If you’ve ever wondered how it is that we’ve ended up with practically every inch of our roads yellowed with double lines, `box junctions’, no waiting, loading, or stopping signs, tow trucks hovering to catch out some poor mother kept late in the dentists’ whose toddler has just tripped in the street making her two minutes later for her meter, and the normally cheerful, decent UK public anxious and twitching awaiting the next assault on their goodness, then here’s a prime example of its happening which I collected last weekend.
It occurred when I was at a public meeting about the closure of the Hammersmith Flyover. The failure of the 50 year old bridge structure seems to be in part due to the design including an ambitious under-bridge heating scheme (so no corrosive gritting salt would ever be required) which never worked even once. However, this has led to disruptive traffic jams and road diversions now that the Flyover is closed for repair. While it has been horrible for local residents, it has also had effect on people coming into London, who don’t know the local routes well.
How easy it is, when navigating diversions, and distracted by checking for these yellow lines, box junctions, no waiting signs and toddlers falling over, to get into the wrong lane.
Therefore, when someone from the public raised their hand and made a point that at a certain junction motorists were inadvertently holding up traffic because of this, and could something be done to avoid it, I was expecting maybe `erect a large, clear temporary sign’. In other words, something helpful.
In fact the instant response from the no-doubt well-intentioned local councillor was more like this: `Well, fortunately, the council now have the powers to enforce TMO (Traffic Management Offence) . …… So I will look into this with my colleagues to see what we can come up with to prevent it happening.’ Or, expand the huge range of contraventions that currently exist with yet another one!
So, no board, or hand-waving French-style traffic director (maybe take a warden off his beat for a bit) , but yet another cctv camera to penalise a usually law abiding motorist who may not necessarily possess Jeremy Clarkson driving skills.
On a broader scale, however, is this standard `council attitude’ to our problems, which is now sweeping our nation, not somewhat at odds with the inspirational core values of the UK: tolerance, respect and vision?
