The map appears to be divided into three areas - the obvious central one, and then two random areas which I can't really understand. The first is Cotham - why is this in the "congestion zone"? Yeah, there's a problem with commuter parking but that would be solved by the trial resident's parking scheme. Another explanation is that they are simply marking areas that would be covered by resident's parking, although the proposed Cotham RPZ is smaller than the area on the map. I suspect that the RPZ will eventually share the Congestion Charge cameras and will be enforced via ANPR.
Even more bizarre though, is the Random Small Area. What the fuck?! Why is this here? It simply seems to cover the new office development behind Temple Meads, and the station itself. So what, you can't drive someone to Temple Meads Station without paying the congestion charge?
Finally there appears, in the absence of a ring road around the centre, to be a corridor that runs from the A38, along Jamaica Street & Marlborough Street up along Park Row to the Triangle. Not particularly suited to the huge levels of traffic that would be forced there.
Obviously it's early days yet, but I think this is definitely the shape of things to come.
But of course, it'll all be justified by the BRT, won't it.
*sigh* - for fuck's sake. At least Manchester got a referendum. Our current council are, or at least Mark Bradshaw is, far too arrogant to consider letting the people of Bristol have a say.
THE PLAN
So what the fuck can we do about it? This unjustifiable arbitrary shit is going to be foisted on us whether we like it or not. We won't even get to vote on it.
Personally, I'm planning an advertising campaign. The people of Bristol need to be told about what comes with the BRT. Otherwise before we know it these fuckwads won't even have to try hard to push this shit onto the city, and before people realise it'll be too late.
Something along the lines of:
=====================================================
Manchester got a referendum
Bristol won't
This man thinks you don't deserve a say on how certain aspects of your own city are run.
Is that fair?
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If anyone has any ideas for funding, let me know.
13 comments:
If it's any consolation, he's no longer in charge. Now we'll find outwhat Lib Dems will propose.
"you can't drive someone to Temple Meads Station without paying the congestion charge?"
It would seem to mean exactly that.
The corridor between the central and northern zones is probably a ministry of transport trunk road and they don't want anything to do with it, just like the absence of stupid traffic calming tricks on their roads here.
That random small area certainly looks like an attempt to capture Temple Meads drop-off traffic. I bet the cabbies will be wringing their hands with glee.
Referenda are dangerous things, it would put the decision-making into the hands of the Evening Post and their sensationalist crap, and most people fall for it.
And remember the council tax referendum of 2001? People don't respond to referenda objectively or for greater good. They vote for themselves.
People don't respond to referenda objectively or for greater good. They vote for themselves.
And what, pray tell, is wrong with this? Why the fuck should I use my single vote for the benefit of somebody other than myself?
People don't respond to referenda objectively or for greater good. They vote for themselves.
Did I say something was wrong with it?
IMO handing over key decisions for the city to the Evening Pap reading majority would leave us in no better place than we are now with our elected representatives seemingly making arbitrary crap decisions with impunity.
The technology exists to have proper public consultations over these highly charged issues, but it simply isn't being used.
Sorry, didn't read your post properly :S
I agree the Cuntsil are never going to excersise it properly because they won't get the result they want.
But at least a referendum would show them to be acting against the will of the majority.
Playing devil's advocate now, and making assumptions :)
Presumably a referendum would go to every resident of the Bristol Unitary Authority? I'd wager 95% of these people never or rarely drive in the proposed congestion zone during charging hours.
They would also have little hope of receiving objective unbiased information on the proposals prior to their vote, with the EPost at one end and Green Bristol Blog at the other, no doubt proposing more draconian action!
Implementation of a congestion zone would have little to no impact on these people's lives, other than they might have to pay a few quid to pick up Aunt Vera every year from Temple Meads.
Is the will of this majority relevant?
And what's happened to Merchant's Quarter? Is this the post-recession map, when all the shops have gone down the pan and they've flattened the lot for a new road and Allied Carpets?
Google Maps haven't updated their maps yet
We in Edinburgh told the council where to stick their congestion charge.
Even after a very aggressive campaign by all the green morons the referendum went the right way by a landslide.
Dont underestimate the people, we saw it for what it was , another tax.
Bristol City Council don't underestimate its people, which is precisely why they're not going to allow us a referendum.
Just to clarify Labour's policy - there was to be no congestion charge without it being used to fund substantial improvements (like a new tram or metro for example) in public transport. No such plans are in the pipeline so the calls for a congestion charge is a complete Tory red herring!
Tory calls for a referrendum on June 4 are just a cynical stunt that will wast even more public money than their confidence vote on the Labour administration a few weeks ago.
By the way, despite Tory mischief making alleging the contrary, the issue of CPZs were fully consulted on and only implemented in the two areas where there was a clear majority.
If you are wondering just how credible the Tories are about anything, ask yourself this. Why did they vote with the Lib Dems to cancel funding for the West of England partnership waste strategy, when it was something the Bristol Labour administration had agreed with Tory South Glos and Tory North Somerset to save us all MILLIONS in landfill fines and charges?
Bristol's Tory morons are so obsessed with Billy Bunter stunts they have no idea what they are doing or what the consequences are!
Anonymous: NOT TRUE.
The congestion charge plans are NOT a "Tory red herring" - for your information (since you're obviously too stupid to work it out) the West of England Partnership TIF (Transport Innovation Fund) bid has been accepted by Cabinet and put forward to the Department for Transport. If accepted, Bristol will recieve funding for "improvements" to public transport (which so far do NOT stack up to much) but a proviso of this is that they will have to implement a congestion charge. This has been freely admitted in nearly all the West of England Partnership documentation.
Just to clarify Labour's policy - there was to be no congestion charge without it being used to fund substantial improvements (like a new tram or metro for example) in public transport.
But the Labour Council (and no doubt the Lib Dems) thought that some pathetic proposal for a few "showcase" bus routes and a half-baked BRT idea constituded "substantial improvements". Seriously.
So instead of misinforming people that
No such plans are in the pipeline
why don't you read up on the subject? Maybe then you'll find that behind the scenes BCC are actively comissioning designs for precisely that.
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