a failed experiment to turn the loughborough road into cycle highway

[distress]

About two years ago a part of loughborough road (Brixton) suddenly has signs put up announced that this would be turned into a cycle lane highway. It looked like work are still done, side of road were blocked but you never see a worker. One day CCTV cameras were installed, strangely road are still open wide to the public. Because the road starts at a traffic light, but road was wide open, still in used for local access, and some time not a bicycle was in sight, looked at that empty and wide open road, reluctant and hesitated then many driver still slowly turn into that.

I got two tickets because of CCTV camera can send out with delay of 21 days. Otherwise after the first ticket I would not turn in that road anymore.

That was the story. But not the end of story.

Who ever put up those sign and CCTV camera, but left the road open, pretending work were still going on, must cash-in a lot of drivers money. That road is the short cut between to busy parts of town Stockwell and Camberwell and is used by 100 of cars in hour, if not 500. 1000 in rush hours.

But, around 6, 7 months later I was surprised cameras are taken off, road opened again for cars!

What was going on? So someone got bored with building empty cycle highway lane? -Real empty at 9: 00AM at 13: 00AM and at 4: 00PM and at 6: 00PM...

What about our money, the traffic ticket and petrol money to drive around town, can I request money back please. You can not just put up sign, blocked roads, install CCTV cameras then cash in like ... like the pirate of the Caribbean.

Do you know some one got ticket turning from Coldharbour Lane, Brixton right into that loughborough road? How would you do to get your money returned?

[Amethyst]

Re: a failed experiment to turn the loughborough road into cycle highway

Sounds like someone needs to send a Freedom of Information request to the council - probably a couple separate ones - one for how many fines issued in the period the cctv was up .... another for the decision meetings etc around the cycle lane construction and abandonment. Have you had a council change following the election?

[des8]

Re: a failed experiment to turn the loughborough road into cycle highway

[QUOTE=distress;739217
You can not just put up sign, blocked roads, install CCTV cameras then cash in like ... like the pirate of the Caribbean.
[/QUOTE]


To be fair to the council, I don't think it was quite like that.

A group of vocal residents requested the ban.
The council listened and consulted and put in place an experimental change.
They appear to have taken all necessary legal steps to implement the changes on an experimental basis.
When the feedback showed it was a failure the experiment was halted and reversed ahead of time.

I doubt you have a snowball's chance in hell of having your money returned.

https://www.lambeth.gov.uk/sites/def...alisations.pdf
http://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/...-a3107976.html
http://www.brixtonbuzz.com/2015/09/c...s-pear-shaped/
http://www.brixtonblog.com/loughboro...november/33086

[Amethyst]

Re: a failed experiment to turn the loughborough road into cycle highway

Ahhh t'is a well known issue then.... Thanks [MENTION=39710]des8[/MENTION]

[distress]

Re: a failed experiment to turn the loughborough road into cycle highway

Thanks for the infos des8,

"They appear to have taken all necessary legal steps to implement the changes on an experimental basis.
When the feedback showed it was a failure the experiment was halted and reversed ahead of time."

Then they also should also take step to return the PCN money not that people who paid are unknown, *those are contract on falsity and misrepresentation" or is it not. If something is experimental you should educate people to accept the experiment, not put up real camera, fine them and keep the cash. That is no fair play

I heard some recent interesting comments on radio "... one concerning problem of our society is the diminishing of standards"
-you sell weapon to murder you say sorry but keep the cash
-you behave incorrect in official position, got caught you say sorry but keep the cash
-you cause mayhem to thousand of families, you say sorry but keep the cash

[distress]

Re: a failed experiment to turn the loughborough road into cycle highway

. Have you had a council change following the election?

Checking the MP I see two new faces and an old one ... But to be honest, I am only a common Johns eat sleep work and try to keep finance above the water since 11 years the only times I get in connection with the council is when pay BR, call in when shocked about another hike just to hear the same -don't know why I still have hope-, when pay PCN ... apart from that nobody ever comes say hello or shake hand ... Does the council change?

[ADDLED]

Re: a failed experiment to turn the loughborough road into cycle highway

Have you had a council change following the election?

Nope; still the disastrously ineffectual, wastefule, neglectful, lazy Labour-run council in Lambeth I'm afraid!

[des8]

Re: a failed experiment to turn the loughborough road into cycle highway

If you don't like the council/councillors have you considered standing for election yourself?

It seems that the road changes were well signposted, and post 1 seems to admit that [MENTION=8105]distress[/MENTION] deliberately (if reluctantly and hesitantly) decided to ignore them.

If one decides to ignore such signage simply because it is convenient for one, then I'm afraid such action has repercussions.

[distress]

Re: a failed experiment to turn the loughborough road into cycle highway

it is sad that we argue about this matter. that was from the council view a futile failed attempt to see car drivers as cash cows of the nation. But you must admit it was a bit late, the experiment cause the people a lot of hassle, time loss on diversion, petrol cost, good cash penalties it is not just "for one convenience" The coldhabour lane at time is always heavy trafficked due to Loughborough road's experiment it turned very congested, It is ok you hear on vocal local group but, don't you run your own investigation how much cars, how much bi-cycle,how much pedestrians use that road. shops suffering under high cost, why doesn't the council hear them If it is rightgeous, when council stops that stupidity they could have time to re-contemplate all the pictures going out for traffic offence penalties were very empty somehow ... Don't they wonder why?

[des8]

Re: a failed experiment to turn the loughborough road into cycle highway

Sorry if I have upset you, but I was not arguing.

I was only pointing out that if you contravene traffic regulations you are awarded a PCN, even if you disagree with the regulation.
You asked how you could recover your money.
The short answer is that you can't

[ADDLED]

Re: a failed experiment to turn the loughborough road into cycle highway

If you don't like the council/councillors have you considered standing for election yourself?

I didn't much like the meal I had at a restaurant last week, but didn't consider the need to retrain as a chef and cook it myself. But, if I did, I would make sure I wasn't disastrously ineffectual, wasteful, neglectful and lazy and, if I was, I would try to ensure that I wasn't renowned across my industry and my peers as being so.

[distress]

Re: a failed experiment to turn the loughborough road into cycle highway

Sorry if I have upset you, but I was not arguing.

I was only pointing out that if you contravene traffic regulations you are awarded a PCN, even if you disagree with the regulation.
You asked how you could recover your money.
The short answer is that you can't

In a moment of good humor I thought maybe they could return the money, now they see it was a bad experiment.

But thoughtfully, I hope they would open the book admit how many double and triple PCNs has been sent out to motorist, showing how much cashed in as convenience tax on wheel, and show us it uses all the through-experiment-earning cash for good cause, also to openly apology to motorist who forked out a lot money to drive diversion, also promise to check, plan and think carefully in future project not just doing thing because one hears the voice

Councillor only has to go to that shop at the corner of traffic light and ask "How many thousand bicycles you think a day go though this direction?" he/she would be looked on from toe to head and sent home with the answer "What thousand?! Are you a mad man or what" You need any more. It is not a rocket science, is it?

"Cycle lane highway? Here? You must be joking" chuckling & mumbling while that person looks up and down to see whether there a bi-cycle coming along

[distress]

Re: a failed experiment to turn the loughborough road into cycle highway

I like to add an information regarding the clear signage, Des8 seems to know the project, or know someone who was involved. Maybe the council can explain why.

Loughborough road was not declared calm of traffic, or one-way road.

The confusion it caused because there is a sign not turn into at traffic light Coldhabour lane, above a sign road is used for bus and cycles only, hence citizen talks from a plan of cycle highway lane, but cars vans were still allowed to turn into Loughborough road at the other end.

This particular issue confused drivers like mini cabs, black cabs, delivery, trading men, or myself working in the part of Brixton town for many years, we stand between the traffic light and before the CCTV observing cars still drove out, because the other end of Loughborough road is still open for car, van, heavy transport trafic, because at the junction Lillford road, Ackerman road, Fiveways road is not forbidden to turned into Loughborough road. To make it clear please see this map here:

http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?x...f&mapp=map.srf
(you find Loughborough road exactly in the middle of the connection line, draw from the red arrow and the red upper case print "SW9")

The council must have idea why put up sign in that particular way, in this failed experiment.

If you put an announcement about the failed experiment in the Metro or Local Lambeth Post, and call the fined driver to contact, for you have not got a report on how much fines you have cashed in during your experiment, I think a lot of mini cabs black cabs trade men delivery men etc. will call in and help you

Does this way to put up sign and CCTV need to be explain?