Tom Anderson wrote:
On Thu, 15 Nov 2007, John Rowland wrote:

Mwmbwls wrote:

Ken Livingstone, the Mayor of London, plans to replicate Paris
Plage, the beach created on a highway alongside the Seine each
August, on the four-lane Victoria Embankment beside the Thames.

Since London's South Bank is already pedestrianised, I can't see the
point of pedestrianising the north as well.

Since London's South Bank is already pedestrianised and rather nice,
i can well see the point of pedestrianising the north as well.

I've never heard the South Bank called "nice" before... but I haven't used
it in a while. Is it full up then?

On Nov 15, 1:20 pm, "John Rowland"
wrote:
Tom Anderson wrote:
On Thu, 15 Nov 2007, John Rowland wrote:

Mwmbwls wrote:

Ken Livingstone, the Mayor of London, plans to replicate Paris
Plage, the beach created on a highway alongside the Seine each
August, on the four-lane Victoria Embankment beside the Thames.

Since London's South Bank is already pedestrianised, I can't see the
point of pedestrianising the north as well.

Since London's South Bank is already pedestrianised and rather nice,
i can well see the point of pedestrianising the north as well.

I've never heard the South Bank called "nice" before... but I haven't used
it in a while. Is it full up then?


It's been quite a decent place to go for a while. There's always stuff
going on between Tower Bridge and County Hall, particularly in summer.
And the Royal Festival Hall redevelopment has done wonders for one of
the area's most unsightly buildings.

Jonn

wrote:

Ken Livingstone, the Mayor of London, plans to replicate Paris
Plage, the beach created on a highway alongside the Seine each
August, on the four-lane Victoria Embankment beside the Thames.

It's been quite a decent place to go for a while. There's always stuff
going on between Tower Bridge and County Hall, particularly in summer.
And the Royal Festival Hall redevelopment has done wonders for one of
the area's most unsightly buildings.

Okay, but is it full up? Are there so many people sunbathing there that the
North Bank needs to be pedestrianised too?

John Rowland wrote:
wrote:

Ken Livingstone, the Mayor of London, plans to replicate Paris
Plage, the beach created on a highway alongside the Seine each
August, on the four-lane Victoria Embankment beside the Thames.

It's been quite a decent place to go for a while. There's always stuff
going on between Tower Bridge and County Hall, particularly in summer.
And the Royal Festival Hall redevelopment has done wonders for one of
the area's most unsightly buildings.

Okay, but is it full up? Are there so many people sunbathing there that the
North Bank needs to be pedestrianised too?

What does that mean John? Transport schemes aren't only based upon
when something's "full up". Improving the quality of the local
environment is also a laudable aim. I grant you that the needs of
other road users must also be considered, but having filled other
pedestrian locations isn't the prerequisite for opening a new one.

On 15 Nov, 20:33, Tom Page wrote:
John Rowland wrote:
wrote:

Ken Livingstone, the Mayor of London, plans to replicate Paris
Plage, the beach created on a highway alongside the Seine each
August, on the four-lane Victoria Embankment beside the Thames.

It's been quite a decent place to go for a while. There's always stuff
going on between Tower Bridge and County Hall, particularly in summer.
And the Royal Festival Hall redevelopment has done wonders for one of
the area's most unsightly buildings.

Okay, but is it full up? Are there so many people sunbathing there that the
North Bank needs to be pedestrianised too?

What does that mean John? Transport schemes aren't only based upon
when something's "full up". Improving the quality of the local
environment is also a laudable aim. I grant you that the needs of
other road users must also be considered, but having filled other
pedestrian locations isn't the prerequisite for opening a new one.

Its pretty full as well. The northbank is important but road capacity
could be reduced as its a really fast road (relatively) and
comparitively underused. St Martins Lane would get my vote to be
pedestrianised as well as thats mainly a black cab rat run these days.

kytelly wrote:

St Martins Lane would get my vote to be
pedestrianised as well as thats mainly a black cab rat run these days.

I imagine the road is mainly used by car drivers following their TomToms,
which don't realise there is a forced left turn into William IV Street, and
so erroneously suggest St Martins Lane as the shortest route from much of
North London to much of South London. Black cabs wouldn't use it as a rat
run because they know about the forced left turn - they use St Martins Lane
because it's full of hotels and pubs and theatres to which people wish to be
taken.

On 2007-11-16, John Rowland wrote:
kytelly wrote:

St Martins Lane would get my vote to be
pedestrianised as well as thats mainly a black cab rat run these days.

I imagine the road is mainly used by car drivers following their TomToms,
which don't realise there is a forced left turn into William IV Street, and
so erroneously suggest St Martins Lane as the shortest route from much of
North London to much of South London. Black cabs wouldn't use it as a rat
run because they know about the forced left turn - they use St Martins Lane
because it's full of hotels and pubs and theatres to which people wish to be
taken.

They use it as a rat run - take the forced left then u-turn. I have
experienced this, and seen it done on other occasions.

In article ,
(John Rowland) wrote:

kytelly wrote:

St Martins Lane would get my vote to be pedestrianised
as well as thats mainly a black cab rat run these days.

I imagine the road is mainly used by car drivers following their
TomToms, which don't realise there is a forced left turn into
William IV Street, and so erroneously suggest St Martins Lane as
the shortest route from much of North London to much of South
London. Black cabs wouldn't use it as a rat run because they know
about the forced left turn - they use St Martins Lane because it's
full of hotels and pubs and theatres to which people wish to be
taken.

Ho, ho! They just turn right illegally (well, some of them anyway). I use
it on my bike and find it a fantastic (and lightly trafficked)
alternative route. Unfortunately there is no Northbound equivalent.
Perhaps the answer is to make it (and Upper St Martin's Lane and Monmouth
St) two-way for cyclists.

--
Colin Rosenstiel

In article ,
(John Rowland) wrote:

I've never heard the South Bank called "nice" before... but I
haven't used it in a while. Is it full up then?

Years ago my father used to call it "the empire on which the concrete
never sets".

--
Colin Rosenstiel