Forum Topic

ULEZ & Roadworks

Surely the ULEZ only makes sense as part of a joined up programme.Yes they are digging up Upper Richmond Road again! I have lost count of the number of times this year which has resulted in single lane temporary traffic lights and congestion for days even though there is very little traffic. Multiple roadworks at the same place again and again!Surely we expect those in government be it local or national to do their bit before imposing extra taxes on us?Otherwise it just looks like they are not really interested in the environment and have chosen the easy option of extra taxes to cover their inadequacies!

Ed Robinson ● 1669d18 Comments

Philippa, the same bit of URR has been dug up more times than Alan Titchmarsh's garden! Leaks simply do not explain it.I think we could probably cut Putney's emmissions drastically just by leaving the temporary traffic lights permanently at the site!

Ed Robinson ● 1668d

Michael that just sounds like a poor excuse. It does not address the issue road works have on essential transport or the lack of transparency in this area.Either air quality is important or it is not. I believe it is and all available measures need to be used to improve it.If you are going to bring in a selective tax that will hit some people that can least afford it you need to show that air quality is being taken seriously IMO. I'm not getting the impression it is.

Ed Robinson ● 1669d

I understood it was quite a bureaucratic and expensive process for the utilities to dig up the roadsWe do have a lot of old pipework serving homes in this country.  I was amazed that there are still a lot of lead water pipes- presumably because we have a lot of old buildings.  I am also surprised that more people don't have water meters.  Water meters make it easier to tell whether there are water leaks.  Traffic and trees can and do both damage pipework.

Philippa Bond ● 1669d

Oops. Problem with posting from trains is being told the post has failed when it hasn't!Although off topic this is interesting but I'm not sure how typical - I would want to repeat my drive from Seattle to LA without air con or the radio. (And before anyone says anything it was in the early 80s before climate change became to priority issue...)https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-57777588

Michael Ixer ● 1669d

I suspect if we did a review of this it goes back to the Tory dogma that led to the breakup of the GLC. If we're being realistic I can't see the current government giving any more powers to Khan so with all the other issues to resolve he's probably not going to waste his time. The best thing is to avoid driving ... at least while travelling on a train I can post to the forum 🙂

Michael Ixer ● 1669d

I suspect if we did a review of this it goes back to the Tory dogma that led to the breakup of the GLC. If we're being realistic I can't see the current government giving any more powers to Khan so with all the other issues to resolve he's probably not going to waste his time. The best thing is to avoid driving ... at least while travelling on a train I can post to the forum 🙂

Michael Ixer ● 1669d

Michael the second is not happening.Has the Mayor called for more powers? No!Is there transparency concerning roadworks? No again!This is the Mayor's failure by default. Yes to the ULEZ, although I disagree with the charging structure. But to introduce it and not tackle the roadworks and other issues is taking the biscuit and starting to look like a lazy solution!

Ed Robinson ● 1669d

Two points: firstly, we need to reduce private cars as far as possible and get people who can using public transport, walking or cycling, etc; secondly, there needs to be coordination of road works between maintence, utilities, etc, with the exception of emergency repairs.

Michael Ixer ● 1669d

The logic that you car does not emit harmful gasses just because the engine cuts off ignores the simple fact that it has to restart. If the engine hasn't reached its optimum temperature then those emmissions are going to be fairly high.Some very limited Stop-start studies have indicated a reduction of around 20% in emmissions. However with big differences in real life  emmissions for cars that meet the latest Euro standards (which are dependent on the specific engine/models) it is likely that the same variation exists with stop-start situations.It also ignores the simple fact that cars queueing are not entirely stationary. They obviously move slower than when they are free flowing and therefore obviously emit more emissions per mile.It is 2021 there is no justifiable reason to keep digging up the same bit of road again and again which creates congestion and increases harmful emmissions. As far as I can see there is no data to suggest otherwise!

Ed Robinson ● 1669d

Please feel free to publish the exact model of your car that shuts down and restarts in traffic and I can cross reference with the TRUE database.Sorry but if you are suggesting that your cars do not emit more emissions when stationary then please provide details!

Ed Robinson ● 1669d

All the Zip cars I've driven in the past ten or so years have had engines with auto stop/start. Jolly useful when one stalls a strange car: just ram the clutch down and it restarts automatically!

Michael Ixer ● 1669d

Jonathan,"Nowadays a lot of cars have idling cut-off so they don’t produce emissions in queues"Yes although the TRUE emissions seems to suggest when restarting some modern cars are that environmentally friendly.You can certainly tell the difference with the air quality when there are road works!

Ed Robinson ● 1669d

And mine!

Ivonne Holliday ● 1669d

Nowadays a lot of cars have idling cut-off so they don’t produce emissions in queues. Mine restarts when the car in front moves off

Jonathan Callaway ● 1669d

Yes Jonathan lots of cars will cut through.Should they? Well it is greened than standing in traffic.Will they keep to the 20mph speed limit? Buses do not seem to and they should be monitored. Not an excuse - just a moan!

Ed Robinson ● 1669d

I wondered why Howards Lane was so busy!

Jonathan Callaway ● 1669d

Yes Yvonne that is often the case.Trying to find who is responsible and why is a nightmare - why?It's a red route and hence I think TFL I believe.Now perhaps the local neighborhoods should be able to fine TFL or WBC if sufficient information / reasons are not available?Would that make a difference?

Ed Robinson ● 1669d

Yes, URR has a temporary traffic lights resulting in a single lane....  But nobody is working at the roadworks!!  Grrr!

Ivonne Holliday ● 1669d