Sidelines

<Sidelines home » Archives » September 2006

Sheppey
Kent police and the County Council have raised concerns about the 70mph speed limit on the new Sheppey Crossing. 70 means 80, there is no hard shoulder or lighting, and it certainly looks questionable.

Apparently Stephen Ladyman doesn't share these concerns. As noted before in Sidelines, Ladyman was caught speeding 3 times in 3 years: most recently in Kent! Does his propensity to speed affect the credibility of his position on speed? Just a few weeks ago, he questioned "how happy the motorist would be if we tried vigorous [speed limit] enforcement". Democracy isn't about keeping the 'motorist' (?) happy: it's about keeping everyone happy.
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real-time vs no time
Real-time information at bus-stops is a great leap forward. At a stroke, a major disincentive to bus use, the uncertainty, is removed. Instead of watching the road in a state of tension, you can make an informed decision on whether to walk it or wait, or on whether to get a coffee. However, the city-centre real-time flagship bus-stops should not be at the expense of falling standards at all the others. Not far from the centre of Aberdeen, even at well-used stops opposite supermarkets, is the other side of the coin: stops that don't even tell you the number of the bus stopping there let alone provide a timetable. It's fair enough to prioritise stops, but do the operators underestimate the loss of faith and dignity that goes with waiting in hope at one of these zero-info places?
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