Forum Topic

Cars

Is this no cars day only London, I hope not round here as getting a bit much now.

Barbara Stevens ● 2611d35 Comments

Sunday, Barbara. I think it  mainly affects central London but we'll soon see.

Lucille Grant ● 2611d

Thank you Lucille.

Barbara Stevens ● 2611d

Could we also have a no bikes day? Just asking.

Alexander MacLeod ● 2611d

Ha ha ha ha!!!  Most politically incorrect answer but I really loved your question Alexander!

Ivonne Holliday ● 2611d

Info on the TfL site:https://tfl.gov.uk/status-updates/major-works-and-events/car-free-day-2019

Michael Ixer ● 2611d

Thank you for the information, Michael.One thing that surprises me is that taxis will not be allowed in to the restricted areas.  Taxis always maintained they were public transport. ?

Ivonne Holliday ● 2611d

Climate Change and Air Pollution are global issues.There is a Global Climate Strike tomorrow as well.We need to re-think what we are doing and how.  Freeing up the streets from cars should make it good for families to walk and cycle.

Philippa Bond ● 2610d

Yes Philippa, so bikes can go through the traffic lights in the High Street and kill you anyway. More stupid cyclists. Well they can walk anyway and they can cycle anyway. What I asked was is it only in London on Sunday.

Barbara Stevens ● 2609d

Seems well planned. Circle line closed all weekend partial closures on 3 other lines. 4 premier league games in London as well.With main road closures in the City I'd expect INCREASED traffic on the Putney area particularly as river crossings up town will be closed.

Andy Pike ● 2609d

"World Car Free Day"!"World"!Well, what has the world ever done for us?!

David Ainsworth ● 2609d

Yes this just pushes traffic elsewhere.

Lucille Grant ● 2609d

Only the traffic that insists on trying to continue as usual!  Much of which no doubt will be through traffic.It is a Sunday so a lot of people will be able to walk and cycle and enjoy a motor traffic-free City of London.  Have a look at the TfL website and plan your visit to this special event.  There is lots of info there. 

Philippa Bond ● 2609d

Philippa Bond: I would always hesitate to ask any lady about her age, but has she considered the impact of no-car Sunday on pensioners, the physically handicapped and others who absolutely require a car to live their lives? e.g. going to church, attending therapy sessions or travelling to an out-of-hours pharmacy. It is all too easy to forget about the needs of people older than oneself. Most of us are living longer lives, and the trend will continue.

Alexander MacLeod ● 2609d

Very true.

Barbara Stevens ● 2609d

Yes, although I think this is a good idea I'm a little surprised there's no provision for those with mobility problems and a bad idea having work on the Circle Line at the same time. I suppose buses should be a lot faster though?

Michael Ixer ● 2609d

I would encourage everyone on this forum to go and have a look on Sunday. You might like what you see. The trains are running - I checked - so easy to get there

Ruth Pates ● 2609d

Car free day, well perhaps not in Piccadilly 😶https://flic.kr/s/aHsmHcYzXb

Michael Ixer ● 2607d

Yes, it is always going to be difficult for some people but I don't believe the figures now show that we are living longer and longer.  This is one day.Interestingly a lot of people do cycle and possibly older than they drive.  I expect we will also see a lot more mobility scooters than we already do. I did see a photo of one on the Devon lanes the other day which is rather more problematic than in Weymouth!  Santander bikes I believe are free for the day.Take a look at this website:https://wheelsforwellbeing.org.uk/- you don't have to be young and fit to cycle!  With fewer cars on the road we can reduce CO2, reduce pollution and keep ourselves fit for longer by walking and cycling more (so long as we don't trip over broken paving stones - so often caused by vehicles driving over the kerb and pavement) - report the problems on www.fixmystreet.com!

Philippa Bond ● 2607d

Philippa Bond: Sorry, but you're on the wrong track and obviously have little idea about the implications of growing old. (Hopefully you will eventually have that experience!)The figures do in fact show we are living longer and longer. Here are some readily-available UN statistics:"Globally, the population aged 65 and over is growing faster than all other age groups. ... The number of persons aged 80 years or over is projected to triple, from 143 million in 2019 to 426 million in 2050."

Alexander MacLeod ● 2607d

And added one for those not too keen on cyclists either...

Michael Ixer ● 2607d

Didnt notice any shortage of cars when i sat in traffic in putney bridge road today on the way to my cousins in Fulham. Seems like a £1m  the mayor could have better spent.

Andy Pike ● 2607d

Barbara, I think it was only today and it is apparently is many other cities, not just London.

Bunny Payne ● 2607d

We have to go into our road from the High Street as water main burst. Two way traffic closed off till the 26th I think. Also Fulham side of the river was busy on the foreshore loads of people either looking for treasure or a clear up.

Barbara Stevens ● 2607d

Hi Andy, out of curiosity why did you not just walk or get the bus to Fulham seeing as it's just the other side of the bridge? I walk there to work every day and marvel at all the people wasting their time in traffic. Especially the ones I recognise as going to Putney Leisure CentreI ask this in the nicest possible war as I'm genuinely interested? As a car driver I now just use the car when I'm either traveling outside of London or when I'm visiting my mum as I have to take the car with me lolSurely it's the short journeys like this that are best stopped..  making the roads less congested for the necessary journeysX

Emarisa Battoia ● 2607d

* have to take the cat with me bloody predictive text! Oops

Emarisa Battoia ● 2607d

I have more than a little idea after 10 years of looking after parents but we are all different and it all depends on what life throws at you.  The rocking paving stone I tripped over in Oxford three years ago has caused damage that won't be going away.  According to the man selling pancakes I was the third or fourth person who had tripped over in that spot that day.  So how many in the days that it had been like that/stayed like that before repair I wonder? I was picked up by some tourists who excused the state of the pavement on it being an old city!  (I believe it was due to poor reinstatement of the pavement following works to the services of the newly refurbished shop it was outside.)  I was able to walk so didn't go to the JR but then there were no bones sticking out/no dripping blood and I was too anxious to see my new grandson. Not everyone is lucky enough to get up and walk away. Hence the plea to everyone to report dangerous pavements!I understand that although we are a growing elderly population here that life expectancy itself is not increasing. https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/publications/whats-happening-life-expectancy-uk 

Philippa Bond ● 2607d

I didnt walk because I needed the car to transport my cousin and his carer to get a haircut. My Cousin was disabled last year when he was knocked over by a cyclist who jumped the lights at charing cross hospital. Richard didnt like that truth when I told it last year.

Andy Pike ● 2607d

"Reimagine is a new event to celebrate World Car Free Day on Sunday 22 September 2019. London's biggest celebrations will take place on more than 20 kilometres of closed roads around Tower Bridge, London Bridge and the City of London."This was on the TfL page that Michael posted much earlier which also gives a list of all the roads which were due to be closed.  I wasn't going into town so no need to open and read them.  So Business As Usual at The Ritz I see from Michael's photo.  There were also closures on some of the tube lines etc listed.

Philippa Bond ● 2607d

Sorry to hear that Andy.  I have been nearly run down by a cyclist while crossing with the lights in my favour twice.  Cyclists don't like to lose momentum and so tend to overtake stationary cars to get through the lights.  We need the roads to be safer so that cyclists ride on them instead of on the pavements and for more cycle training so they don't run the lights.  There are always arguments when the suggestion is made that cyclists are licensed but they definitely ought to have insurance.  I believe that you can easily get this if you join a group such as the London Cycling Campaign.

Philippa Bond ● 2607d

"My Cousin was disabled last year when he was knocked over by a cyclist who jumped the lights at charing cross hospital.Richard didnt like that truth when I told it last year."I think you're being somewhat elastic with the truth here, Andy: I don't believe I said any such thing. Perhaps you could justify that with details?

Richard Carter ● 2607d

If the search function would work I maybe could. I seem to recall posting about my cousin being run over by a lycra clad lout on a bike (all true) and you responded along the lines that whenever there is a cycling thread someone always comes up with an anecdotal tale !! Or something along those lines.

Andy Pike ● 2607d

The message was this, I believe:-Topic: Re:Re:Wandsworth's famous efficiency lacking when it comes to cycling infrastructure Forum HomePosted by: Andy PikeDate/Time: 09/11/18 18:40:00JaneMy cousin lies in Chelsea and Westminster having been put up on the air by a lycra lout who jumped the lights and left him in the road after shouting expletives and sailing on. My cousin has had a broken hip repaired but now has post op delirium and looks at a future in care. Thank you cyclist!!!!

David Ainsworth ● 2606d

Thank you David

Andy Pike ● 2606d

This all started with a post from Ruth Pates (22/09/19 @ 12:00) saying that  “Wandsworth [was] embarrassingly inefficient at installing cycling infrastructure” and going on to compare Wandsworth with Lambeth's much more proactive policy on cycling provision. Then anti-cycling people weighed in with complaints about the behaviour of some cyclists, using this to attack all cyclists and cycling provision. I responded by propounding a new version of Godwin's Law thus: "As an online discussion on cycling issues grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving lycra louts or cyclists jumping red lights approaches 1." And sure enough, Andy Pike (at 18:40:00 today) bears it out. Congratulations. I stand by that first paragraph but not by the second. Although what Andy wrote was along the same lines as the others had, I did not, as I now freely admit I should have, make any reference to his cousin's serious injury and the resulting consequences, all of which flowed from completely unacceptable behaviour on the part of the one who caused these. That was wrong and unsympathetic, so even at this late stage let me express my regrets and send my sympathies to his cousin. I hope it's not too late for that.

Richard Carter ● 2606d

Richardthank you for that and it is never too late to correct a wrong. Those who do are generally the bigger and better for it.Thanks again.

Andy Pike ● 2606d