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

John Rowland:
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). ...

Perhaps this was done in preparation for a changeover to driving on the
right. After all, now that Britain is part of the EU...
--
Mark Brader "Outside of nearly having two head-on collisions,
we found driving in England to be fairly easy."
Toronto -- Cher Classick

In message , John Rowland
writes
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?

On a similar but slightly different note, I've often wondered if the
Aldwych/Strand "D" was always one way from the time it opened?
--
Ian Jelf, MITG
Birmingham, UK

Registered Blue Badge Tourist Guide for London and the Heart of England
http://www.bluebadge.demon.co.uk

In message , Mark Brader
writes
John Rowland:
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). ...

Perhaps this was done in preparation for a changeover to driving on the
right. After all, now that Britain is part of the EU...

........everyone else ought to come into line with the UK and Ireland!
:-)

ducks

--
Ian Jelf, MITG
Birmingham, UK

Registered Blue Badge Tourist Guide for London and the Heart of England
http://www.bluebadge.demon.co.uk

On Sun, 9 Jan 2005 02:19:54 -0000, "John Rowland"
wrote:

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). snip

Could this be because it can be seen as one large roundabout, and
people are used to those, whereas one working "in reverse" may cause
confusion?

Neil

--
Neil Williams in Milton Keynes, UK
When replying please use neil at the above domain
'wensleydale' is a spam trap and is not read.

In article ,
says...
In message , John Rowland
writes
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?

On a similar but slightly different note, I've often wondered if the
Aldwych/Strand "D" was always one way from the time it opened?

There is a 1912 postcard for sale on eBay at the moment which would
suggest two-way traffic at that date. Not the best of photos though.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...ry=53582&item=
6144511711

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

Very unlucky to go round anything widdershins tho'. :-)


*Keith*

John Rowland wrote:
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).

I think that's a very marginal advantage, offset by the better view of
vehicles joining the roundabout from the driver's 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.

The road around St James's Square is not all that wide, but it does
allow a slow car, whose driver is seeking a parking space, to be
overtaken. Two-way traffic would make that hazardous, and would also
lead to lots more conflicting movements at junctions. Forcing you to go
the long way round is a well-known technique for discouraging through
traffic from a residential area that is not a main traffic artery.

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.

I think the wide road is a deliberate design feature intended to
impress. I'm not sure whose environment you are trying to improve here.
Drivers are presumably happy. The "grassed area" that you want to make
larger is already 4.5 acres and contains not just grass but "large plane
trees... pergolas with wisteria, roses and passion flowers. There is a
quiet garden, a play area for children, a tennis court and a collecttion
of statuary reflecting the international nature of the square."*
Extending this historic garden just to snarl up the traffic seems
pointless.

*from advance publicity for Open Gardens Square Weekend, 11/12 June 2005
http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/london.ga...res/index.html

--
Richard J.
(to e-mail me, swap uk and yon in address)

"Ian Jelf" wrote in message
...
In message , Mark Brader
writes

Perhaps this was done in preparation for a changeover to driving on the
right. After all, now that Britain is part of the EU...

.......everyone else ought to come into line with the UK and Ireland!

.... and Japan, and Australia, And New Zealand, and half the rest of the
world...

--
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

"Neil Williams" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 9 Jan 2005 02:19:54 -0000, "John Rowland"
wrote:

Nearly all London squares have a clockwise one-way system,

Could this be because it can be seen as one large roundabout,

Exactly, but from a traffic point of view it makes no sense, bnecause a
square is just a city block that happens to have no buildings inside[1], and
there is no rule that every city block has to be one-way clockwise
(obviously). Actually, that's not entirely true, because squares are city
blocks in which all four sides have the same name, leading to drivers
circuiting the square repeatedly trying to find the building they want....
but since drivers have a much better view of buildings on the right, that's
even more reason to circuit squares anti-clockwise.

and people are used to those, whereas one
working "in reverse" may cause confusion?

The angle of the entrance road would force you in the correct direction.

Anyway, Queen Square is all clockwise except for the southeast corner, which
is two way... now *that's* confusing. And Tavistock Square is two-way all
the way around, but the ban on the right turn at the southeast corner means
you can't circuit it clockwise and often have to do a longer journey around
it in an anti-clockwise direction. So there clearly is a rule, but it is
sometimes broken.

[1] except Belsize Square, and probably others.

--
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