Cov city centre (3 Viewers)

[Sky_Blue_Dreamer]

Why there’s always been so much opposition to trams in Cov I’ll never know. Every city I’ve been to with one just makes things so much easier. We are awful for them in this country partly cos our stupid planning laws make everything so expensive to build.

I get how useful they can be when you're using them for travel. When you're not they're a massive pain in the arse and an eyesore. Plus the amount of space they take up and the potential value of that real estate.

The rails set into the roads/pavements can be a problem for those with mobility issues or have things like buggies etc. The powerline infrastructure just clutters up everywhere and IMO is ugly as fuck.

I was on one in Manchester and there was a problem and as it's on a track everything just got stuck. Unlike a road where you can just go around the problem.
Bus lanes that are actually enforced and joined up to cover main routes would work fine.

It's not I'm against things like this - we need better infrastructure and transport links - I just think in this modern age we should be doing a bit better than whacking a load of rails and power cables down streets - it just feels very Victorian. The problem I have with this VLR is that by the time they actually finish building it the technology will be superceded. Ultimately because of the value of land the only answer in the long term will be to go down and build subways.

 

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[chiefdave]

Just trying to work out how it fits into this, I assumed it would go out Kenilwirth Road to Warwick Uni but maybe not. Also well aware this is probably Andy Street fantasy.

View attachment 41124

Right on schedule, unlike pubic transport, the council have bizzarly announced today that the lines to Warwick Uni, CBS Arena and UHCW (originally the first line to be built) have been scrapped.

Well in official terms they're now downgraded to a 'still planned over time' and they're now concentrating on a service to the airport

 

[Nick]

They've been working on the Blue Ribbon roundabout on the Foleshill Road since August and all they're doing is adding cycle ways and a footpath and traffic light redesign. Apparently it is not scheduled to finish till March

Council starts work on Blue Ribbon roundabout

Work on the roundabout will take place between 7. 30am and 4

coventryobserver.co.uk

If they had more people actually doing work it wouldn't take as long.

Plus for some reason they dig sections up, tarmac it and then dig it up again. Weird.

 

[shmmeee]

Right on schedule, unlike pubic transport, the council have bizzarly announced today that the lines to Warwick Uni, CBS Arena and UHCW (originally the first line to be built) have been scrapped.

Well in official terms they're now downgraded to a 'still planned over time' and they're now concentrating on a service to the airport

Right on schedule, unlike pubic transport, the council have bizzarly announced today that the lines to Warwick Uni, CBS Arena and UHCW (originally the first line to be built) have been scrapped.

Well in official terms they're now downgraded to a 'still planned over time' and they're now concentrating on a service to the airport

Whole thing is a fucking joke.

 

[Captain Dart]

Right on schedule, unlike pubic transport, the council have bizzarly announced today that the lines to Warwick Uni, CBS Arena and UHCW (originally the first line to be built) have been scrapped.

Well in official terms they're now downgraded to a 'still planned over time' and they're now concentrating on a service to the airport

And mentioned some vague plan about taking a route from the town centre to the Airport industrial area through Whitley. I can see them finishing off Whitley Common at this rate. I used to walk over fields to the airport in my childhood, nothing is sacrosanct.

 

[SkyBluePower]

I drive 10 mins and I get a tram into Nottingham City centre....every city just seems to be better at everything than ours!! Its infuriating.

If you went to many European cities 10-15 years ago they were a nightmare because they were digging up all the streets to build trams. Nottingham was similar.
They took the pain though and now have functioning transport systems.

 

[Nick]

If you went to many European cities 10-15 years ago they were a nightmare because they were digging up all the streets to build trams. Nottingham was similar.
They took the pain though and now have functioning transport systems.

It's OK though, Cov is doing the same but for bike lanes.

 

[napolimp]

It's OK though, Cov is doing the same but for bike lanes.

Why is everyone in such an uproar about the bike lanes? All I keep hearing is that the "road lanes are too narrow". Are people really that bad at driving?

 

[shmmeee]

Why is everyone in such an uproar about the bike lanes? All I keep hearing is that the "road lanes are too narrow". Are people really that bad at driving?

People really want bicycles on the road for some reason. Target practice?

 

[Nick]

Why is everyone in such an uproar about the bike lanes? All I keep hearing is that the "road lanes are too narrow". Are people really that bad at driving?

Because when you are stuck behind a bus or when somebody is pulled over it means there's zero room to go round them so it causes shit loads more traffic.

If you have a look at the cross roads in Coundon, it's often grid locked because there's zero room to manouvre (especially when there are buses about).

 

[Nick]

Oh and they have closed a lane all the way down the a444 for over a month for no apparent reason

 

[napolimp]

Because when you are stuck behind a bus or when somebody is pulled over it means there's zero room to go round them so it causes shit loads more traffic.

If you have a look at the cross roads in Coundon, it's often grid locked because there's zero room to manouvre (especially when there are buses about).

Seriously, busses don't stop that much. I think you're blowing it out of proportion. And even on wider roads a lot of people would stop or hesitate before overtaking anyway.

Cars shouldn't be pulling over on the side of the road, that's hardly the cycleways fault.

 

[Nick]

Seriously, busses don't stop that much. I think you're blowing it out of proportion. And even on wider roads a lot of people would stop or hesitate before overtaking anyway.

Cars shouldn't be pulling over on the side of the road, that's hardly the cycleways fault.

Ay? Buses stop all the time every few hundred yards on a bus route.

Have you been down the road I mean, especially at peak time before and after the changes?

 

[shmmeee]

Ay? Buses stop all the time every few hundred yards on a bus route.

Have you been down the road I mean, especially at peak time before and after the changes?

Every few hundred yards is a ridiculous amount for a bus to stop. And people shouldn’t be allowed to stop on peak roads during rush hour. And if you had bikes cycling down you’d have to overtake them as well.

 

[napolimp]

Ay? Buses stop all the time every few hundred yards on a bus route.

Have you been down the road I mean, especially at peak time before and after the changes?

I've driven down there, but not at peak times- not my side of the city.

Do you want to get rid of red lights as well? They always seem to be making traffic stop.

 

[Nick]

Every few hundred yards is a ridiculous amount for a bus to stop. And people shouldn’t be allowed to stop on peak roads during rush hour. And if you had bikes cycling down you’d have to overtake them as well.

How often do you think buses stop? It's literally what they do?

It isn't Amsterdam, there's fuck all bikes. Not sure why you're making out like there's thousands of bikes on the route that people were having to dodge.

Add in the railway crossing and that the little bridge under has gone as well.

 

[Nick]

I've driven down there, but not at peak times- not my side of the city.

Do you want to get rid of red lights as well? They always seem to be making traffic stop.

You asked why people mentioned about the road being narrower, maybe you're trying too hard to completely miss the point?

 

[shmmeee]

How often do you think buses stop? It's literally what they do?

It isn't Amsterdam, there's fuck all bikes. Not sure why you're making out like there's thousands of bikes on the route that people were having to dodge.

Add in the railway crossing and that the little bridge under has gone as well.

Im saying UK buses stop at ridiculously short intervals. You can walk more than 400 yards FFS.

And no it’s not Amsterdam because cycling is essentially impossible. This is trying to change that.

Just drive properly and leave a bit earlier. Or take your bike!

 

[napolimp]

You asked why people mentioned about the road being narrower, maybe you're trying too hard to completely miss the point?

I genuinely thought people were angry because they need big wide lanes to drive down.

 

[Nick]

I genuinely thought people were angry because they need big wide lanes to drive down.

People are pointing out that it's causing much more traffic than relieving.

 

[napolimp]

People are pointing out that it's causing much more traffic than relieving.

And I'm guessing your evidence is that you drive down there, and you say it is?

I'm going to offer an opposing point of view, and say it's not. My evidence is that I carried out a traffic assessment study over multiple months in the last 3 years.

 

[Nick]

Im saying UK buses stop at ridiculously short intervals. You can walk more than 400 yards FFS.

And no it’s not Amsterdam because cycling is essentially impossible. This is trying to change that.

Just drive properly and leave a bit earlier. Or take your bike!

It's caused more traffic, there's barely any bikes using it.

Top advice though, "take your bike" as if that's the answer. Maybe if I want to get around the city I should just become a marathon sprinter with my child on my back, there won't be any stopping for traffic then either.

 

[napolimp]

It's caused more traffic, there's barely any bikes using it.

Top advice though, "take your bike" as if that's the answer. Maybe if I want to get around the city I should just become a marathon sprinter with my child on my back, there won't be any stopping for traffic then either.

TBF, you don't change culture overnight.

 

[Nick]

And I'm guessing your evidence is that you drive down there, and you say it is?

I'm going to offer an opposing point of view, and say it's not. My evidence is that I carried out a traffic assessment study over multiple months in the last 3 years.

Traffic Assessment of the road I'm on about? Did you not see any buses stopping in it? What was the outcome of the tunnel being closed when the trains are crossing and if it caused more or less traffic?

I can't comment on the Binley Road ones, barely go that way.

 

[napolimp]

Traffic Assessment of the road I'm on about? Did you not see any buses stopping in it? What was the outcome of the tunnel being closed when the trains are crossing and if it caused more or less traffic?

I can't comment on the Binley Road ones, barely go that way.

You've got me wondering why it's buses and not busses now.

 

[Nick]

You've got me wondering why it's buses and not busses now.

buzziz

 

[wingy]

Seriously, busses don't stop that much. I think you're blowing it out of proportion. And even on wider roads a lot of people would stop or hesitate before overtaking anyway.

Cars shouldn't be pulling over on the side of the road, that's hardly the cycleways fault.

Remember here there was a policy that actively closed lay-bys to cause them to block it all up.
There are examples the lanes are too narrow along Ansty road for Instance since they've put parking in front of all the houses etc.

 

[Otis]

And I'm guessing your evidence is that you drive down there, and you say it is?

I'm going to offer an opposing point of view, and say it's not. My evidence is that I carried out a traffic assessment study over multiple months in the last 3 years.

Did you put a ticket on my car last Tuesday, around 11am, outside the back of Poundland in town?

 

[shmmeee]

Remember here there was a policy that actively closed lay-bys to cause them to block it all up.
There are examples the lanes are too narrow along Ansty road for Instance since they've put parking in front of all the houses etc.

The elephant in the room is there’s too many cars. We don’t have the infrastructure for everyone to have a car in this country so you get people demanding everything is ripped up to fit more cars in.

 

[napolimp]

Did you put a ticket on my car last Tuesday, around 11am, outside the back of Poundland in town?

Not my turf unfortunately.

 

[Nick]

The elephant in the room is there’s too many cars. We don’t have the infrastructure for everyone to have a car in this country so you get people demanding everything is ripped up to fit more cars in.

Well no because in this instance it's the opposite which causes more traffic and there's no viable alternative other than using a car.

 

[shmmeee]

Well no because in this instance it's the opposite which causes more traffic and there's no viable alternative other than using a car.

What causes traffic is cars Nick.

 

[chiefdave]

Well no because in this instance it's the opposite which causes more traffic and there's no viable alternative other than using a car.

isn't that the point. we have shit public transport so everyone drives but if anything is done to change the infrastructure to give non-car options people lose their minds about taking away roads from cars.

the underlying issue is probably that we've left it far too late to plan and implement these projects. we lag way behind other countries for public transport infrastructure so in other countries people won't think twice about using public transport regularly where here you have to plan it out and hope everything actually runs as planned.

 

[Nick]

What causes traffic is cars Nick.

Yes, making the infrastructure smaller increases it more.

It's really not hard to grasp.

 

[Nick]

isn't that the point. we have shit public transport so everyone drives but if anything is done to change the infrastructure to give non-car options people lose their minds about taking away roads from cars.

the underlying issue is probably that we've left it far too late to plan and implement these projects. we lag way behind other countries for public transport infrastructure so in other countries people won't think twice about using public transport regularly where here you have to plan it out and hope everything actually runs as planned.

A bike lane isn't a viable replacement for cars though.

Like I said if we had decent trams and public transport it would be well worth the short term pain while it was being built.

When you have people saying "use a bike" just shows they clearly aren't in the real world for most scenarios.