the poor clerical staff who have to send the e-mail to one million six hundred thousand people!
At the moment I'm waiting for my e-mail reply from Tony Blair(so I can quote him in my article), my oldest son who signed the petition late last night-before the midnight deadline, received THE e-mail at lunchtime.