First published on Monday 13 September 2004:

Letter: How traffic works

It is unfortunate Mike Weatherley, prospective Conservative
parliamentary candidate for Brighton Pavilion, has no real
understanding of how traffic works.

Bicycles - we have two useful valleys, London and Lewes Roads, for
cycle routes.

If he thinks that as an established city we have no room for cycle
lanes, then perhaps we have no room for cars.

Buses - how would he enforce only car share cars in bus lanes?

It is necessary to protect bus lanes for buses (taxis and emergency
vehicles), so that buses can run on time, are cheaper to run and give a
better deal to bus passengers in order to attract people out of their
cars.

Park and ride - what makes Mike think park and ride will make a
difference to traffic in Brighton?

This could only be the case if the same number of car parking spaces in
the city centre was removed as was provided on park and ride sites.

Monorail - who is going to provide the funding?

Underground car parks - extra car parking spaces in underground car
parks will just generate more traffic. Does Mike realise that to
construct an underground car park costs about £10,000 per space?

New building planning - the more car parking spaces in new
developments, the more traffic, and therefore more congestion and
pollution.

Stop the war on motorists - there isn't a war on motorists, there is a
war on congestion and pollution.

I hope The Argus will ask someone who really understands effective
solutions to our traffic problems to write a half page on the subject.

-Selma Montford, Hon secretary, The Brighton Society, Brighton
--
Alan (Fred) Pipes
pipes@...
if I'm away, try: alan.pipes@...
www.fred-pipes.com
NUJ member since 1975