Category Archives: Uncategorized

Traffic control causes congestion

Monmouth. A40 southbound approaching the A466 (Wye Valley/Tintern Abbey route). Got caught there in diabolical congestion five years ago. Heading north to Ross-on-Wye last Friday, we saw the same half-mile 3-lane tailback and were reminded of it. Luckily we returned early Sunday … Continue reading

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Designing for danger

The priority-based system is designed for danger (unequal rights, conflicting speeds, distracting signals, etc), then traffic officers devise increasingly expensive systems (more of the above, pedestrian countdown, etc)  to mitigate the danger they themselves have cooked up. You can of course design … Continue reading

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Brassed off

Today I was timing the traffic lights in Braunton (near Barnstaple) where I still have plans for a lights-off trial, despite a refusal from Devon Highways and apathy from the current Parish Council. The trial is to prove the obvious: … Continue reading

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Equality = no austerity

Does Will Hutton have a tendency to exaggerate bad news? In this piece, he quotes economics professor, Yanis Varoufakis: “There is zero chance of austerity working. It’s like thinking you can escape gravity by waving your arms up and down.” … Continue reading

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Wind or traffic lights?

Proposed cuts to windfarm subsidies are rattling recipients, and challenging government claims to be “the greenest ever”. No less a seer than James Lovelock rubbished the claims made for wind power. I’m blue from saying it, but not only can … Continue reading

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Guernsey, the home of FiT (filter in turn), gets a traffic light

Article here.

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One roundabout, 70 traffic lights

Funny how Highways Agency spokespersons are never named. The roundabout is at Canford Bottom, near Bournemouth. Article and photograph here.

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Tale of a late-night driver

Courtesy of imgur

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Parking

PM had an item claiming traffic wardens are welcome back after a break from duty (no April Fool apparently). No-one minds reasonable regulation, but parking enforcement is overwhelmingly unreasonable, vexatious, even extortionate. How many times have we been ticketed, clamped or … Continue reading

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Brick walls

Our traffic control system makes roads dangerous, causes congestion, generates ill-will, encourages delinquency, damages air quality, damages our health, and costs a fortune. Despite my efforts to enlighten government and media (over the years I’ve emailed the Today programme a … Continue reading

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