Thread: London Squares
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Old January 9th 05, 01:19 AM posted to uk.transport.london
John Rowland John Rowland is offline
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First recorded activity at LondonBanter: Jul 2003
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Default London Squares

Hi all,

Nearly all London squares have a clockwise one-way system, even though when
all of the roads in and out of the square are one-way, an anti-clockwise
one-way system is superior (because drivers have better visibility when
curving to the left). Many squares, such as St James, have roads which are
wide enough to be two-way, and the squares are large enough that you don't
particularly want to be forced to go the long way around for no reason, so I
don't know why they one-way at all.

Belgrave Square in particular has a phenomenal width of tarmac for no
reason, leading cars to speed up noticeably as they circuit the square, when
making the grassed area a lot larger would lead to a safer and more pleasant
environment while only adding a few seconds to car journeys.

Why are so many London squares one way at all, and how long have they been
like that? Was the entire one-way system from Park Lane to Gower St/Kingsway
created in one go? Has it been regularly modified since?

--
John Rowland - Spamtrapped
Transport Plans for the London Area, updated 2001
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Acro...69/tpftla.html
A man's vehicle is a symbol of his manhood.
That's why my vehicle's the Piccadilly Line -
It's the size of a county and it comes every two and a half minutes