There are three main kinds of roads.
There is the national network of motorways and trunk roads. These should be vehicles only. There has been some expansion of capacity by adding lanes and improving some junctions. More needs to be done as these are much used and crucial to our economy. Their capacity could be helped if Rail freight could be be boosted by more sidings , single waggon marshalling and other ways to make it a more practical and viable option.
There are the local strategic roads, usually A designated. These should primarily be for vehicles. They should have mainly roundabout not traffic light junctions as these are better for flows. Road schemes which seek to remove capacity by narrowing, putting in exclusive use lanes , more lights and partial barriers should be discouraged. Junctions often need improving by increasing capacity . Lights need automatic sensors to switch to green where vehicles are waiting when they are no vehicles using the green that is available.
There are local roads which will often be mixed use. Here there may need to be further schemes to allow safe use by a variety of users, or to restrict parking where that creates obstacles to use.
The big change that is needed is to understand we need more capacity, and to see that making it easier to get through junctions on large roads  is a way to improve safety and reduce driver error. If the government wants economic  growth it needs to increase capacity of the national routes and the strategic local networks , issuing new guidance on junctions and budgets to get rid of bottlenecks, inadequate junctions and capacity shortages.
August 5, 2024
Good morning.
Yesterday I went for a leisurely drive from where I live to Cheddar Gorge and back. Mostly A-roads and the M3. As expected for a Sunday there was little traffic other than some roadworks and speed restrictions.
Maintenance of the motorway network is fine from what I can see, it is when you get down to local level that the real madness begins. pointless 20mph road signs and no paint on the roads. Potholes everywhere. But I suppose all that money being spent on people who have never, and will never, pay into the system has to come from somewhere.
I am of the opinion that our local roads are deliberately being rundown for a number of reasons and, one of those is for it to be privatised and sold off. With Galileo Satellite tracking devices in every car, we will be charged per mile, not for the money to go on roads and local and national government coffers, but to private and foreign State companies.
Will we ever learn ?
August 5, 2024
In other words we are returning to Turnpike roads.
No I donât think that those who scramble into power WILL ever learn!
They canât wait to devour anything that makes money only to chew it up and spit it out deformed and defunct.
Why was there never any attempt to limit the numbers of cars ( quite obviously too many) coming onto the roads? Tiny terraced houses with no drive yet four cars vying for parking outside.
Concreted front gardens.
And nowâŠall change yet again.
August 5, 2024
Because kids can’t afford to move away from Mum and Dad ?
August 5, 2024
YesâŠwell we all know what should have been done to remedy that!
But would they do it?
Not under any circumstances.
August 5, 2024
Mark B. You’ve hit the nail on the head. Too much money being spent on people who will never contribute. It looks like there’s being some push back now much to the politicians surprise.
August 5, 2024
Agree – and your experience is reflected across the country …the noose is tightening
August 5, 2024
âThe big change that is neededâ is very unlikely to happen.
Waterloo bridge has half the space taken over for cyclists. Even pedestrians have to negotiate anti terrorist bollards at either end. The bus stop at the Northern end is out of commission as there is building work on a large block. King Street in Hammersmith is similarly redrawn for the benefit of cyclists.
We will go back to staying put.
The difference from the 1950s is that the useful local shops are not there now. It is just charity shops, hairdressers and betting shops on most parades now.
August 5, 2024
Don’t forget the ‘nail bars’ đ
August 5, 2024
Donât forget the ‘turkish barber’
August 5, 2024
Something for the weekend ?
August 5, 2024
Never ! Mark
August 5, 2024
Roundabouts are not always better for flows. The intersection of a heavily used dual carriageway with a lightly used local road often means very long queues on the lightly used road in rush hours as it is difficult to enter the roundabout full of the flow of traffic simply crossing it at speed. The intersection of Nine Mile Ride with the main roads leading from Bracknell to J3 on the M3 and from Bracknell to Sandhurst, both of which have been recently converted from roundabouts to traffic light controlled junctions, being good examples.
I see the truly insane waste of what would have ended up as half a billion pounds – putting the A303 in a tunnel at Stonehenge – has been cancelled. Hurray. Plant a hedge on the North of the carriageway – to deter gawpers – and simply expand on the South side to create a dual carriage way.
August 5, 2024
The usually absurd new roundabouts have traffic lights too.
Final plans for an ÂŁ81m scheme to remodel a major junction into a so-called “hamburger” roundabout have been revealed for Chelmsford, Essex.
A road would run through the centre of the roundabout – along with “priority measures” for cyclists and buses. As part of the process, people have 21 days to comment on the applications.
So priority and more road space for the small minority of people using buses and bikes! Often in london half the road is given over to circa 10% of the traffic with 90% crammed into the rest. The policy is to drive you off the road and perhaps prevent you working too.
August 5, 2024
Why too are taxis (which are just cars but far less efficient as often travelling empty, large and need a professional driver with all their CO2 outputs so about 3 times worse in CO2 and pollution terms terms) allowed into bus lanes yet more efficient private cars are not? Is it because MPs often use them perhaps?
Dan Wooton today:- Slippery Starmer might not like it, but the Southport Massacre was Britainâs George Floyd moment and we will no longer be gaslit into silence. It doesnât make us âfar right thugsâ to demand a national, non-violent conversation about why the hell this keeps happening.
August 5, 2024
Oh gosh!
Remember that oh so modern ( haha!) â Magic Roundaboutâ in Hemel Hempstead?
Unfathomable. ( My poor dad used to drive round several times before finding his exit).
What a ghastly new town Hemel was.
Handily built to take those âbombed outâ in London ( rather than rebuild London for its inhabitants).
The beautiful old town of Hemel was expanded x3.
Someoneâs vision of a waterside townâŠno account taken of uprooting traumatised folk as if they were cabbages.
August 5, 2024
Yes I remember the roundabout. I had to drive out there on business a few years ago. The Buncefield fire was fresh in the memory too.
Hemel is not great. Neither is Welwyn Garden City. I needed to travel there too, but by train on those occasions.
August 5, 2024
Yes they even built Hemel a good step from Boxmoor station.
Donât think they ever
made a branch line?
So driving there would be the better option I guess.
I donât really remember Buncefield but I think it was turn right at that awful roundabout and up the hill.
Funny how that was an oil storage facility up in flames!
August 5, 2024
So will Sir Mark Rowley be charged with criminal damage to a microphone. I suppose that if not it with rather prove we do indeed have two tier policing were any more proof needed. Anyone charged in the Manchester Airport incident yet. Public or the Policeman?
He certainly seems to show his complete contempt for journalists (and the public) who dare to ask perfectly reasonable questions of him. Some policemen do seem rather pathetically unable to control their temper, which is so not good in a police officers job. What does (petrol on the fire) Two Tier Kier think of his juvenile tantrum?
August 5, 2024
And how they all enjoin us not to get violent!
August 5, 2024
LL,
Certainly attempt criminal damage or public order ie any insulting words or behaviour. He had no right or authority to seize and throw away someoneâs property.
As we saw with Palestinian protests Rowley did not know public order offences carried out by crawling over national monuments etc. how about Breach of the Peace. Met came out with no offences committed and required new legislation! Utter rot.
August 5, 2024
The only option at Stonehenge is a tunnel; the whole site has every protection there is.
If a hedge was planted it would have to be regularly maintained. That means regular cutting back from the carriageway side. Natural England wouldn’t allow heavy machinery to operate on the protected Stonehenge site to cut the hedge on the other side. There is no hard shoulder and in places the verge is only about 3 ft wide, so the hedge cutting machinery would have to operate from the single running lane, causing considerable tailbacks, particularly during the summer months when the road is at its busiest.
But planting a hedge would not be permitted anyway since it would change the protected landscape.
August 5, 2024
Donna
How far back do we need a protected landscape, the road is already some distance from the stones (guess 500 metres) and people are now not allowed access to even be close up to view the stones from within the circle, as itâs all roped off other than twice a year !
I am all for protecting historical sights, but not at any cost.
August 5, 2024
@Berkshire Alan – Stonehenge has moved under the ownership of the National Trust and they deter everyone that isn’t a member. Although as a charity they have the general taxpayer subsidising their existence
August 5, 2024
AgainâŠtoo many people.
Too many cars.
When my parents and I used to stop off there en route to the West Country the stones were sit-on accessible.
That was before the elites had discovered the manipulative powers of archaeology!
Also before we dispensed with an army.
Lorry loads of soldiers on Salisbury Plain in those days.
August 5, 2024
The entire landscape is protected, not just the actual Stonehenge site. World Heritage Site; ANOB; SSSIs; protected species. Expanding the existing carriageway is not permitted.
August 5, 2024
Interesting idea of a âprotected landscapeâ. The country has been divided into fields bordered by hedges by generations of landowners and farmers, and this is generally regarded as beautiful. And, you donât have to cut hedges – leave hedging plants to their own devices and they limit their height naturally. And a hedge would not have to be right next to the road.
That said, Alanâs idea of a berm is even better.
If it were left to me, Iâd pick the stones up and move them a mile to the North West – much nearer the relatively recent new car park and visitor centre.
The area has been dug up so many times and various stones moved and concreted in, that is now a pastiche of what it once was.
August 5, 2024
Donna
I believe the Stonehenge tunnel has been cancelled!
August 5, 2024
Mike absolutely agree with you with regards to A303 at Stonehenge.
The proposed tunnel was the wrong solution, far too expensive and impossible to widen in the future should the need arise.
Agree a simple dual lane carriageway. Make surface level 2 meters lower than existing and pile up the spoil on either side to form a gentle banking (saves muck away) and blocks the view for rubber neckers.
After more than 20 years talking about it, it would seem we are still back to square one
Madness, delayed at this spot for more than an hour coming back from the West Country only last month, with dual carriageway down to the one lane each way at this point between the roundabouts at each end.
So many other projects like this with expense, delay, and no sensible decision.
August 5, 2024
I remember the first time I saw Stonehenge. Driving to Devon on the 303 in a Morris 1100. Guided by a map carried in the car and roadsigns.
I came over the hill – and there it was. No fences – no traffic – just Stonehenge – unexpected.
One of the most magnificent moments of my life.
What a tragedy that no new British generation will experience same.
August 5, 2024
@Mike Wilson. +1 spot on regarding roundabouts. Horrendous on A27 around Chichester as local Ana A road traffic compete to get through them.
These sorts of roundabouts are the only place where I’d welcome a 20mph speed limit because it would improve flow, by stopping A-roaders zipping through at high speed. Mostly they have to start-stop queue anyway, so I dont think their tailbacks would significantly increase. Also a big education drive and penalty (driver training, not a fine) for not using your indicator to show you are turning off the roundabout – so many more cars could get through, if people indicated.
August 5, 2024
@Wanderer I think I know the roundabout you refer to. Getting on to the A27 there you take your life in your hands.
August 5, 2024
20mph arenât going to be limited in use, its now the policy to introduce 20mph across the nation âŠâ Nearly 600 roads are expected to see new 20mph speed limits as Wirral Council aims to finish the end of a controversial rollout by 2025. The scheme, which started in 2023, has already seen limits changed on more than 2,500 roads so farâ âŠ.thats almost the whole of the Wirral
https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/two-month-deadline-over-new-29660081
August 5, 2024
Glen
Having had the must ridiculous 20mph on an A road, by TFL, and 30 mph traffic lights approach on a 40 mph route – and no one from TFL bothered to consult with the council! No-one is taking any notice of the said limits.
The traffic flows really well!
August 5, 2024
What you say is acceptable in general terms. However too many organisations are allowed to predate upon the owner of a vehicle
First there is national government who take in taxes for ownedship, use and fuel, many times over what they spend on the road network. Then local authorities treat owners and drivers within their remit as cash cows, seemingly outside the control of national government or more likely with their conivence. London being the worst example. What this has done for retailers, tradesmen and the hospitality industry, without access to the figures, can only be judged by the numbers of boarded up shops. It is no good blaming Amazon and the internet when authorities have conspired to achieve it. My attitude to large UK towns is to avoid ever visiting, leaving them to growing civil unrest, knife crime, drugs and an indifferent police force. If I am to spend money on pleasure it will be after crossing the Channel or on local largely rural businesses that give value for money. I praise my own town authority for seeming to encourage the opposite of what I have complained of, and thrive in the process.
I suspect we are begining to see the first signs of nacent disatisfaction and revolt against the either amateur or deliberate political subjection of our nation from within. Put another way, government that suits authority rather than the people. I would suggest to those who feel strongly about it not to ally with the brick throwing elements because this licences government to act in their own interest. Better to hit government in the pocket by just not playing to their rules. When goverment set out to destroy our infrastructure and culture, the people should hit back by denying them the means to do so, if only temporally.
Reply We all have to pay taxes owing but do not need to do highly taxed things. best of all is to vote in a Council or government that controls public spending.
August 5, 2024
Posted before anything had been moderated and 7 hours later still awaitjng moderation. I must have forgotten the key word Roundabouts.
August 5, 2024
If John is seeking readership this tedium isn’t the way to do it
Reply Farewell then
August 5, 2024
Oh be fair!
JR canât really talk about current affairs can he?
Too many bear traps. Can I believe it âŠtoo risky.
Anyway itâll help when someone or other writes a book entitled
âHow we travelled and what travel was.â
From the teeny bed space in their tiny smart house in a gated unit!
August 5, 2024
I’m afraid SJR’s blog piece, like others of the last few days, starts from a false premise. The government evidently DOESN’T want economic growth. It is not among Starmer’s six pledges, which included only ‘Deliver economic stability’. Economic growth is then mentioned as something we ‘can’ do subsequently, not a target to be achieved. Looking at what Miliband has done, and at Labour’s plans to go easy on illegal migrants, it’s clear that we’re not going to get a GDP per head increase under Starmer. Mind you, with Sunak that didn’t happen either – GDP per head declined for the last year and a half under the Tories.
August 5, 2024
Dom
You have a good point, it is something of a stocking filler, if accurately enunciated. Banishment for making such a point is akin to leaving the pitch with the only bat.
I would point out that the country is experiencing sporadic rioting. Put down by SKS erroniously to right wing thugs. I doubt he or anyone else has researched the political views of the rioters. I accuse SKS of political opportunism or discovering an easy cop out. Even the police in the North East discount right wing thuggery. My view is that it is fun in the mindless heads of otherwise unoccupied idiots who have never considered politucal affiliation as part of their lives.
Bshind it all is the peaceful demonstration of the complete loss of faith many quite normal people have in the way our country is being run. They are suffering the consequences of this failure. Manifested and triggered by the mindless deaths or three innocent children and countless injured in Southport. When I lived in Manchester it was considered the gentrified end of Blackpool, not now alas.
As far as the population of the UK is concerned SKS is running a minority government with a vast parliamentry majority. Nobody flocked to Labour they just showed their disgust with the alternative. So SKS is on thin ice. The country is begining to show its disdain for the failure of the political classes and their servants. In many ways SKS, in winning, has been thrown a hospital pass.
August 5, 2024
Have you considered the role of agents provocateurs from whatever source?
I find it curious that the English have suddenly become Kiplingesque.
I havenât noticed them rioting after other atrocitiesâŠjust lit a few candles.
@ donât look back in anger.
August 5, 2024
Would you prefer “If the ballot box is ignored repeatedly is rioting legitimate ?”
Is that the sort of subject you mean, Dom ?
August 5, 2024
You say there are three main types of road. Excellent observation. The superb well maintained German type, the excellent Spanish, within a budget type, and the appalling, seemingly largely abandoned British type. I rest my case.
August 5, 2024
Why not look at the Railways and Roads as ‘Transportation Infrastructure’, as a package, not separately. Then look at cost to the public purse against usage, say passenger/freight miles on each per year, to cost. That might make the picture clearer as to which one is worth spending the most money on.
Starmer, out of his comfort zone already. Economy about to fall off a cliff. Trouble ahead.
August 5, 2024
The policy is to block and congest the roads to deter road use and to tax and mug road users to do push poorer people off the roads completely. Forcing poorer people off the roads by forcing then to be expensive new (but inferior) EVs that cause more CO2 & not less. Plus most city dwellers have no where to park amd charge them. Plus the grid will not cope with heat pumps and EVs.
Starmer was complaining about people whipping up the protest actions. Starmer entirely one sided speeches and threats plus the blatant two tie policing are the main thing whipping the actions. That and the policies two tier policing. More petrol on the fire from Starmer. Starmer man who with Raynor was idiotically taking the knee in photo ops to Black Lives Matter Riots.
Organised evil thuggery he says, well some certainly is and some is looting and thefts using the protest as cover but many are protesting about very legitimate concerns and serial failure of government.
Legal and illegal immigration at over 1 m net 700k means lower wages, fewer and more expensive houses and homes, more and serious crimes, lower living standards, higher taxesâŠwe were promised fewer than 100,000. Starmer clearly wants virtually no controls at all and you tax payers to pay for it all.
August 5, 2024
Roads/cars are every governments source of tax after tax after tax. That is why they continue to exist.
August 5, 2024
Didnât Prescott turn some roads into âSuper Highwaysâ?
They were just ordinary roads but the scheme saw huge lorries smashing into ancient village pubs that happened to be on sharp bends.
European lorries I think?
Has that stopped now?
I donât know, but it was a terrible idea.
August 5, 2024
Now we have Smart Motorways
The idiots call it progress, with the so called refuge areas so small you have to get up to speed to join a live lane in 30 meters when you have a restricted view, that is if you could find one in the first place !
August 5, 2024
Terrifying things those smart motorways.
Cramming vehicles in so they wonât have to build another lane…
Or maybe even motorwayâŠ.yet!
All the better to concrete your country over mâdear!
August 5, 2024
I still remember Prescott’s moronic M4 Heathrow bus and taxi lane. Usually empty. Was this done so MPs could get taxis to Heathrow more quickly. As I said already taxis are far less efficient than private cars as empty much of the time and need a prof. driver too.
August 5, 2024
Like a zil lane in Russia?
YesâŠthatâd be right!
August 5, 2024
Thank goodness the Stonehenge idea has been scrapped.
Was it people protest power?
I hope theyâve managed to wash that paint off too?
August 5, 2024
To save money I assume, but doubtless they spent millions on it already anyway.
August 5, 2024
Roundabouts usually improve traffic flow at junctions, when compared to traffic lights. But I do think more use of underpasses on the trunk road network would help traffic flows to be maintained – particularly on the trunk road, but would also make it easier for traffic attempting to join the trunk road from the side road/s. An underpass was very successful when the Chievely junction on the M4/A34 was upgraded.
Underpasses would allow speed to be maintained on the trunk road, which is important for HGV drivers and would ease pressure on the actual junction above.
The obvious negative is cost. Installing a roundabout is far cheaper than building an underpass.
August 5, 2024
@Donna – “obvious negative is cost” Price and cost are not always the same thing, spend a bit more upfront saves money in the long run. If NetZero is a thing anything that inhibits traffic flow is anti NetZero and adding to the perceived situation
August 5, 2024
We still have nearly 6,000 level crossings on the rail network across England, Wales and Scotland where, often largely empty trains, hold up many cars for many minutes. So a few under and over passes would be a good investment for the busier roads. Also over and underpasses at some roundabouts and junctions would be good. ÂŁ81M for one roundabout at Chelmsford & yet that money does not even provide for them. But then delaying road traffic and pushing cars off the roads seems to be their objective not assisting them to make pleasanter and quicker journeys.
August 5, 2024
Government donât like roundabouts because they canât control cars or movement âŠtraffic lights can be remotely controlled, they can be fixed with cameras for ULEZ, reading registration plates etc
August 5, 2024
Indeed, so now they have multi-million pound roundabouts with endless (usually red) traffic lights for cars and vans as well. Socialist, cash cow, we know best traffic lights as JR correctly puts it.
August 5, 2024
All the major Parties are trying to price ordinary people off the road, as far as I can see. It would be interesting to see numbers of taxed vehicles as a proportion of total adult population, as an indicator of the trend. Just an indicator: quite what allowance one would make to the result for untaxed vehicles and unregistered illegal immigrants messing up the figures is anyone’s guess.
August 5, 2024
Indeed but why car are more efficient, door to door, more flexible, can carry and store luggage, tools, goods. Plus with driverless cars and taxis coming will be able to take people who cannot drive soon. Taxis will be far cheaper if no drive needed. A full often can be 20+ times cheaper than trains too and without the need for taxis etc. at each end. More and more efficient road space and parking is needed.
If we finally get some better, cheaper, longer range, lighter, quicker charging, less flammable batteries then EVs might even start to make sense if you have somewhere to park them – not yet though for most people they do not even save CO2 and often do not have parking.
August 5, 2024
Youâve highlighted the immigrant taxi driver using an international/EU driving licence, un-insured moped delivery drivers with âLâ plates and the re-selling of uber licence âŠall ignored by our police and politicians
August 5, 2024
Perhaps we can use GPS and the unlimited monitoring ability of computers to bring those vehicles to a halt? Time vehicles were 3rd party insured rather than drivers. Too many accidents now involving an uninsured driver. The victims pay as usual.
I think the issue of parked cars in inappropriate places is a very real one. It causes local roads, narrow anyway, to become single lane and drivers are blind to children/dogs etc darting out. Iâm pretty sure that many of the accidents that prompted the never ending call for an end to cars would be avoided if sight lines were respected and roads were at least as wide as they were intended to be.
Parking for residents needs to be provided within walking distance if houses have no facilities.
August 5, 2024
Sir John, you make the point, “if the government want economic growth it needs to improve the capacity of our road transport network”
The point you make is true, but is the government actually minded to increase economic growth? They say they want growth as the only means of reducing debt load. That is also a true/valid policy position to adopt. Unfortunately, this government and the ones that went before it are conflicted because they also say we must achieve Net Zero, which means reducing easy access to energy. Government policy has been delivering slower transport routes via mechanisms the motorists have no control over such as increasing the number of no through roads and speed limit restrictions on previously open roads. The speed of travel has fallen to a level where movements by car in our major cities is painful by decree. In London it equates to 4 MPH average. Until the mindset at the heart of policy makers is changed it will only get worse and economic growth will continue to stall.
August 5, 2024
The first comment talked of a leisurely Sunday drive. Blimey do they still exist, everywhere I go seems as bad on a Sunday as it does every day of the week. This depends where you live I suppose.
In the town where I live (moved in 7 yrs ago) I have seen a huge spike in traffic on the roads.
It was actually a village bordering the nearby small town but the sprawl of new buildings has done away with any pretence of village life.
The roads cannot cope. We have a huge influx of people escaping London and its wonderful surroundings. They spread the word and more follow ( a mix of honesty and dishonesty as to the move). All surrounding villages are growing and descending onto the small town and its roads.
I think the idea of more rail freight is one worth looking at.
Maybe a national campaign of asking parents of secondary school age children if it is really necessary to drop them off and pick them up. Why can’t they walk if it’s a reasonable distance?
A personal irritation to me, and not one any government can really do much about I suppose.
August 5, 2024
The quality of construction and repair of our roads appears to be a real problem as much not fit for purpose.
The new section of the A30 opened last month after 4 years of construction, road surface diabolical after spending ÂŁ400,000,000
Locally the Embrook road under the railway bridge, top surface dressing put over big pot holes and failing sub structure, now going to be patched up after just a month, but only after I complained, does no one check the work before paying the invoices
Too many people and departments involved, all blaming each other for communication issues it would seem, do we no longer have council employed engineers ?
August 5, 2024
Sir John
“roundabout not traffic light junctions” ? where do roundabouts with traffic lights fit in? A contradiction that highlights bad planing
August 5, 2024
Mr Redwoodâs comments reveal how car centric politiciansâ thinking is. Nowhere does he consider the provision of space for cyclists. At present the only roads on which cyclists cannot ride are motorways or certain designated dual carriageways. With the growing popularity of e-bikes more and more people are able to ride bikes. I note that the transport companies are threatening to ban e-bikes due to a perceived fire risk, which in truth relates to the retrofitted batteries bought by the delivery riders, not e-bikes made by reputable manufacturers. This country has a growing (literally) time bomb of obesity. We have to do anything and everything that we can to get people more active and losing weight.
Reply When an MP I supported new bikeways to school etc not on existing main roads. More And safer capacity for cyclists.
August 5, 2024
Writing articles about roundabouts and roads appears a tad naive.
Rather Mr Redwood has a platform at the DT and could call for unification across all communities. A call to oppose Labour’s repugnant woke politics and its bias. Make a call for some form of peace conference bringing together all community leaders to map a way forward and repair the appalling damage, and I would argue assault, inflicted upon our country by Labour and Tories since 1997 when Blair sowed the seed, and water by Cameron, with his threat to rub the right’s noses in progressive ideology.
I saw gangs with machetes, axes and blades of from different ethnicity’s trawling the streets. None of this horrific scenes in Chipping Norton or Wokingham.
Starmer’s use of that repugnant term ‘far right’ is without question the most appalling and divisive behaviour I have ever seen from a PM. He could have called for calm and promised to listen to all peoples but he didn’t as he tried to appear a strong PM. He no doubt thinks this is his Falklands moment.
Where’s Sunak? Silent
Blair, Cameron and May have so much to answer for. All three should be condemned by all right minded people. The diversity agenda, a political agenda of the most divisive kind, is destroying our nation for everyone of us
August 5, 2024
All in the playbook.
Sunak happy to have passed on the baton no doubt before this all erupted.
Starmer has stripped the term âfar rightâ of any meaning.
Like no one turns a hair now at what was once a super shocking swear word.
In our lifetimes anywayâŠnot so much historically I think.
August 5, 2024
”roundabout not traffic light junctions”
In the past two years five (5) of my local roundabouts have been replaced with lights, thats been a policy of the last tory government …..maybe a requirement of the UN/EU and their 15 min cities policy
August 5, 2024
The erosion of civil & travel freedoms added by the influx of illegal/legal immigration and medieval policies of net-zero has led to community backlash and even today the crashing of the stock marketâŠ.politicians for decades have forgotten the people putting GDP first, putting UN/EU policies first âŠwe all know their policies, get rid of the car, get rid of roundabouts, get rid of free travel/movement across the UK
August 5, 2024
Road provision and maintenance are another example of government incompetence in providing any nationalised infrastructure.
August 5, 2024
They only had one job …..fix the bloody pot-holes
August 5, 2024
@glen cullen – heavy EV’s increase the damage and create more of it. I was going to say the unintended consequences, but the inability to think is more correct.
A Mini EV is 2055 kg (2 ton!)( a Tesla S come in at, 2225Kg), standard Mini car with icu 1610 kg, the original mini 585 kg. For comparison a Jaguar 4.2ltr XJ6 all up weight is 1537Kg – which one is the monster?
August 5, 2024
My army landrover was 3/4 tonne ….and I thought that that was a big heavy beast, so an EV mini is the same weight as two and a half landrovers
August 5, 2024
Listening to Yvette Cooper on Radio 4 this morning, the whole interview was about taking draconian action against violent protesters, not one mention of how to resolve the problems causing such a high degree of dissatisfaction amongst the population, not just those taking to the streets and doing such damage.
I suppose we should not be surprised that Ms Hussain didn’t even ask the question !
Labour and the establishment, including the BBC, is misreading the seriousness of the issue and the degree of dissatisfaction that the majority of peaceful, law abiding citizens are feeling. I fear that the violent unrest will spread, especially if Starmer tries to bring the army on to the streets.
Successive governments since 1997 have not been listening to what people want for their country. Unless this new government starts taking note and comes up with a workable plan to stop the boats and reduce legal migration to a level which the indigenous population will accept, they will be in trouble very quickly.
Unfortunately on the evidence of what we heard this morning, there appears to be no sign that they intend to make any move to reduce either legal or illegal net migration to a level that the population wants to see.
The next step could well be a much wider pattern of peaceful civil disobedience if no action is taken.
August 5, 2024
Quotes from the MsM
âThe level of intimidation and threat to life have no place in a functioning democracy.â
Response elsewhere
ârioters would “regret” engaging in “far-right thuggery” and promised those involved in unrest would “face the full force of the law”
Who said what?
August 5, 2024
The government (or Tories should) propose a Case Study to be made on how to create the best road system and value for money based on the best road systems in the world.
According to experts in this subject, we should be looking at (and in this order):
1) The Netherlands
2) Singapore
3) Switzerland
4) Austria
(Although the next countries in the list are: Spain, Portugal and Croatia – which begs the question how important really is a good road system overall compared to other things?)
August 5, 2024
Motorways 100mph, A-roads 60mph, B-roads 30mph âŠ.no other restrictions, schemes, chargers, fees, special conditions etc âŠlet the people be free
August 5, 2024
I observe the temporary 50 mph limits through roadworks on motorways and trunk roads, enforced by average speed cameras, are religiously observed. Many people simply set their cruise control and heavy traffic flows well. On the section of the A303 north east of Yeovil currently being converted to dual carriageway, there are sections limited to 30 mph – religiously observed.
I think something that would improve traffic flow on roads like the A303, which has many places where dual carriageway narrows to single carriageway, would be to restrict speed a mile or two before the narrowing – perhaps down to 50 mph for half a mile and then 40 mph for half a mile with signs encouraging people to âmerge in turn to avoid jamsâ. At the moment traffic approaches where the road narrows to a single carriageway at high speed with panic braking that causes everyone behind to brake sharply and causes jams that sometimes end up going back 10 miles.
August 5, 2024
We need a fourth type of road. Rail is expensive because it is 19th century engineering â steel wheels on a steel track laid on a stone or gravel bed. It is also extremely inflexible and cannot provide the door-to-door service needed. Rail is as out-of-date today as were canals when the railway arrived. Most of the rail network, except possibly for busy commuter routes into and between major cities, needs to be replaced by a tarmac road along which only licenced private vehicles can operate. These vehicles could be trucks or passenger carrying coaches or even both and they can be safely controlled for lane and distance discipline with computer control. Added flexibility arises not simply because of the smaller vehicle sizes but because they can operate as ânormalâ vehicles when back on the ânormalâ roads for load/passenger pickup and deposit at final destination. This will provide bulk and passenger transport which is not only far cheaper than rail but far more flexible and reliable.
August 5, 2024
O R
I have written at least twice along these same lines on this blog. The railways have passed their sell by date and this solution makes absolute sense offering the necessary flexibility.
August 5, 2024
Original Richard – I always found it amusing when some implied things like HS2 was modern and new, when it was just the same ole, same ole with a new coat on. Even so-called new-style carriages on existing tracks have been made uncomfortable almost hostile to the traveller
August 5, 2024
The US economy is just significantly more resilient than the British and I think this has far more to do with cultural attitudes than roads etc.
In the UK (and Europe in general) work so often is seen as a chore but in the US it’s seen as an opportunity.
Problem with the US is that there are so many people who are crazy / suffer from real depression and so I’d much rather live in the UK not just for patriotic reasons but also because I don’t think it’s worth living with people who are bonkers even for a higher salary (life is too short and I think most British people think the same)
So the only way to boost our economy in a stable and sane way is to encourage more work ethic which is a traditional Conservative value – by Tories working closer with people in the churches, media, education and arts to promote more Conservative cultural values like this.
August 5, 2024
@Ed M – Labour in their desire to use name calling as a tool would call that notion the extreme right or hard right attitude.
I do get to actually live in the US a month or so at a time and I don’t recognise the typecasting of ‘crazy, or depression’ etc. you depict.
August 6, 2024
I worked in the USA for two months. Had a ball. Loved it.
But I’m the sort of person who watches episodes of Coronation Street from the 1970’s (even though I was too young to watch it then) on YouTube and things like All Creatures Great and Small (from the 1980’s) – and Dad’s Army etc. We have something the Americans don’t have and yearn for precisely because they are a new nation. I’m a capitalist and hate socialism / WOKE but at same time, I don’t want to lose what’s best about Britain. And so instead of being overly inspired by the culture of Wall Street, I think we need to return more to the work ethic that made people like the Quakers really successful here in the UK.
August 5, 2024
The biggest scandal is the lack of a dual carriageway between England and Scotland. The A1 dualling has been ignored by successive governments. And just as the orders had been issued to put spades in the ground, along it comes Starmer who throws everything into doubt. It’s disgraceful.
August 5, 2024
Well I do take my hat off to Mr Sunak.
He could not have quitted at a better time!
I think I predicted 3 days honeymoon for Labour.
Not a bad guessâŠ20 odd days?
Annihilation of Labour?
August 5, 2024
The Americans have a good system and of adopted over here it would allow in some situations for traffic turning left in a filter lane would be allowed to proceed when and where there is a sufficient gap in the oncoming traffic. This would ease congestion but requires better driving manners than what is currently evident on our roads.
August 5, 2024
Some traffic snarls and accidents are caused by lane markings or a lack of them. M6 J16 at Crewe is a good example, people turning right out of Stoke onto the M6 Northbound don’t know which lane they are supposed to be in, one of the the two lanes end abruptly, unnecessarily there is plenty of room and arrow markings aren’t used to let people know they can stay in the left-hand entry lane to continue you don’t have to merge.
There are massive problems with lane hogs right now. People doing 65 mph in the second lane are pootling along. Perhaps it’s time to consider passing in both lanes.
August 5, 2024
We need more flyovers to keep traffic moving , Junction 11 on the M4 is an example of bad planning in not having a through road to Basingstoke from Reading , instead there is a very complicated roundabout with traffic lights, with many motorists getting in the wrong lanes. When I motor throughout the UK I often wonder if motorists design roads or is it people who like to make the roads slower?
August 5, 2024
@Mr Paul A Townson, it helps the buses and cyclists – supposedly. The road from Wokingham to Reading(Reading Road) has 4 lanes for cyclists and 2 for general transport. Nowhere for pedestrians. Highest volume punished.
My pet one is Wokingham Council instructs cyclist to ride on the right(not the national ride on the left), now taken up on standard carriageways, the cycle lane to everyone’s left it is now OK for cyclists to use that to go in the opposite direction to the flow
August 5, 2024
Many of us have been following you for years and enjoyed reading your distinctive conservative voice in your time as an MP. You always write about issues in a sensible, common-sense way. But just as we were frustrated by the Conservative Government ignoring you, we are equally frustrated by the fact that the Labour government will also ignore you.
Motorists have been used as a cash cow for many, many years, yet the road network is disgraceful. Our generally thick MPs have allowed seven million people into the UK over the last twenty-three years, and that too, contributes to the pressure on the roads, because they are not going to walk everywhere. But just as with the NHS, Hospitals, Schools, GPs, Housing, water supplies, and the pressure on law and order the effect of immigration was and is being ignored! British people take a long time to get angry, but that anger has just swept away 251 conservative MPs, and with Labour cancelling the Rwanda scheme and allowing illegal immigrants to claim asylum, they too will be subject to that anger. It is no good labelling protestors far right because, when it comes to immigration, I guess 80% of the UK population is far right!
August 5, 2024
@Keith from Leeds – with less than 1 in 5 supporting this radical extremist Far Left Government, you get to question their motives. We are seeing signs of extreme-left social engineering following a path that is anti-UK, the best they can come up with if you don’t follow their personal path of ideology, if you are an individual that wishes to be self-reliant and resilient, contribute equally to the World you are in their small minds of the extreme right.
They are not endeavouring to work with but fight against the 80% that didn’t vote for them.
August 5, 2024
We also need to get leisure cyclists off of the roads.
I have no problem with someone using a bicyles for a functional purpose such as getting to work or doing the shopping but I have noticed a large increase in cyclists who appear to use the roads in order to play.
If they want to play at cycling they need to pay for their own velodrome and get off of the roads. They slow the traffic down, cause danger and are anti-social.
August 5, 2024
@Kenneth – in reality its the having a cycle race on the main roads that is the No, No, a bunch in Lycra clad clones having a race but strung out just enough to block any possibility of overtaking from those going from A to B.
August 5, 2024
You mean to stop the gangs of teens dressed in black riding electric cycles ….delivering god knows what
August 5, 2024
Can the Tories please ask why people such as Huw Edwards are being paid, or were: ÂŁ450K for reading the autocue in an overall non-commercial organisation. ÂŁ90K would be easily enough. BBC needs to be trimmed down considerably and money spent on programmes that commercial TV cannot make or to the same level of creativity etc
August 5, 2024
I live near the A27, the trunk route along the South Coast which runs from the M27 to the A22 north of Eastbourne. Most was dualled up the Lewes with two gaps, at Arundel and Worthing.
The Worthing gap had all the houses on one side of the road compulsorily purchased in preparation for dualling. Public finances were tight but, instead of holding onto the houses to wait for better times, all the houses were resold and God knows what it would cost to repurchase them now.
The Arundel gap after years of consultations was part of the last government’s road schemes, but the Labour minister has now cancelled it.
An extension past Lewes was started in 2007 but the greenish Lib Dem MP got the extension reduced to 3 lanes, which ensures queues of traffic backing up through Lewes. Most of the money went on creating a cycle track all the way to the A22, so the occasional cyclist can watch the queues of traffic..
And so our piecemeal infrastructure is created slowly, or not at all.
August 5, 2024
Yes, we need more road capacity, but it was Blair that started the trend to ignore this basic fact.
Why do we not have a road network fit for the age?
Why do we still have:
– to contend with jams around a large area when motorway access and use reduces the flow to a few MPH;
– too many B roads that have not been updated from single car use in over a century;
– inadequate road capacity – too few roads for the amount of cars on the road?
Let’s face successive governments have totally brushed aside this problem, while at the same time making matters worse by subsidising car production, effectively encouraging ever more cars on the road!
Perhaps we are looking at this from the wrong angle though. Certainly we’d have enough road capacity if authorised cars went back to the level of 1950. The war on cars certainly suggests that facilities will not be improved to any great extent, meaning depopulation will be used as a solution to contain the issue we now have of far too many cars per mile.
August 5, 2024
Please forgive my ignorance of english law, but I fail to see the difference between the criminal damage committed by the current rioters and that perpetrated by the commissioner of the metropolitan police when he petulantly ripped a microphone from its mounting in the hands of a Sky reporter. There was nothing threatening in the question asked by the reporter, just one the commissioner chose not to answer.
Perhaps someone here, better qualified, could explain any undetected difference.
August 5, 2024
Under ECHRs the police commissioner could claim that he saw a potential weapon, and had to push it aside and do a runner, for his own safety and that of others ….could be a medal for his quick action and bravery
August 5, 2024
The ancient Roman Road the Fosse Way A429 is one of the key and vital routes that allow you to move directly through the Central Midlands from the South of England. It is key route for HGV traffic and motorists travelling in both directions without detours to motorways missing in this central area.
Well last Thursday travelling North there was an unusual massive snarl up taking over an hour to proceed up to and past Stow-on-the-Wold.
When we eventually arrived at this strategic town just four orange clad workmen were standing chatting and smoking in the sun standing near a patched up small hole in the ground completely oblivious to the chaos on all roads to and from Stow. Unbelievable, absolute nonsensical and not a traffic police person in sight. Calling the police by telephone was futile as that was snarled up too!
Returning home later from the Midlands avoiding the Fosse by using the M5 was expensive especially in time trying to get onto the motorway near Tewkesbury and off near Cheltenham.
This must be very difficult and expensive for transport at key points in the heart of the country and a massive waste and drain on the country’s resources. The police are zero help keeping traffic moving in Britain but focus on PR perceptions instead.