Two stories in the local press today about council spending.
The first says that local people will be given the power to alter speed limits in their own street, if they wish - but residents have to pay for it, and be responsible for the admin and ongoing costs of signage etc.
The second says the Council is about to spend half a million pounds on real time indicators on bus stops so people know when the next bus is arriving.
The first story is because the Council say they have no money for transport infrastructure.
The second story is because the Council say they have half a million in the pot and it can only be spent on transport infrastructure.
Is it just me, but....
www.cambridge-news.co.uk/Home/Residents-get-power-to-alter-speed-limit.htm
www.cambridge-news.co.uk/Home/590k-plan-for-real-time-bus-information-approved.htm
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Real time bus information is v useful. The 'will it show' lottery is one of the great disincentives to bus travel.
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Leicester City Council ended their real-time bus stop info service on 31 January: bit.ly/dHueNS
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I understand the money is in a pot provided by developers and can only be used for infrastructure... fair enough I suppose. But..... will the city council be able to afford the system running costs in the future when it competes with the actual bus services for their cash?
Last edited by: Fenlander on Thu 7 Apr 11 at 11:26
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>> Real time bus information is v useful. The 'will it show' lottery is one of
>> the great disincentives to bus travel.
Absolutely. If you want people off the roads and into public transport features like that are vital.
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Manchester still dosn't have real time bus information they have done experiments but with lots of different operators and the biggest bus network outside Greater London it is just too much of a big job. A lot of Greater London still dosn't have this.
When the Metrolink is all complete that will have real time information and it will be brilliant.
Anything that gets people out of their cars has to be a good thing. One reason I don't mind paying more for fuel it keeps the roads a little bit more quiet.
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Real time information on the railway (and DLR and tube) is brilliant.
I can sit at home and check the time my next train to London departed its point of origin, so I know that when I walk to the station it will be on time.
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I have done that for years when Mrs ON is arriving at the local airport on her broomstick and requires her personal meet and greet service. Integrated transport in the UK? You must be joking. Do train companies even talk to each other? Or bus and train companies.
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Train companies have to, it is all strictly regulated and controlled. Bus systems differ from county to county. The system is a mess outside of London.
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Public transport is distasteful!
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Just been jammed into a seat on a train from Manchester to Glasgow, accidentally booked a window seat.
My left knee totally seized up, my back killing me, my sides killing me.
Back to the comfort of the car for me the next time!
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>> Public transport is distasteful!
Radio 1 DJ Chris Moyles refuses to travel by aeroplane - not because of any fear of flying, but because it's essentially public transport.
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"Radio 1 DJ Chris Moyles refuses to travel by aeroplane"
Good, cos fat, sweaty twots like him invariably sit next to me.
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"Good, cos fat, sweaty twots like him invariably sit next to me."
That's my real fear when flying. I can put up with the queuing, the endless waiting, being treated like a terrorist and being frisked, the indignity of removing your shoes and belt. I can eat the overpriced airport food and put up with Ryanair's booking system but the sheer terror of sitting next to an unoccupied seat and seeing a 22 stone lardy waddling down the aisle is difficult to handle.
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>> "Good, cos fat, sweaty twots like him invariably sit next to me."
>> the sheer terror of sitting next to an unoccupied seat and seeing a 22 stone lardy waddling down the aisle is difficult to handle.
Fattists.
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>> Real time information on the railway (and DLR and tube) is brilliant.
I'm known by family friends as 'mission control' for using train tracker & a decent knowledge of UK's rail geography to resolve disrupted journies.
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I was recently on a bus in rush hour, 100 capacity it was full. They run from the city to my suburb (which has high car ownership) and they run every 5 minutes. That is 100 people every 5 minutes being transported. If they all travelled by car imagine how bad the traffic would be?
Personally I don't mind public transport I love trains but I avoid them in rush hour if I can and live trams. I am not too keen on buses but there is a great service where I live and if I am going into the city it is often because I am drinking so I am very grateful for them.
I would never do without my car though, it costs a fortune but it allows me to do more jobs and earn more money and I actually enjoy driving it.
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>> >> Real time information on the railway (and DLR and tube) is brilliant.
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>> I'm known by family friends as 'mission control' for using train tracker & a decent
>> knowledge of UK's rail geography to resolve disrupted journies.
>>
Why does it have to be that difficult! You should not have to be a railway anorak to use the system effectively.
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>> Why does it have to be that difficult! You should not have to be a
>> railway anorak to use the system effectively.
I didn't mean it that way ON. Train tracker provides data that's useful to anybody but having a tame anorak adds another layer in terms of being able to advise alternative routes or best places for an early termination of journey.
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Good use of funds? - Bromptonaut
