December 2011
8 posts
Outrage at 0% fare rise for cyclists →
Rail passengers and car drivers were today outraged by the unfairness of the transport system, as it was annouced that cycling fares would rise by a paltry 0% in 2012, remaining at £0.00. Rail fares are to rise by 5.9% in January, while petrol prices remain as high as drivers’ stress levels.
Personal Rapid Transit
I’ve always been a fan of the idea of Personal Rapid Transit. For those who don’t know, PRT is a kind of driver-less taxi system on rails, somewhere halfway between a metro system and a private minicab.
People don’t like public transport, they don’t want to sit or stand in a confined space with a bunch of strangers, they like cars, the convenience, the personal space, and...
Boston's strange "pedestrian" zone →
A great comparison of pedestrianisation done in the UK and in the Netherlands by David Hembrow.
Why Cycleways Are Safer Than No Cycleways
When it comes to the idea of separate cycleways (or cycle paths if you prefer) that run along a road but are separated from the motor traffic by a verge or line of parked cars, it has been said that they place cyclists in a more dangerous position than if they were on the road mixing with other traffic.
The argument goes something like, at a junction, a cyclist on a cycleway will be forced into a...
Walk on the wild side →
The Independent have a good piece on walkable cities, including the great following quote:
Walkability is the measure of how easy and pleasant it is to get around a place on foot, whether that’s quick road crossings; lots of routes; cut-throughs and meeting areas; housing in central areas and transport links. If a city is walkable then more people will walk. Simple. And what does a...
Watch
Cities in the modern era have been overrun by cars and trucks. Streets have been stolen from human uses by invasive street users. Not only is this method unlikely to be sustained into the future, it also robs society of some of its most important public spaces. Carfree cities are a delightful solution to many different problems at once.
The Yellow Flashing Arrow
Back in the 1980’s, the Greater London Council (which would become London Regional Transport in 1984 and then Transport for London in 2000) had it’s own plan for “smoothing traffic flow”, the introduction of a flashing amber arrow to light controller intersections.
In mainland Europe, many countries traffic rules allow for a combined vehicle turn and pedestrian crossing...
German Autobahn to be Covered with Giant Public... →