Some of you may remember that I posted a link to a survey about the proposed congestion charge for Cambridge recently.
The results of that exercise (and others) have now been published, and the link is below.
There's a lot of information there, but in essence it seems to say that most people in Cambridge do want something to be done about congestion in the town (surprise) and we now have to actually decide if a charge is the way to do it. It seems likely that it will be implemented I think.
As I read it there is a HUGE amount of money available from the Government for transport improvements in the town/locality which we can bid for - but we can ONLY bid if we introduce a charge.
tinyurl.com/5mn47j
Edited by Pugugly on 26/06/2008 at 19:20
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most people in Cambridge do want something to be done about congestion in the town
Did the survey reveal whether people are actually willing to be out of their pockets for reducing congestion?
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The results seem to imply that the proposed charge of somewhere between three and five pounds a day would be acceptable to most, as long as there is in place first reduced cost (or free) and improved public transport, better cycling facilities and improved pedestrian access.
None of which is surprising.
It has been suggested that Cambridge put the above into practice first and THEN decide if we still need a charge. But to do that means we can't bid for the half a billion Governmental quid on offer...
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Well, going by example of London, charge will not reduce congestion by measurable amount in a long run, will run at loss for yonks and be impossible to remove afterwards. Don't make the same mistake twice, imposing tolls and taxes on yourselves will not make your motoring life any easier. Try and research reasons that make people travel on congested streets first.
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Solutions for Cambridge:
1. reopen Silver St bridge
2. reopen Magdalene bridge
3. remove restricted area in centre of town
Then see what happens. My bet would be greatly reduced congestion.
4. widen A14.
5. widen A14 again.
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Yes - but it used to be yukky in the middle before they closed all those streets, don't you remember? Couldn't breathe on a hot day, still sat there for ages at rush hour and roads were unpleasant to walk across.
There are also (according to the report) 45000 odd new homes coming on stream in the local area in the next five years or so - which is going to be a Large Number of cars. They already estimate 90 thousand journeys a day into Cambridge.
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90 thousand journeys a day into Cambridge.>>
The answer has to be public transport, doesn't it, rather than or maybe in addition to, a congestion charge?
90k journeys a day can't be supported if they're done privately. It's impossible. Public transport must be the answer.
Brrm. Brrm.
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>>Yes - but it used to be yukky in the middle before they closed all those streets, don't you remember?
I do remember those days. And I'm not sure that it was that yucky.
Cambridge is lovely if you live in the centre and work there/commute by train to London.
If you ever have to leave or get into the centre it is attrocious.
The alternative is to ban ALL traffic in and out of town between 7.45 and 9.45am and lay on buses from multi storey car parks by all the motorway junctions.
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It might come to that! :)
As to living in the centre I guess it would be good, but you'd have to be pretty affluent to afford that.
I commute in and try to cycle a couple of times a week, which is fine, but the drive is a problem.
Anyway, it remains to be seen whether we get a charge or not, and I guess others around the country will be watching to see what happens.
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For an evening visit to the Corn Exchange, SWMBO and I drive into Cambridge - and usually manage to time it for free street parking.
For a daytime shopping trip, we only use the Newmarket Road park and ride - though the Cambridge one is certainly more expensive than, say, the Ipswich one. It's always a doddle because we arrive after peak time - I've no idea what the P & R is like at rush-hour.
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Just to bring this one up to date, Cambridge have now shelved the idea of a congestion charge, or are at least reappraising it. Interesting in the light of the recent Manchester decision to press ahead with theirs.
www.transportbriefing.co.uk/story.php?id=5044
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The leader of Manchester City Council perpformed a huge u-turn yesterday by agreeing to a referendum when previously he had been dead against one.
The reason is that he knows that he needs a two thirds majority of the 10 Gtr Manchester councils to proceed with this daft plan. Three have said no with a fourth about to have a referendum (which would kill it stone dead) so he is hoping a referendum will negate the effect of the councils who say are saying no and turn the need for two thirds majority into a simple majority through a referendum - but it is the nuclear option
It looks pretty bleak for them right now
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