What changes are required to improve our road network?
- Thread starter Ricochet J
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[TW]Fox;17413317 said:
America have had this for ages haven't they, and they seem to be perfectly fine with that system!
Imagine the improvements to rush hour that alone would make, well I can imagine down here anyway on my commute
It has the potential to cut a 35-45 minute commute on a school day to about 20-25.
Improving driver standards would be the best way to improve the road network (British motorways are a hateful place to drive compared to European main roads). While there are areas where the road network needs changes, the majority of problems are caused by people not driving appropriately.
Requiring a re-test every x years to maintain driver standards is one option but, as mentioned before, this would be political suicide. As a minimum then having an official P-plate system would improve new driver standards.
e.g. Newly passed drivers have to display a P-plate and after a minimum of 1 year they can then take a further test which, if passed, would allow the removal of the P-plate.
This could fit in with a system like in France where newly qualified drivers have slightly different rules (lower speed on motorways, etc.).
Requiring a re-test every x years to maintain driver standards is one option but, as mentioned before, this would be political suicide. As a minimum then having an official P-plate system would improve new driver standards.
e.g. Newly passed drivers have to display a P-plate and after a minimum of 1 year they can then take a further test which, if passed, would allow the removal of the P-plate.
This could fit in with a system like in France where newly qualified drivers have slightly different rules (lower speed on motorways, etc.).
Soldato
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Most things have been mentioned, but another one is the training levels of our highway traffic officers, there seems to be more and more long motorway closures, this surely cant help the flow.
Many have also suggested higher speed limits, yes it would be nice, and yes cars are better, but the driver is still the same, ie 90% of them are rubbish, so it wouldnt change anything, most people do 90 on the motorway anyway.
I wouldnt ban HGV overtaking between 6am and 9pm, just between 6am and 9.30 and 4pm to 6.30, the M5/M6 part of the motorway get right clogged up because of wagon drivers in the middle lane that needs to be remedied aswell. Also a minimum speed limit on the motorway needs to be enforced by points and a fine, it has to be 60mph, the amount of times wagon drivers have to pull out cos dorris is doing 45mph or joe i wanna save a few quid bloogs doing 53mph is ridiculous.
Many have also suggested higher speed limits, yes it would be nice, and yes cars are better, but the driver is still the same, ie 90% of them are rubbish, so it wouldnt change anything, most people do 90 on the motorway anyway.
I wouldnt ban HGV overtaking between 6am and 9pm, just between 6am and 9.30 and 4pm to 6.30, the M5/M6 part of the motorway get right clogged up because of wagon drivers in the middle lane that needs to be remedied aswell. Also a minimum speed limit on the motorway needs to be enforced by points and a fine, it has to be 60mph, the amount of times wagon drivers have to pull out cos dorris is doing 45mph or joe i wanna save a few quid bloogs doing 53mph is ridiculous.
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You clearly don't have clients that are situated about the same distance from car parks as they are their local train stations.
If the train service in this country was better (i.e. cheaper, on time, etc.), i'd happily use it as much as it made economic sense to do so. At present, the only time that comes to pass is when I'm going to London (from Brum).
I really hate the idea of the Gov't telling us what we can and can't do but the fact is there are simply too many cars.
- How many students/young drivers have cars when really they don't need them.
- How many people drive unnecessarily to destinations.
- How many housewives are constantly driving in and out the house when, if for example petrol was extremely expensive, they could plan their day better and get all their jobs done in one round out on the roads.
How can we disincentivize people to use cars without financially punishing them? If the cost of motoring was massive all the points above would be addressed but it would be completely unfair on the poor. Perhaps limiting mileage per car (when technology becomes available) would achieve the same? I strongly believe that people who use their car more should pay more, we just don't have an efficient way of doing this yet. In an ideal world I would scrap road tax and place all road-based taxes in the price of petrol - you use more, you pay more. Or perhaps replace it with a fixed cost per mile.
- How many students/young drivers have cars when really they don't need them.
- How many people drive unnecessarily to destinations.
- How many housewives are constantly driving in and out the house when, if for example petrol was extremely expensive, they could plan their day better and get all their jobs done in one round out on the roads.
How can we disincentivize people to use cars without financially punishing them? If the cost of motoring was massive all the points above would be addressed but it would be completely unfair on the poor. Perhaps limiting mileage per car (when technology becomes available) would achieve the same? I strongly believe that people who use their car more should pay more, we just don't have an efficient way of doing this yet. In an ideal world I would scrap road tax and place all road-based taxes in the price of petrol - you use more, you pay more. Or perhaps replace it with a fixed cost per mile.
Artificially increasing the cost of motoring (taxation) has been tried for the past umpteen years in an effort to reduce the number of cars and to make people use more economical vehicles. It has not worked.
The main problem is that there is no viable alternative to using a car in modern Britain. The public transport system has been so neglected that is not capable of providing the service many people need.
Until enough investment has been thrown at the public transport to make it fit for purpose then people will use their cars no matter what the cost.
The main problem is that there is no viable alternative to using a car in modern Britain. The public transport system has been so neglected that is not capable of providing the service many people need.
Until enough investment has been thrown at the public transport to make it fit for purpose then people will use their cars no matter what the cost.
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Another thing I'd do is restrict buses. Town buses limited to 30mph or whatever the local speed limit is, no more. There's no reason for them to be belting around at 45mph when the limit is much lower than that. I'd also have them acceleration restricted as well. This would have a two-fold effect: one, it would make journeys much more pleasant for passengers, especially older folk who aren't quite as capable at holding on or trying to walk down an accelerating bus; two, it would drive down emissions in town and places like London where, again, there is absolutely no reason for a bus to be nailing it off the line.
But don't you think that situation would just turn into 79mph or 89mph queues instead?It'd stop the silly 69mph queues whenever a police car appears
