Heres a little post brought about by reflection on the changes U.K is starting to go through in regard to travel. 20 years ago I lived in Australia, leaving London for work and adventure. A couple I got to know said to me then in 1998 that Brits arent really bothered about anything other than getting a new car every year, in some ways that still rings true, however the environment that we live in is about to change. Ive been writing blogs for 7 years now and many of them are coming back to be relevant to conversations Im having in more formal locations. Monday just passed I was at the Wallisdown Corridor Stakeholder meeting, it was transport people and engineers who are tasked to change the roads to bring about Active Travel Modeshift, inviting me as the chairman of the now BH Active Travel Forum. Much of the conversation was general, Ive written before about road closures, they rock and everyone likes them. My ideas of chines being active travel corridors actually have backing in things like Pooles seafront strategy that Im still trying to influence action on, these things are the backbone of what is now being discussed more and more often in transportation depts. Bus firm speakers were great – with ideas that showed some real long- term ideas, more people can be moved on buses for short journeys, in the dry warm than anything. Anyway heres the vision, Britain is starting to get into what has been happening for 20 years in many European cities. We now have neighbourhood planning voted in for Broadstone, which has to address travel. We have issues with roundabouts that need to be redesigned, like Broadstone, Darbys Corner, Kinson, Mountbatten and more. Take a look at this roundabout:-
and this bridge:-
Arent they superb? Ways of making the built environment superb for living in unlike the vehicle addled British streets. The funny thing is this is where we are at in 2019, it has to happen, all the road changes to promote cycling and walking are just 20 years behind many other countries. So dont expect the ‘cyclists’ to go away, it hasnt even begun properly yet. There is no ‘lifestyle’ to change to, Ive always ridden a bike a few miles by choice, its just taken for granted in Europe while Britain has become so car blind it feels like a statement to be a daily Active Traveller- it isnt, it just makes sense.
Finally now heres the way G.B looks now, everywhere in town and city streets, its a picture of a street in Nederland. 20 years ago.
Does it look familiar? thats because it was a place where cars were the prime mover, Now heres the same street 20 years later
Great isnt it, redesignation of space to move people, not cars. I cant wait to read this post in 20 Years and see what happened. Ill be on the E-Bike, going slowly along the cycleway.