"John Rowland" wrote in message
...

Every traffic measure is monitored by the responsible authority six months
before and after its installation. If they were lethal, they would not be
still installing them.


Really, John? Just what does this "monitoring" consist of? Checking traffic
volumes electronically or actually spending a day (or more) physically
observing the way in which drivers are using the modified carriageway? I
have a view of the site from my window and have *never* seen anyone
monitoring traffic flows during the working day.

I have little doubt that no such "monitoring" has occurred at my local
installation, which consists of four reductions in carriageway width from
two lanes to a single lane within 200 yards (narrowed equally on both sides,
so that traffic passes through in the centre of the carriageway). Half an
hour observing would have revealed that, despite the traffic flow priority
signs, motorists hurtle through the chicanes at excessive speeds with scant
regard to oncoming vehicles with priority. Originally there was a raised,
paved area at the narrowest point of each chicane and they were relatively
effective - recently they have removed the raised area because it was
grounding ambulances and now the installation is ineffective and downright
dangerous.

JohnB writes:
Well there you are then. I make the journey several times a year,
usually with wife and four children, two still of primary school
age. We regularly stay in Bruges. Oh, and I usually book only few
days before travelling.

Good heavens - you can afford to pay the extortionate Eurostar prices
for six people, plus train fare from Hampshire for the same, on a
regular basis. It must be nice to have so much money to spare.

--
Jonathan Marten, SCM Team Engineer VSP Bracknell, UK
Sun Microsystems

"Progress is not expedited by frequent requests for progress reports"

On Thu, 9 Oct 2003 20:49:56 +0000 (UTC), "Oliver Keating"
wrote:



The tube is the only viable transport option for a large city. Even the
car-loving Americans know this - New York city has no underground motorways
in the centre, but does have an extensive subway system.


The only example I can think of where underground motorways have been
built on a big scale recently in a major city is the Boston 'big dig',
which has itself been fraught with problems, and is in a city which
remains very dependent on public transport in the centre (somebody
else has made the same point since I drafted this message).

The original poster said that 'public transport is not the answer' -
but the fact is that most journeys into Central London are by public
transport. Like many car owners in London, I usually leave my car at
home or at a tube station somewhere when I'm going into the centre.
Better to concentrate investment in roads further out of London where
people are more likely to use their cars

Martin

Depresion wrote:

"Martin2" wrote in message
...

Now had you jumped on Eurostar and simply crossed platforms in Brussels it
is
likely you would have ha a much more pleasant journey. Just think, not
having
to queue at the ferry port or having to drive.

That ignores the pleasure you would get from getting to the Eurostar
terminal on public transport
with two children and assorted luggage in tow

Isn't it sad that it's often quicker and almost always cheaper to fly to Paris
than take the train to London.

The fare from my local station in Hampshire to London, 2 adults 4 children is
£51.50.
How can I get to Paris for less?

John B

"JohnB" wrote in message ...


Depresion wrote:

"Martin2" wrote in message
...

Now had you jumped on Eurostar and simply crossed platforms in Brussels
it
is
likely you would have ha a much more pleasant journey. Just think, not
having
to queue at the ferry port or having to drive.

That ignores the pleasure you would get from getting to the Eurostar
terminal on public transport
with two children and assorted luggage in tow

Isn't it sad that it's often quicker and almost always cheaper to fly to
Paris
than take the train to London.

The fare from my local station in Hampshire to London, 2 adults 4 children is
£51.50.
How can I get to Paris for less?

There fair from my local station (when it reopens) starts from about £70 per
person if I book well in advance don't mind not arriving till the mid afternoon
(if the trains are on time) and doesn't garnetee a seat. That's a lot more than
a return flight to Paris from my local airport.

Depresion wrote:

"JohnB" wrote in message ...

So where is the airport in Bruges and what's the flight fare?

The airport is "Ostend Bruges International Airport" about 15 - 20 miles out
(depending on where in Bruges you are), not far in a hire car, Ryanair is
offering it for 99p out and £9.99 return flying out on a Wed and back the
following Fri or 99p each way on the Thur plus taxes brings it to a total of
£22.83 per person. (I probably wouldn't fly with them but they have an easy
booking service for price checks.)

London - any station in Belgium is £159 for 2 adults 4 children, an average of
£26.50. I also don't need to book 14 days in advance.

From home it takes not much more than 4 hours and costs a total of 210.50 with
the easy crossing of concourses in Waterloo and Brussels and average of just £35
each return.

Stansted is a four hour train journey to start with and would be £80 return for
the 6 of us, so total fare of £228.98 is higher and journey time would be 50%
plus longer and there would be the hassle of crossing London and getting from
Ostend/Bruges airport to our chosen destination.

I am aware that air and car travel can sometimes be better in certain
circumstances, but in this case its not.

John B

Jonathan Marten - Volume Systems Products UK wrote:

JohnB writes:
Well there you are then. I make the journey several times a year,
usually with wife and four children, two still of primary school
age. We regularly stay in Bruges. Oh, and I usually book only few
days before travelling.

Good heavens - you can afford to pay the extortionate Eurostar prices
for six people, plus train fare from Hampshire for the same, on a
regular basis. It must be nice to have so much money to spare.

I wouldn't call £35 per head return to any station in Belgium
extortionate.
So now please tell me how I can do it cheaper, in the same time, and in
the same degree of comfort.

John B

"Jonathan Marten - Volume Systems Products UK"
wrote in message ...

It must be nice to have so much money to spare.

It is.

Perhaps you too could reduce the amount you spend on the car per year by
1000s

"Depresion" wrote in message
...

There fair from my local station (when it reopens) starts from about £70
per
person if I book well in advance don't mind not arriving till the mid
afternoon
(if the trains are on time) and doesn't garnetee a seat. That's a lot more
than
a return flight to Paris from my local airport.

Thats rubbish.

Perhaps you have easyjet flights, booked well in advance at an inconvenient
hours.
But, try it at a weekend and it'll be 70 quid if you book well in advance in
winter.
OTOH business hours flights on BA will cost over £200

Also: train fares.
Choose the journeys you say, and I'd guess you can get to london from
scotland for less than 40 quid.

"W K" wrote in message


Thats rubbish.

Perhaps you have easyjet flights, booked well in advance at an
inconvenient hours.
But, try it at a weekend and it'll be 70 quid if you book well in
advance in winter.

Next weekend it's £57 inc taxes Heathrow to Paris on bmi.

OTOH business hours flights on BA will cost over £200

Heathrow to Paris next week on bmi in business hours. £63 inc taxes.
Gatwick to Paris next week on BA in business hours. £92 inc taxes.