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Rich @hoxtonrich.bsky.social · 5h

Nothing in the plans stops a future filter there or on nearby routes & I’m not inclined to oppose positive change in the unlikely hope something better may come along, especially alongside people with opposite goals complaining about lost car parking. We’re gonna have to agree to differ on this one!

Rich @hoxtonrich.bsky.social · 6h

Of course if cycle growth is enormous the fact of a cycle track does not prevent it or surrounding routes being filtered at some point in the future. There is also c27 to the north which can certainly be improved. To me it looks like a decent scheme. 🤷‍♂️

Rich @hoxtonrich.bsky.social · 6h

The plans show tracks are up to 2.5m wide but go down to 1.5 where road width is constrained. That seems pragmatically compliant to my (inexpert) eye. I’m sure filtering would be better but that doesn’t seem to be an option & opposition will likely lead to no change.

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Rich @hoxtonrich.bsky.social · 6h

I’m no highway engineer but if they meet 1.5m that is the minimum ltn1/20 width & pragmatism is needed for practical constraints. Do you have a viable alternative? I’d be reluctant to oppose a hard plan for a properly protected cycleway for some theoretical perfection Westminster will never deliver

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Rich @hoxtonrich.bsky.social · 6h

In what respect? The council seems to have answered both of the points you make very clearly

Extract from committee report which states the proposal does not affect signal timings or capacity for motor vehicles so will have no bearing on future traffic flow changes brought about by pedestrianisation of Oxford Street

Extract from committee report which states cycleways are LTN1/20 compliant and meet minimum widths.

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Rich @hoxtonrich.bsky.social · 7h

Also a good example of what economists call low price elasticity of demand which is a good sign too many people are not being offered viable alternatives. Yet weirdly their solution is LTC to induce even more demand rather than say new rail and bus connections that might actually help manage it 🙄

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Prof. Ian Walker @ianwalker.bsky.social · 1d

First newsletter published! simple.ghost.io/what-seems-t...

If you like this sort of thing, sign up for more

What Seems to be the Problem?

Can we make any progress on transport while we don't recognise there's a problem to be solved and can't recognise solutions?

simple.ghost.io

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Rich @hoxtonrich.bsky.social · 7h

Really interesting thank you. The difficulty is buy-in for your solution (making driving harder) very particularly suffers from your diagnosis (protection motivation theory) in that people (wrongly) believe it is punitive rather than effective. We are in such a mess.

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Rich @hoxtonrich.bsky.social · 13h

Well the building footprints don’t occupy the entire plot, obviously. So the trees are part of the approved landscaping scheme. Whilst any loss of trees isn’t ideal given the desperate need for housing planting more than twice what you’re removing seems perfectly reasonable.

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Rich @hoxtonrich.bsky.social · 13h

‘More than 150 new trees are due to be planted to replace the 70 that will be felled’

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Rich @hoxtonrich.bsky.social · 14h

There has been a call-in of Westminster Council’s decision to implement Cycleway 43 (the usual guff about lost parking and road narrowing). It is going to Committee today. Westminster residents may wish to attend to show support for the scheme. 🚲 committees.westminster.gov.uk/mgChooseDocP...

committees.westminster.gov.uk

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Anon Opin @anonopin.bsky.social · 1d

I live 5min walking distance from 2 supermarkets, 2 pubs, a cinema and numerous restaurants, 10min from town, 15min from work, 30min bus ride to nearest city. Despite this, car-owing zealots seem to think I'm an idiot because I don't spend £200+ a month on a vehicle I don't need.

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Rich @hoxtonrich.bsky.social · 1d

💯 this!

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Rich @hoxtonrich.bsky.social · 1d

It is human nature to latch on to any reason which makes sense in your own head when a small business fails. But as a policy point it does show why these claims need to be taken with more salt than a portion of chips & a bit of objectivity introduced.

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Rich @hoxtonrich.bsky.social · 1d

This reminds me of the drycleaner who (when visited on a solvent emissions project) told me a new cycle lane had destroyed his business. Coincidentally the several other dry cleaners with no cycle lanes I also visited that day told me post-covid home working had destroyed their businesses. Hmmmm.

Ben (BicycleBenUK) @ben.fiets.uk · 1d

Who knew - no-one wants to get a chippy dinner home on the bike. It is absolutely essential that food is only ever transported by car. Nobody told me when I've been to my local by bike. I obviously should have joined the mass of cars jamming up the nearby roads and pavements!

Extract of a road.cc article showing local business objections to cycle provision:

"Installing cycle lanes may be 'politically correct, but the reality is that when they impact parking provisions, it has a detrimental effect on local businesses. We do not have the climate to prioritise cycle lanes over cars," Alleddandro Varesse, the boss at the Blue Lagoon chippy told the Daily Record.

Hayley and Ewen Logan, of Logan the Jewellers, added: "We have yet to hear of a single business or resident who supports this idea, keen cyclists included. Even they like to get their takeaways home while they're still hot."

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Madeleine Bonsma-Fisher, PhD @mbonsma.bsky.social · 1d

When my partner's car died almost 11 years ago, we calculated that it would be cheaper to rent every other weekend than the spend the $$ on maintenance for his clunker. We've been #carfree ever since!

Rich @hoxtonrich.bsky.social · 1d

About 5 years #carfree for us. Well north of £10k saved. I’m used to it now but ‘free’ is the right term. It honestly felt like having a weight lifted. No stressing about insurance, huge unexpected bills & money wasted at petrol pumps. Journeys are now fun. 🚆 🚊 🚃 🚌 🚲 🚶‍♀️

Kirsten de Vos 🚶🏻‍♀️💚🚲🍃 @kirstendevos.bsky.social · 2d

3+ years #carfree for me too 🚶🏻‍♀️🚲🚌🚖

Walk, ride, public transport, and the occasional car share (Co-Wheels) or taxi when needed. Honestly? It’s nowhere near as hard as we thought it would be

Still saving money, still getting places, still feeling good.
#CarFree #NoRegrets #ActiveTravel #BrumbyBike

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Bryan @bryanformhals.com · 1d

18 years #carfree (NYC living 12 years standard deduction)

Easily the best financial, spiritual and health decision I have made as an adult.

It's like entering a new dimension of human existence.

Rich @hoxtonrich.bsky.social · 1d

About 5 years #carfree for us. Well north of £10k saved. I’m used to it now but ‘free’ is the right term. It honestly felt like having a weight lifted. No stressing about insurance, huge unexpected bills & money wasted at petrol pumps. Journeys are now fun. 🚆 🚊 🚃 🚌 🚲 🚶‍♀️

Kirsten de Vos 🚶🏻‍♀️💚🚲🍃 @kirstendevos.bsky.social · 2d

3+ years #carfree for me too 🚶🏻‍♀️🚲🚌🚖

Walk, ride, public transport, and the occasional car share (Co-Wheels) or taxi when needed. Honestly? It’s nowhere near as hard as we thought it would be

Still saving money, still getting places, still feeling good.
#CarFree #NoRegrets #ActiveTravel #BrumbyBike

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Bill FJ Quinn @billfjquinn.bsky.social · 1d

Just over 12 years car-free for me. I've never sat down to work out the savings, but they'd be astronomical. Especially given my penchant for owning money-hungry lemons before selling my last horseless carriage for scrap.

And as you say, the less stress part is invaluable.

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Rich @hoxtonrich.bsky.social · 1d

Sorry I was being sarcastic and yes I absolutely agree with you!

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Rich @hoxtonrich.bsky.social · 1d

Arguably not but is that more important than keeping out those pesky cyclists?

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Rich @hoxtonrich.bsky.social · 1d

There seemed to be a wholefoods type store appearing but not much. Retail demand is a problem though. It is inexcusable IMO in this day and age in central London to build a large area development and not have cycling permeability. I’m gonna check the Planning consent in fact…

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Rich @hoxtonrich.bsky.social · 1d

Sadly cars are still necessary for too many people. But there are still plenty of people in London & other cities who would be far better off without & who either don’t realise this or who choose to keep one for reasons that could be designed-out with the right changes/incentives.

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Rich @hoxtonrich.bsky.social · 1d

About 5 years #carfree for us. Well north of £10k saved. I’m used to it now but ‘free’ is the right term. It honestly felt like having a weight lifted. No stressing about insurance, huge unexpected bills & money wasted at petrol pumps. Journeys are now fun. 🚆 🚊 🚃 🚌 🚲 🚶‍♀️

Kirsten de Vos 🚶🏻‍♀️💚🚲🍃 @kirstendevos.bsky.social · 2d

3+ years #carfree for me too 🚶🏻‍♀️🚲🚌🚖

Walk, ride, public transport, and the occasional car share (Co-Wheels) or taxi when needed. Honestly? It’s nowhere near as hard as we thought it would be

Still saving money, still getting places, still feeling good.
#CarFree #NoRegrets #ActiveTravel #BrumbyBike

A woman (me!) wearing a red jacket is standing next to her bike beside a street sign which reads ‘Carless Avenue’

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Rich @hoxtonrich.bsky.social · 2d

Wooden spoon to the managers of the luxury flats at 250 City Road who are so worried cyclists might benefit from a convenient safe route they’ve made the whole place inaccessible by putting stupid barriers blocking the footways

A-frame signs blocking access at pinch points details the ban on micro mobility through the estate. It offers a safe and convenient route & there is no good reason for this

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Rich @hoxtonrich.bsky.social · 2d

Cycle lanes but ‘equally important were measures that discouraged car use—like low-emission zones, traffic restrictions, and fuel price changes’. More evidence of need for both 🥕🥖 😉

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