richard Posted November 20, 2006 Share Posted November 20, 2006 Hi all, I just came across an article saying that there are 7 European cities which are going to remove all traffic signs and road markings as part of a pilot programme based on the idea that uncertainty encourages caution. One of these cities is Ipswich. Do you think this would work for Sheffield? Bye bye bus lanes? See you later lane separator? Ta ta traffic lights? Would we get a free flowing heaven? Or gridlock? My favrourite bit of the article But one German borough is already daring to take the step into lawlessness. The town of Bohmte in Lower Saxony has 13,500 inhabitants. It's traversed by a country road and a main road. Cars approach speedily, delivery trucks stop to unload their cargo and pedestrians scurry by on elevated sidewalks. The road will be re-furbished in early 2007, using EU funds. "The sidewalks are going to go, and the asphalt too. Everything will be covered in cobblestones," Klaus Goedejohann, the mayor, explains. "We're getting rid of the division between cars and pedestrians." The article is here:- http://www.spiegel.de/international/spiegel/0,1518,448747,00.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simondjuk Posted November 20, 2006 Share Posted November 20, 2006 Every road covered in cobblestones? Wont need much work doing in Barnsley then!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richard Posted November 20, 2006 Author Share Posted November 20, 2006 They seem to be going one step further than everyone else with the cobblestones, and removing pavements. But then a town of 13,500 is small, I don't think that would be good for Sheffield. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whatif wewin Posted November 20, 2006 Share Posted November 20, 2006 The best way is to see how it goes in other towns, before we commit to a trial. The trial could cost a packet to set up and of course more money to return to the signs if it failed. But it is worth trying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carmine Posted November 20, 2006 Share Posted November 20, 2006 Many drivers in Sheffield seem to want to drive on the pavement when it suits them...would this help to reduce accidents and congestion? Pedestrians are only taking up space they could be driving through, after all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greybeard Posted November 20, 2006 Share Posted November 20, 2006 In Sheffield lots of drivers seem to ignore road markings and even traffic lights anyway If there was the remotest chance that the council might pass the savings back to tax-payers I might support such a scheme, - but there isn't. How does the Ipswich trial square with the regulations regarding road-markings, - aren't some markings a legal requirement ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richard Posted November 20, 2006 Author Share Posted November 20, 2006 I have seen drivers on the pavements at the bottom of Brocco Bank leading on to Hunter's Bar. If there were no lights on the roundabout perhaps the traffic would flow quicker and the drivers would be happy to stay on the road. Although I do think there is no accounting for any idiot who decides to drive on a pavement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strix Posted November 20, 2006 Share Posted November 20, 2006 It'll be interesting to see how the lack of 'my right of way' effects drivers in Sheffield. The only way this is going to work is if they bring back hanging for running over pedestrians (sorry, still a bit angry at the swine who swung his car round and was in such a hurry to run us over on saturday that he spun his wheels in his haste ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richard Posted November 20, 2006 Author Share Posted November 20, 2006 I'm not sure if I would want it if it meant this: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2063667852598904740&q=india+traffic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blip Posted November 20, 2006 Share Posted November 20, 2006 Hi all, I just came across an article saying that there are 7 European cities which are going to remove all traffic signs and road markings as part of a pilot programme based on the idea that uncertainty encourages caution. One of these cities is Ipswich. Do you think this would work for Sheffield? Bye bye bus lanes? See you later lane separator? Ta ta traffic lights? Would we get a free flowing heaven? Or gridlock? The answer is gridlock. But don't worry because the traffic signs/road markings would never be removed from any heavily trafficked section of the highway network. I'm not sure where Ipswich comes into this, but I presume the signs will not be removed from the city centre; it will be some poxy little village on the oustkirts. This does makes sense; fewer signs means less clutter, slower traffic speeds creating a more attractive environment. We already have housing estates with shared vehicle/pedestrian surfaces, i.e. no segregation, and where priority cannot be assumed, so it's not really that radical a concept. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.