London Banter - View Single Post

Richard J.[_3_] · July 16th 12, 10:51 PM posted to uk.transport.london

Robin9 wrote on 16 July 2012
16:37:40 ...
'Richard J.[_3_ Wrote:
;131958']Robin9 wrote on 15 July 2012

23:00:41 ...-
'Richard J.[_3_ Wrote:-
;131953']Robin9 wrote on 15 July
2012

15:27:26 ...-
It is now evident that most motorists in London including taxi and
emergency services drivers have no idea when Olympic Lanes
come into force and during which hours and on what days they
will be in operation. This afternoon Petrie Hoskins - I hope I have
spelled her name correctly - has conducted a phone-in programme
on this subject and no-one, absolutely no-one, knew what was
going on. Anger at TfL was general and unlimited.-

People have no idea because it's not a simple question. Each Games
Lane

will be in operation for the days on which it is required. For
example

the M4 Games Lane from Heathrow (which operates from tomorrow, 16
July)

doesn't have the same operating days/times as the Games Lane to
Wimbledon for the Olympic tennis. This is no different from the way
bus

lanes are organised. If you asked me what the operating hours are for
a

random bus lane in London, I probably wouldn't know. So what? If I
happened to need to drive in that part of London, I would look at the
signs.

Emergency service drivers on emergency calls don't need to know, as
they

can use the Games Lanes anyway.

--
Richard J.
(to email me, swap 'uk' and 'yon' in address)-

People have no idea, not because the issue is not simple but because
they have
been given conflicting pieces of information. If you believe that
there
are "signs"
in all the appropriate places providing accurate and up-to-the-minute
information,
you are sorely mistaken.-

I didn't claim that all the signs are in place yet.
-
An example: We have been told that the Olympic Lanes come into force
today.-

By whom? Only the M4 lane starts today.
-
This afternoon I was driving up Shooters Hill Road towards the
Sun-In-The-Sands
roundabout. Near the roundabout the off-side lane has been marked as
an
Olympic
Lane. Was it in force this afternoon? I have no idea. Certainly there
was no sign
providing information nor has any sign been installed to provide
information in the
days ahead. So how are drivers to work it out by looking at the
signs?-

If there's no sign, it's not in force. Simple.
--
Richard J.
(to email me, swap 'uk' and 'yon' in address)

If only it were as simple as that. At present there is no sign installed
adjacent to most Olympic Lanes. So unless hundreds are installed in
the next few days, when the lanes do come into force there will be
no sign providing relevant information.

In that case the lanes would be unenforceable. The definition of a
Games Lane in the Traffic Regulation Orders includes the words "in
respect of which traffic signs are in place indicating the controls
specified in this Order". No signs - no Games Lane. So I expect that
lots of signs will suddenly appear shortly.
--
Richard J.
(to email me, swap 'uk' and 'yon' in address)