Surprised?

[Martin Cassini]

Another piece by the Bristol Evening Post (link at end) quotes Councillor David Pasley’s surprise at how well things have gone since the lights were switched off in Portishead. An angry man just posted the following comment (I think he’s angry because he’s been saying this stuff for years, and now, with virtually no reference, and certainly no payment to him, other people are shouting Eureka!). - Not everyone was amazed at the improvements brought about by switching off traffic lights in Portishead. It confirms what some of us have been saying for years: that our innate ability to act sociably and negotiate movement will come up trumps on almost every count (efficiency, safety, air quality, quality of life). All we need is the freedom to use commonsense and express fellow feeling! Traffic engineers will say the Portishead trial only proves that deregulation works there. I say it could work almost anywhere. It was "The case for a no-lights trial" (Google finds it), which prompted Portishead and Westminster to agree to test the idea that traffic controls might not be the solution, but the cause of many of our congestion and road safety problems. Could the reason for surprise at the success of the Cabstand trial be because we have abdicated control of our lives to technocrats who presume to dictate our behaviour? Who is the better judge of when - or indeed how fast - to go: you and me at the time and the place, or remote lights and limits fixed by absent regulators? The arrogance of the over-funded, unproductive, counterproductive traffic control industry is staggering. And our compliance is pitiful, although understandable given the spirit of officially-sponsored coercion and fear that stalks the land. Incidentally there are two other vital elements that need to go hand in hand with deregulation to make our Roads FiT for People ... Bristol Evening Post piece here. Back tab to return to site.

[Martin Cassini]

Yes, one of the things that should accompany removal of controls is streetscape redesign to express a sharing context. It could be zebras, though I would improvise on zebras, from adding of diagonals to the standard 90 degree strip, to covering anything up to a whole street.

[phunksta]

In simple terms would that seem to indicate more "zebra" style crossings where the road surface and crossing area was striped (coloured?) to indicate a potential requirement to 'give way', rather than light-controlled "pelican/puffin" style crossings where priority is enforced?

[Martin Cassini]

It refers to all signals or automated control where a change in culture from priority to equality, and streetscape redesign to express a sharing context could work better than the current system of coercion and control - i.e. almost everywhere, it seems to me.

[Ian Perry]

Does the switching off of traffic lights refer only to those at junctions, or does it include those forming Pelican or Puffin Crossings, located in the heart of our communities?

[Martin Cassini]

I think Councillors David Pasley and David Jolley started the protests, or at least they were involved.

[Stefan Langeveld]

Truly encouraging.
I was surprised by the "Protest marches against the lights brought more than 2,000 people on to the town's streets." (Who started that ?) Now we know something is about to change. In June there was a silent march in Amsterdam for a killed 12 year old boy (not near traffic lights) where hundreds turned up. Such numbers are rare nowadays.
I like the idea (in comment) that "the consultants who charged a lot of money for deciding the traffic lights should remain as the best option, should be reimbursing the council for poor advice."
Councils should look there first for cost cutting.

[phunksta]

I'd just like to say "well done". This finally breaks down years of blather from those with a vested interest and begins a sea-change in the way we manage our traffic!