ONE of the worst facets of our roads is that they are seen as a place where cyclists and pedestrians have a right to be. It is a quite a ridiculous principle. Motor vehicles and cyclists/pedestrians should not be allowed to mix. Roads are a place from wh
ONE of the worst facets of our roads is that they are seen as a place where cyclists and pedestrians have a right to be. It is a quite a ridiculous principle. Motor vehicles and cyclists/pedestrians should not be allowed to mix.
Roads are a place from which cyclists and pedestrians should be, at worst, almost completely protected and, at best, banned.
In city's, towns, villages and other built-up areas, however, it is not nearly so difficult to segregate cyclists and pedestrians away from traffic without incurring any extraordinary cost.
I have studied Cambridge and the junction where the Catholic church stands and this would provide a superb example of a large flat area with a semi-circle of steps/slopes down to the church's frontage. Other similar areas are at the Market Square, Parkside Police Station and several of the colleges and museum.
Since separating the cyclists and pedestrians will be seen as too expensive, irrespective of the loss of life, it is possible to take other actions which will produce drastic reductions in injury and death on the roads.
* All traffic lights should be removed and sold to third world countries who do not have the intellect to understand how damaging they are in respect of added carbon emissions.
* Wherever feasible roads should be increased to the greatest width possible. Even in built-up areas.
* Wherever possible and particularly at multiple direction junctions the road should be railed off to at least six-feet high.
* Wherever feasible under-passes or over-passes should be constructed - these would best be built at road junctions.
* At all road junctions there should be a left turn filter lane taking precedence for up to two hundred yards at which point a Y shaped double short lined with a 'proceed with caution' notice marked on the road. The left lane should proceed first and then all subsequent traffic would move forward alternately. Alternate procession should be made law at all road junctions even and including driveways on/off the roads.
* There should be no possibility of cyclists and pedestrian crossing any road at road junctions.
JOHN PENDRY
Bancroft Lane
Soham
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