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JessW
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« on: February 19, 2003, 03:13:33 pm » |
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Is it just me being paranoid or has London been evacuated (a la WW2) without me being told? I have a good view of Blackfriars Bridge Road and there is hardly anyone around, ditto the South Bank as a whole.
Any ideas, guys? They can't all be on holiday!
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andream
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« Reply #1 on: February 19, 2003, 03:36:04 pm » |
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Congestion charging? Are you in the Golden "zone"?
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JessW
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« Reply #2 on: February 19, 2003, 04:33:24 pm » |
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I work in the congestion charging zone, live in the congestion charging zone and work 'nights at the restaurant' outside the zone. Every evening I queue up at Buss Stop J waiting for a 63, 172 or 483 to take me there and every bus (from inside the congestion charging zone) is jammed to the gunnels with people - so like I said where is everyone? you cannot empty a place by bus from somewhere there are no people! if that makes sense.
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Jackie G
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« Reply #3 on: February 19, 2003, 05:03:44 pm » |
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How does it work for you if you also live in the charging zone? Curious to know, Edinburgh has all eyes on this as we are in for it too, although they have promised us a referendum on it. I live outside what will probably be classed as the main and even outer zones, but certainly will be entering them a lot. I have always wondered what it would be like for those living right inside the zone though - you guys have no choice! Jackie www.iqps.org
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raindance
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« Reply #4 on: February 19, 2003, 10:54:43 pm » |
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My office is based just a few metres outside the congestion charging zone, and I've noticed that it is very quiet this week even allowing for it being school vacation this week. The Tube is very busy, but then it always is.
Raindance
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chris68
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« Reply #5 on: February 19, 2003, 11:36:02 pm » |
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congestion charging zone, can someone please explain this to me? Being on the US side of the pond I've not heard of this before, can someone please enlighten me? Chris68
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Jackie G
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« Reply #6 on: February 20, 2003, 12:13:31 am » |
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Basically, Chris, it's a way to try to stop (or deter) people from taking their own cars into the centre of cities - in this case, London - congestion charging began on Monday- and to encourage the greater use of public transport. I think I'm right in saying there are several zones - I think there are 2 proposed for Edinburgh where I live, but there are possibly more in London? - the areas are 'ringed' and depending on where you go, you are charged accordingly. It's £5 per day to enter the zone and very little is excepted. So expect a hike in goods, taxi fares, courier charges etc as companies pass on the additional charge to us poor punters! Jackie www.iqps.org
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JessW
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« Reply #7 on: February 20, 2003, 11:27:31 am » |
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I should add to Jackie's note that certain vehicles are excempt - so lets all go out and buy a minibus and really scupper Ken's day! For more information on the congestion charging (one zone only - you are either in or out!) see www.cc.gov.uk! As for living inside the zone it is just another form of road tax but with this one at least I get a 90% discount, so have paid att £126 for a whole year. don't like it though cos I also pay my road tax, car tax, insurance and VAT etc as well. |
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Jackie G
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« Reply #8 on: February 20, 2003, 02:34:02 pm » |
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No wonder we get told by foreigners who come to live and work here that we pay too much in taxes - everything is taxed and yet for all that road tax we pay, there are STILL holes in the roads!!! I have phoned my local council this morning to tell them that they have designed very badly the new paper recycling bags - flat bags, no handles, nothing to cover them in the wet (like we have a dry climate, ha ha!) and difficult to lift for those with manual dexterity problems when full. Oh, yes, madam, you're not the first person to make that point. So I said to the guy, if you're going to be spending my money designing these things, I want a say in them!!! They've taken my number! Jackie www.iqps.org
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sueg22
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« Reply #9 on: February 20, 2003, 06:54:56 pm » |
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They are most likely going to start doing this in New York City as well. Mayor Mike is looking at charging $8 for a private vehicle to enter certain congested areas of the city.
People are already complaining because the taxpayers are going to be footing the bill for Mayor Mike and team of his folks to go to London several times to see how it works over there.
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ozbound
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« Reply #10 on: February 20, 2003, 10:12:20 pm » |
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So how would you rate the public transport in London area? Is it pretty smooth, a bit of a pain, or really awful? Here in the Seattle area it ranges between a pain and awful (it is awful in Tacoma!) It's really quite an embarrassment for Seattle, which is supposed to be a world-class city but the traffic jams are stifling. Our more humble neighbor to the south, Portland OR, has a wonderful mass transit system that's been in place for years now. We are woefully behind but are starting to develop light rail (it's just held up by political squabbling all the time!)
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raindance
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« Reply #11 on: February 21, 2003, 12:19:09 am » |
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Dear Ozbound,
How do I rate public transport in London? Like most things, when it works, it's wonderful. There are three types of transport here - buses, trains and the Tube. The Tube is still the quickest way to get around London, but it doesn't go everywhere and can be extremely crowded, particularly during the rush hour in the morning and evening. Parts of the Tube are very old so it's creaking a bit at the seams and needs a lot of investment in the infrastructure. It's the same thing with the trains - overcrowding at peak times, not enough rolling stock etc. We have lots of buses, but traffic in London can be very slow. We'll have to wait a little longer to see whether the new congestion charging has any significant impact on traffic flow, and whether the money generated by the charging is used effectively to improve transport services.
Raindance
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peana
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« Reply #12 on: February 21, 2003, 12:31:49 pm » |
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There's also the river buses, Docklands Light Rail, and Croydon has it's trams!
Public transport isn't too hot at the moment (especially with the whole of the central line closed), but they're definitely trying to get it working better, it just needs a huge amount of investment. The night buses are great. I have never lived anywhere with such a brilliant and regular system (including Switzerland, famous for it's excellent transport). I'm a big fan of the buses - you might get stuck in traffic, but the view's better!
London really is one place where you can comfortably exist without a car (you can always hire one with the money you've saved for those exceptions).
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Jackie G
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« Reply #13 on: February 21, 2003, 01:38:30 pm » |
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I do think you'd be mad to have a car if you lived in London - or at least those areas served well by tube and buses. I lived in Barnes (south of the river, beyond Hammersmith) before I moved back to Scotland, and it's where I learned to drive, and eventually had a little car, which I took to/from work every day - but I only went up to Shepherd's Bush and quite often bussed it, as it was quicker! I've only ever been on the Docklands Light Railway very recently, and for a very small part of a journey so can't comment on it. As for the Central Line - I didn't realise it was still out - that's a month now! Jackie www.iqps.org
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