On The Road The journal of the Alliance of British Drivers

Issue 117 Winter 2015/16 Banning pavement parking isn’t always the answer he ABD has been campaigning against the Pavement Parking Bill - a Private TMember’s Bill which reached its second reading in the House of Commons earlier this month. It is designed to give local authorities the right to ban all pavement parking by default on urban roads where the is 40mph or less. ABD’s Ian Taylor discussed it face-to-face with John Edwards of Living Streets, formerly The Pedestrian Association, which has been lobbying in favour of the new rules. Ian said: “Having been shown some pictures of ‘sensible’ Riga is an example of a sensible approach to pavement parking pavement parking, John said he didn’t mind that, and simply wanted to make it easier for local authorities to tackle that which blocked pavements rather than a total Patron flying flag for ABD ban.” UKIP’s spokesman Jill However, having examined the Bill in detail, the ABD can Seymour says she is honoured to have only find mention of a default blanket ban, and is therefore been made a patron of the Alliance of opposing it, in its current form, for the following reasons: British Drivers. l Councils, especially those with a zealous desire to She was invited to take up the ‘get people out of their cars’, will likely apply blanket position after speaking at our annual bans, wiping out whole residential neighbourhoods of on- general meeting, held at the Heritage street parking where there is no alternative (apart from Motor Museum in Gaydon (full report on obstructing the ). pages 2 and 3). l A proliferation of yellow lines would make life The -based MEP said: extremely difficult for car-owning residents. “This organisation, and a few other l Anyone who continued to park partially on a individuals, are working hard to protect pavement, whether obstructing or not, would likely become the motorist from the overbearing the target of widespread enforcement action - making a legislation, not least from the European Union. Welcome - Jill Seymour with ABD mint for local authorities in the process from penalties. directors Ian Taylor & Brian Macdowall Ian Taylor, who has worked with Sean Corker on the “As I sit on the transport committee campaign, said: “I emphasise that the ABD does not in Brussels, I’m afraid I only see an “I am honoured to have been invited condone irresponsible parking that obstructs pavements; escalating war on the motorist, with to become a patron of the ABD, and am any more than that which blocks road carriageways. This is hardly anyone defending their interests. delighted to accept. We must campaign already covered in law. It is the duty of organisations such against the overbearing European Union “However, there are places where sensible pavement as the Alliance of British Drivers to - and our own Government - on their parking would and should take place without obstructing campaign on behalf of, and to protect, relentless war and persecution of the anyone – and would indeed help keep traffic flowing. The our fellow motorists. motorist.” proposals within the Bill are hugely disproportionate, unfairly punishing the majority of sensible and considerate drivers looking to balance pedestrian access with minimal Inside our winter 2015 issue: obstruction of other road users.” The ABD believes pavement parking should only be P2: Report from our Annual General Meeting banned where there is a case for preventing obstruction, P4: Time to revive 80mph motorway speed plans? and suggests a ‘one metre rule’ - a good definition of the P5: Zero tolerance – a glimpse into the future minimum pavement width to be left free. P6: Reducing signage clutter on our Ian Taylor cites the Latvian capital of Riga as an example highways of an eminently sensible and practical approach, where P7: Why bus lanes are becoming partial pavement parking is signed and mandatory. “It works cash cows in the right places,” he said. P8: Special report: Saving a ABD members are urged to write to their MPs to Canadian freeway support the suggested amendments - taking pictures of P11: Smart motorways – aims and unobstructive and sensible pavement parking, if possible, to objectives attach as evidence. P14: News in brief Find details of your local MP here: P15: Soapbox – your views on the big issues http://www.parliament.uk/mps-lords-and-offices/mps/ P16: Who’s who at the ABD – useful contacts Ian says: “Please help us with this campaign.”

Visit www.abd.org.uk for further details. To join the ABD call now on 0161 408 7070 The ABD campaign for l Improved road user training l Real transport choices l Investment in Britain’s roads l Honesty on transport issues Three guest speakers shared their opinions at the Alliance of British Drivers ABD director, Ian Taylor, updated members on the group’s campaigning work On The Road annual general meeting, held at the Heritage Motor Centre Museum over the past year, as well as providing details on upcoming projects On The Road Controversial issues raised at ABD’s AGM mart motorways . . . speed cameras . . . number-plate Srecognition systems . . . black- box vehicle tracking systems . . . just some of the many controversial issues which were up for discussion at the ABD’s annual general meeting. It was held at the Heritage Motor Centre Museum, Gaydon, on October 31st, with guest speakers including Dan Nesbitt of Big Brother Watch, UKIP’s Transport spokesman Jill Seymour MEP, and Phil Carey from Transport Focus. Before their presentations and the debate could get under way, though, there was the formal business of approving the income and expenditure account for the year to the end of March, and re-electing directors Brian MacDowall and Peter Roberts, who were both returned unopposed. Automatic Number Plate Recognition systems are useful, but should drivers have a choice? And so, to the presentations. First up was Dan Nesbitt from Big Brother Watch, looking at “The European Union is launching a interesting pieces of research, including the wide issue of surveillance in the motoring staggering attack on our freedom and liberties, what motorists view as the priorities for sector. they want to manage everything; from the improvement in our road transport system. It’s become a particularly hot potato in style of a vehicle, health & safety, emissions, Number one is better quality of road recent times with the fitting of eCall to be road tolls, manage motorways, driving surfaces, followed by safer design and made mandatory within the EU on all new cars licences, eCall, to name but a few.” upkeep of roads, better behaved drivers, and vans from 2018, and Automatic Number She described eCall as a gross invasion of better management of roadworks, and better Plate Recognition (ANPR) systems expanding privacy that claimed to be acting in the name management of ‘unplanned delays’ such as all the time. of safety but was nothing but the beginnings of roadworks, or accidents. a data collection scheme, taking information from cars without our consent and giving it to “ANPR cameras the government and whoever they decide to “The EU’s final push share it with. are now recording “This is something we cannot and should not in their war against tolerate, it is our business and our business between 25 and 30 alone. We should at least have the option to the motorist is in the turn it off.” million plates every She agreed with ABD members who fear pursuit of their Green single day” ANPR cameras are part of the drive to agenda” introduce a new system of tolls, road charging schemes. Dan Nesbitt of Big Brother Watch Jill Seymour, UKIP’s Transport spokesman “I am totally against tolls, as they unfairly Phil Carey, Road User Policy Advisor Is this all opening the door to automated penalise motorists who can just about afford At the bottom of the priority list was ‘better speed checking and road tolling? ABD members What is happening to all this data? Is it looking like it is not long before people will be to keep their car on the road. against those who rely on their car and cannot journey planning tools’. certainly suspect so. proven to be helping to reduce crime? And forced to use them. “The EU’s final push in their war against afford to make these changes. Phil fielded many specific questions about Dan’s view on ANPR is that it is an ‘over- how secure is all this information about “We believe that there should be public the motorist is in the pursuit of their Green “The EU is treating motorists abysmally and bottlenecks and troublespots on the motorway the-top approach’ to surveillance, and that motorists, in the light of high-profile hacks discussions about how all of these cameras agenda. They want to raise our fuel prices is sacrificing our quality of life for their Green system, including the M60 around , eCall could be ‘quite useful’ – but that drivers at other businesses? The consensus was that and telematics devices are used. even higher through new taxation on us and agenda. This is an unacceptable attack on the the miles of roadworks and 50mph limits should be given a choice on whether to use it, there are many more questions than answers “Police should have to prove that they need the petrol companies. freedom of the motorist.” on the M1 north of , and changes to or not. over ANPR right now. them, and that they are not using them in an “They want to make petrol and diesel cars The final guest speaker was Phil Carey, Road sliproads on the M54 in Telford. “The technology itself is not bad or evil in The same can be said for ‘black boxes’, over-zealous or sweeping way.” so expensive and undesirable with so many User Policy Advisor for Transport Focus, the The afternoon was rounded off by ABD any way. It is motivated by a good idea, but which are encouraged by insurance companies UKIP’s Transport spokesman Jill Seymour restrictions to force us out of using them. government-backed group set up to advise director Ian Taylor, who updated members on demonstrates what can happen when people’s to store information about vehicle movements followed Dan, and explained why she strongly “The EU and our own government are Highways (formerly the Highways the group’s campaigning work over the past privacy and civil liberties are not taken into and reduce the risk of fraudulent insurance supported the ABD’s constant campaigning pushing us all to change to electric cars or Agency). year, as well as upcoming projects – including account,” he said. claims. against the perceived ‘anti-car’ attitudes of trains, even quoting more bicycle lanes. The idea is that the group provides a link the development of a new ‘Gold Standard’ He told the meeting how ANPR had initially That makes sense. The problem, though, governments. Their future vision is zero traffic in towns and between road users and on for driving excellence, and a planned survey only been introduced as a counter-terrorist is that young drivers are being penalised “As I sit on the transport committee in zero carbon emissions. I believe this removes issues affecting the Strategic Road Network. on driving matters relating to the ‘in or out?’ measure against the IRA, but was now used on with higher insurance premiums for not Brussels, I truly believe they are dedicated in freedom of choice and is unfair discrimination He guided members through some European Union referendum. more than 2,800 sites within the Metropolitan having them fitted, and this lack of choice is removing all types of traffic off roads and onto Police area in , and on 150 traffic lanes concerning Big Brother Watch, as much as ABD rail. in the West Midlands. members. “I’m afraid I only see an escalating war on Want to get more involved? There are plenty of ways you can help “ANPR cameras are now recording between Dan concluded: “If you do not want one, the motorist, with hardly anyone defending 25 and 30 million plates every single day.” you should not have to have one. But it is their interest in politics. the ABD to move forward. Just check out page 16 to find out how

Page 2 abd.org.uk abd.org.uk Page 3 It is fifty years since the ‘experimental’ motorway speed limit of 70mph was Breaking the motorway speed limit by just 1mph could see motorists hit with On The Road introduced. With advances in technology, is an increase of 10mph warranted? a fine of £100 and points on their licence if speed cameras are switched on On The Road Is now the time to revive 80mph Zero tolerance and speed motorway speed limit proposals? cameras working 24/7: ecember marks the 50th anniversary of is this a glimpse into the Dthe introduction of an ‘experimental’ national speed limit of 70mph on all roads without any future of our motorways? other limit. ll drivers who travel at more the county, including the busy stretch between After extensions to the initial three- junctions 10 and 13. month trial, the limit initially introduced on than 70mph on the motorway face being fined under radical At the moment the cameras in that area are December 22nd 1965, was made permanent A only used to enforce variable speed limits, in 1967. new proposals being considered. such as when drivers are restricted to 50mph The limit was introduced as an illogical Speed cameras would be switched on during periods of congestion. reaction to a series of multiple accidents on permanently across stretches of the motorway But under the new plans the cameras would motorways in fog. network, catching everyone who exceeded the be switched on permanently meaning speeding That such accidents occurred and continue limit. motorists would be caught whatever the time Car drivers currently pay £6.50 to use to occur is not surprising, since drivers have Motorists would then be forced to pay a of day or the driving conditions. the M48 Severn Bridge and M4 Second never been offered effective training in £100 fine as well as having points added to Under the current system, forces have the Severn Crossing judging speed and distance within the unique their licence, or could opt instead to attend a discretion to apply leeway around the speed visual environment of a motorway. speed awareness course, costing £90. limit, meaning drivers in a 70mph zone are A 70mph speed limit imposed in good But rather than being used to improve road Current Secretary of State for Transport, Drivers are more accustomed to motorways able to travel up to 79mph before being at risk conditions cannot prevent accidents in safety, the controversial plan is intended to of a fine. Reducing tolls poor visibility. The report on the 70mph Patrick McLoughlin these days, but training can be inadequate raise millions of pounds in revenue for the But the Daily Telegraph understands ‘experiment’ attempted to justify its police. that under the proposals, no continuation but provided no valid evidence most states have raised their speed limits on By setting speed limits in this way, not only The Daily Telegraph’s crime correspondent such leniency would be offered, raising the in the light of that accidents had reduced. motorway-type roads. In virtually all cases, is a high degree of compliance achieved but Martin Evans has been looking into the prospect that anyone travelling at 71mph, Substantial improvements have been made these changes were strongly opposed by the the spread of speeds (variance) reduces. situation, and says the “zero-tolerance” whatever the time of day or night would be in vehicle and highway engineering in the safety lobby, which anticipated huge increases Research shows that speed variance has approach to motorway speeding is the liable to receive a £100 fine. new ownership last half-century. Drivers are much more in casualties. a much greater bearing on accident rates brainchild of Bedfordshire Police and would accustomed to motorway driving, even though Analysis of accident trends, however, shows than average speed. Indeed, UK Government be rolled out initially across a busy stretch of Toll prices on the Severn Crossings training is still inadequate. no such increases. Indeed, in some cases, the policy on speed limits for the last 20 years has the M1, used by tens of thousands of cars each could be cut dramatically and still cover Today’s widespread lack of compliance states that raised their speed limits saw a been based on studies that have ignored speed day. “Speed cameras running and maintenance costs, it has been with the 70mph speed limit is an indication greater fall in casualties than those that did variance, leading to a misguided policy of ever Olly Martins, the Police and Crime would be switched on claimed. of its irrelevance to modern conditions and not. lower limits. Commissioner for the region, said he hoped Car drivers currently pay £6.50 to use is detrimental to respect for speed limits in Most other EU countries have motorway the scheme would be up and running by April permanently across the M48 Severn Bridge and M4 Second general. speed limits higher than 70mph, with 130km/h 2016, and would generate up to £1 million for Severn Crossing. Other adverse effects are tailgating, poor “Research shows that (81mph) being the most common. It is time his cash strapped force. stretches of the Chancellor George Osborne has said lane discipline, ‘undertaking’ and lack of the UK’s motorway limit (and that of high But the proposals have sparked widespread tolls for cars and vans will be cut to driver concentration. speed variance has a standard dual carriageways) was brought into anger amongst motoring groups, who fear it is motorway network” £5.40 in 2018, when they return to public It is also preventing the full economic line. inevitable other forces will follow suit. ownership. benefits being achieved from the nation’s much greater bearing ABD director Ian Taylor says: “Fifty years Hugh Bladon, co-founder of the Association But Monmouth MP David Davies believes investment in a high-standard motorway after it was introduced, the 70mph speed limit of British Drivers said the plan “beggared there is scope for a much bigger cut. on accident rates than While the revenue raised from speeding network. is a national joke. belief” and would lead to revolt on the roads. Fees are currently collected by a firm to fines goes to the Treasury, police forces can Former Transport Secretary Philip “The Government needs to face down the He said: “I think this is a dangerous pay for the construction and running costs average speed” make money by persuading drivers to sign up Hammond indicated his support for raising pessimists and anti-car elements in the road precedent. due to be repaid by 2018. the motorway speed limit to 80mph, but the safety lobby and increase the limit to 80mph “I am really appalled that a police force for speed awareness courses, which they run Mr Davies, who also chairs the Welsh proposal appears to have been shelved by his without further delay. should have even considered. My fear is that if themselves. Affairs Committee at Westminster, said it successors, including Patrick McLoughlin. Many US states are continuing to raise their “It should be followed with a thorough police forces see this working in one area they “We have total sympathy with cash-strapped was possible to maintain the bridges “on a This is presumably because of concerns that speed limits to bring them into line with best review of speed limit policy, reinstating the will quickly adopt a similar approach and soon constabularies, but no sympathy with forces fraction” of the cost when they revert to accidents might increase, but such fears are practice in speed limit setting, known as the 85th percentile as the basis of setting local the whole motorway network will be operating explicitly setting out to raise money from public ownership. unfounded. 85th percentile principle (setting limits at a speed limits, to encourage the greatest a zero tolerance policy. cameras.” He has obtained figures from the Since 1995, when the US Government level that 85 per cent of drivers would not compliance, lowest spread of speeds and “If the police want us on their side this The vast majority of drivers prefer this Department for Transport which he said abolished the federal 55mph speed limit, choose to exceed anyway). minimum accident risk.” is hardly the best way to go about it. This cheaper option, the Telegraph’s Martin Evans showed a net revenue of £91.4m in is utterly outrageous. Speed cameras are says, as it means they do not incur points 2014, of which £13.16m was operational supposed to be there to make the roads safer, on their licence and therefore do not suffer expenditure, including maintenance, with but as we now see the real reason is to make higher insurance premiums. The course in £17m paid in VAT and which will be waived Temptation of speed for company car drivers money.” Bedfordshire costs £90 to complete and is when they move into public ownership. Eight out of 10 company car drivers admit offence, especially on motorways. In fact According to the RAC research speeding is But Mr Martins remained unrepentant and open to all but the most serious offenders. “While we need to be careful in our to speeding on motorways, but still consider two-thirds of company car drivers (64%) less of an issue in more residential areas, but said: “If motorists do not like it then they can Motoring organisations have condemned the interpretation of these figures, they themselves to be law-abiding drivers, believe the law should be changed, with the still a quarter of drivers (23%) admitted to always stick to the speed limit. plans, claiming it went back on a government conclusively demonstrate there is huge research from RAC Business has found. speed limit increased to 80mph. regularly driving at 35mph in a 30mph zone. “We have lobbied the Home Office for fair pledge that speed cameras would never be scope for a dramatic cut in the price of the In total, 81% of company car drivers Almost half of company car drivers said Jenny Powley, corporate business sales funding, but they have not listened so I am used to generate revenue. tolls when the crossings revert to public admitted to regularly breaking the 70mph they regularly hit speeds of 80mph on a director at RAC Business, said: “When you forced to come up with new ways of raising Steve Gooding, director of the RAC ownership,” said Mr Davies. speed limit, compared to 69% of private motorway, with a further 5% admitting to drive as part of your working day and are revenue. Strict enforcement of the speed Foundation, said: “We have total sympathy In a letter to Mr Davies, the DfT said a motorists. But when asked if they consider reaching 90mph. running late for meetings, it can be very limit could raise as much as £1 million, so it is with cash-strapped constabularies, but no financial forecast showed a deficit of £63m themselves to be a law-abiding driver 90% However, there are signs that motorists tempting to break the speed limit. something I have to take seriously. sympathy with forces explicitly setting out to would still be outstanding by 2018, revised said yes. may be taking more care as compared to last “It’s worth reminding drivers that the risks “It will only affect motorists breaking the raise money from cameras.” down from £88m, and which “could be The research from the RAC’s Report on year’s findings the proportion of company car associated with speeding can far outweigh law, so people who do not speed have nothing Claire Armstrong, co-founder of Safe Speed, recovered through tolling”. Motoring 2015 suggests some motorists don’t drivers admitting to speeding on motorways the time saved. Driving at 80mph instead of to worry about.” said: “When the attitude of the police is to The Welsh government has called for consider speeding to be a serious driving has dropped from 88% in 2014 to 81% in 2015. 70mph will save just six seconds a mile.” The Bedfordshire force has responsibility for enforce on the basis of funding their force, control of the bridges to be devolved. policing the M1 motorway which runs through then we have lost all sight of road safety.”

Page 4 abd.org.uk abd.org.uk Page 5 The cost of a typical comprehensive policy has risen by more than 8% in the In Bloxwich, near , around 3,500 drivers were caught by a On The Road past 12 months, with the average price of annual cover rising to £629 controversial bus lane camera in its first week on the busy commuter route On The Road Happy days of tumbling car On the right track to insurance premiums are over otorists across the UK are stop cash cow lanes facing significantly higher car Minsurance premiums, with experts warning that the days of Blue lights can falling prices appear to be well and truly over. This is the gloomy picture painted by cause heaps of findings from the latest Confused.com car insurance price index in association with Towers Watson. traffic chaos It shows that the cost of a typical comprehensive policy has risen by more than 8% in the past 12 months. This takes the average price of annual cover during the third quarter of 2015 to £629, a rise of £47 on the same three-month period last The index reveals significant differences in premium price changes in various age groups year. The research means that three years of In geographic terms, drivers in the West motorists, with only the very youngest of our declining premiums have finally come to an Country have suffered the largest price hikes. driver profiles being relatively unaffected. end: between the start of 2012 and the end of In Bath, for example, premiums are up “And with the Government’s increase in last year, typical prices fell in 12 consecutive 14.7% year-on-year, while in neighbouring insurance premium tax, rising from 6% to 9.5% quarters. Bristol motorists are now paying almost 13% since November, we’re likely to see continued The AA believes that when an individual camera is raking in millions of pounds per year The rise between July and September this more than this time in 2014. inflation in car insurance prices across the rest there must be something wrong with the signing. Photograph courtesy of Express & Star. year is the sharpest increase recorded since Steve Sanders, finance director at Confused. of 2015 and into 2016.” the end of 2010. com, says: “It would seem that the days of Sanders added: “As ever, our advice to all amera enforcement of bus appears to be little incentive for the local To make matters worse, these hikes in cheap car insurance really are over. drivers is to shop around at renewal, to make lanes appears to be overtaking authority to change the junction or signage. the cost of insurance came ahead of the “Just like six years ago, we’re seeing sure that they are getting the very best prices parking tickets as the major Another junction in Lambeth, London government’s planned increase in insurance substantial increases in prices for most UK without compromising on levels of cover.” C appears to be the top money spinner in the premium tax (IPT). cause of complaint from drivers, UK. It is estimated that this bus lane on Obstruction - is this a misuse of blue From the start of November, the rate of who believe it’s a ruthless case of Clapham Park Road has generated over £6 lights by Sussex Cameras? IPT on motor policies as well as other types million in fines over the last few years and money-making entrapment. And on the subject of blocking lanes . . . of general insurance such as buildings and Clutter – all the signs are here has been highlighted in complaints from AA Complaints from Glasgow, , Dave and Fleur Razzell sent us this picture, contents cover rose from 6% to 9.5%. members. Manchester, Cardiff, Bristol, and London seem which they snapped in Pulborough on the This is likely to have added more than £20 Even though tribunals have upheld at least to top the list, alongside many across the West morning of November 9. to the price of the average car insurance one appeal at the 70 metre bus lane when Midlands, according to the AA. They said the van was causing traffic policy. a motorist crossed it to turn left, Lambeth The number one complaint is drivers wishing chaos and blocking the view of traffic continue to issue thousands of PCNs to to turn left who often inadvertently merge exiting the junction. What do ABD motorists completing the same manoeuvre. left into the bus lane early for safety reasons members think – is this a misuse of blue Meanwhile, in the West Midlands community “Between the start and are then caught on camera in the bus lights by Sussex Cameras? lane before they are allowed to be. These of Bloxwich, near Walsall, around 3,500 drivers Funny, isn’t it, how those trying to of 2012 and the end complainants often cite faded road markings were caught by a controversial bus lane enforce road safety laws aren’t always and poor signage. camera in its first week on the busy commuter as hot as they should be at upholding the of last year, typical The AA has also received complaints from route, raking in about £105,000 for the local regulations themselves… prices fell in 12 drivers pulling over into bus lanes to allow council. A driver who saw police handing out emergency vehicles to pass receiving tickets. Drivers have called for the camera to be speeding tickets had the perfect response consecutive quarters” Some 554,773 fines are generated outside removed. They say it is a trap for motorists – he had the cops booked for dangerous Proposals to de-clutter our roads include ‘remove by’ dates for road signs London and 242,541 within the capital per who have no alternative to join the last few parking. year, and these fines are worth tens of millions yards of the lane at busy times or risk causing The Metro newspaper, which reported The Department for Transport has set up a traffic sign regulations. It says temporary of pounds to the local highway authorities as - huge traffic jams. taskforce to look into ways of reducing sign signs erected to inform road users of a new the story, said: “On behalf of drivers The latest edition of the price index has unlike speeding fines - the money goes to the Edmund King, AA president, said: “Whilst everywhere, thank you Jamie Britton.” revealed some significant differences in clutter on Britain’s roads. road layout (such as ‘New road layout’, or local authorities. we support the use of bus lanes in the right The taskforce was led by Sir Alan Duncan ‘New roundabout ahead’) are often kept up When Jamie saw the police van on premium price changes among various age The AA believes that when an individual places, functioning at the right times, we the side of the road marked up with the MP, who has campaigned on the issue for longer than the maximum permitted three groups. camera is raking in millions of pounds per are totally opposed to ‘entrapment’ cameras dreaded high-vis yellow as he travelled 20 years. He said: “The UK has erected months. It proposes that such signs should Although younger drivers face the highest year there must be something wrong with on poorly designed or poorly signed bus lane through Longlevens in Gloucestershire, he thousands of road signs that are completely have a ‘remove by’ date on the back. insurance costs, the increases they have seen the signing, the road layout or the junction junctions. If thousands of drivers are getting realised people would be getting zapped. in recent weeks are among the lowest. unnecessary, such as traffic light warning To address concerns about the visibility of engineering. tickets at the same junction then something But he also noticed the van was parked For example, the typical comprehensive signs when you can see the lights themselves. signs at night in areas where street lights are They say highway authorities should apply is wrong and that junction/bus lane should be half on a pavement and half in the road, policy for a 17-year-old is now £1,916, but this We are going to look at how we might get rid switched off, the DfT is proposing that such more discretion or give warnings when reviewed. blocking the cycle lane. is just a 0.3% or £6 increase on last year. of whole categories of unnecessary signs.” signs must be retroreflective. thousands of drivers are apparently getting it “We fear that too many local highway It seems the police were out to nab For older motorists, however, the picture is The taskforce completed its research Other proposals include new signs wrong. They could then use their camera data authorities have become addicted to the motorists going against the rules of the quite the reverse: the typical 68-year-old, for in October, and its report is expected indicating height, width and length limits to identify the problems. lucrative income from these rat traps. We road… but didn’t think the same rules example, now pays £439 a year for cover. imminently. It will consider what can be must show both imperial and metric units of The AA also believes that there should be no believe that central government should applied to them. But this represents an annual price increase done to “change the culture within local measurement, and allowing parking bays that enforcement if signs and markings are not in intervene and investigate when fines from an His passenger took a photo of the van as of £59 or 15.3%. authorities to reduce signing and consider have no restrictions on their use to be placed good condition. individual bus lane exceed 10,000. they drove past – and now the driver has Meanwhile, over the last three months the factors that lead to sign clutter”. without the need for a Traffic Regulation It is believed that one junction in Glasgow “We also encourage drivers to appeal tickets been fined and given ‘management advice’ alone, drivers aged 60 have experienced an 8% The DfT is also consulting on changes to Order. has raised more than £3 million. The problem if they believe the junction is not adequately by Gloucestershire Police. rise in premium costs from £364 to £393. is that once the revenue is flowing in there signed.”

Page 6 abd.org.uk abd.org.uk Page 7 In 2008, demolition of the eastern 2 mile (3 km) section of the expressway was proposed and sent for a five-year assessment.This would create a gap in Toronto’s motorway On The Road system, making it easier to remove more of the highway over time. The city-driven assessment was skewed in favour of demolition. Meanwhile, traffic was getting worse... On The Road

The successful campaign to save a major city centre freeway in Toronto will no doubt strike a chord with members of ABD A victory for collaboration . . . and common sense The ABD is the only organisation of its type which is openly campaigning for the interests of everyday drivers in the UK – but our influence doesn’t end at the British border. Many of our articles are published, or referred to, around the world. JAMES ALCOCK from Toronto visited the UK recently, having contacted us to find out about setting up a Canadian equivalent of ABD. Some members might remember ex ABD member Tony Vickers, our former media correspondent, who emigrated to Canada and now lives in British Columbia. We put James in touch with Tony, and our respective groups will now be working together to promote our mutual interest in getting the driver’s voice heard. Meanwhile, James has written this article about a successful campaign to save a major city centre freeway in Toronto, which will no doubt strike a chord with ABD members... y 1971, Toronto had built Mayor of Toronto and he proposed rebuilding 20 miles (32 km) of its then- the eastern section of the elevated Gardiner proposed 50 mile (80 km) Expressway and realigning it closer to an B existing parallel rail corridor. This is known as motorway network. the ‘hybrid’ option. For the first time in many A protest from a few vocal people in downtown decades, Mayor Tory proudly supported the city’s Toronto, led by sociologists and anti-car activists, expressways and said: “Great cities have great convinced the government to cancel further freeways”. construction, theorising that people would leave An alliance of truckers, drivers, couriers and their cars behind and use transit instead. individuals started a campaign to support the The car became the enemy and planning new mayor’s ‘hybrid’ option. Downtown socialist philosophy was changed from providing a councillors remained adamant for the removal balanced roads and public transport network to citing a lower cost to demolish the expressway promoting public transport and bicycles only. but failing to address the increasing congestion Over 40 years later, the result is that Toronto, Canada’s largest and most populist city, is now that would result. the second most congested city in Canada. Developers also favoured removal so they Vancouver is the most congested and they, could build on the land. Emails were sent to too, followed a similar planning philosophy as every councillor and the public was invited Toronto. to take part in the debate. Polls showed the However, the change of policy did not stop majority of Toronto citizens supported the mayor people from driving, but instead created ever- Now the fight begins to complete more of the unfinished motorway network inToronto that has been neglected over the last four decades Show your motorway network some love in rebuilding the road by a vote of almost two to increasing traffic gridlock in Toronto. one. By 2000, the 40-year-old elevated downtown it with a surface street and traffic signals. He easier to remove more of the highway over time. expressway to improve traffic flow. Replacing expressway and its replacement with a On June 11, 2015, after a lengthy, heated section of the Gardiner Expressway was carrying said it contributed to ‘city-building’. However, The city-driven assessment was skewed in David Miller in 2010 was Rob Ford, who favoured landscaped 8-lane boulevard, encumbered with debate, City Council voted 26-19 not to remove twice the traffic it was designed to carry and was numerous studies showed that it would only favour of demolition. Meanwhile, traffic was keeping the expressway and as a result, the traffic signals. the expressway and to support the rebuild in need of repair. increase traffic congestion, but this data was getting worse and gridlock was now the number assessment looking at removal of the expressway The staff admitted that this option would of the eastern segment by a 24-21 vote with Anti-car forces got socialist mayor David deliberately minimalised. one issue. Downtown socialist councillors was stalled. In addition, funds for much-needed increase traffic congestion, but they said that it construction to start in 2019. Miller, elected in 2003, to initiate the removal In 2008, demolition of the eastern 2 mile (3km) favoured removal because they wanted repairs were approved. In February 2014, City had other benefits, particularly the freeing land This battle was a victory for drivers over of this busy expressway, the only motorway section of the expressway was proposed and sent development and removal of roads to promote staff released their report on the findings of for development, which would only add to the ideologues . . . now the fight begins to complete serving the downtown core. His policy focused on for a five-year assessment. This would create a change to public transport, while conservative the Gardiner assessment. The recommendation, already chronic congestion. more of the unfinished motorway network that removing this elevated expressway and replace a gap in Toronto’s motorway system, making it suburban councillors favoured refurbishing the as expected, was for removal of the elevated In 2014, John Tory was elected as the current has been neglected over the last four decades. Page 8 abd.org.uk abd.org.uk Page 9 The whole thing could have a question mark over it depending on There are three types of scheme which are classed as Smart motorways – On The Road government policy over a permanent Operation Stack decision Controlled Motorway, Dynamic Hard Running and All-Lane Running On The Road Smarter ways for Online petition for age-related navigating network driver retests schemes – where the hard shoulder is used by A man whose wife was killed by an vehicles as a running lane and the flow of traffic is controlled by var- elderly driver - when he mistook the accelerator for the brake - has started a iable speed limits – are becoming increasingly commonplace through- popular online petition calling for over-70s out England. But what exactly are they, how do they work, and what to be retested every three years. Dover Traffic Access Protocol on the A20 approach was mentioned Operation Stack - HGVs line the approach to the Port of Dover are the implications for drivers? Here’s what the RAC has to say: Ben Brooks-Dutton was heading home from a friend’s house with his family three he Highways Agency has hard shoulder and a further section of the M25 years ago. developed Smart motorways between junctions 5 and 6 opened a few days “It was then that I heard my wife, (previously known as managed later. Desreen, speak her final words,” he wrote Exploring alternative routes T Under the new all-lane running schemes in a recent online post. His wife’s final motorways) to increase motorway The ABD has a seat on the Port of Dover’s Port User Group, which meets twice yearly. The latest lane one (formerly used solely as the hard words were: “I’m so proud of him” - capacity and reduce congestion in a shoulder) is only closed to traffic via overhead referring to the couple’s two-year-old son, meeting took place in November – and IAN TAYLOR was there. He reports on some of the key issues raised way that minimises environmental and verge mounted signs, in the event of an Jackson. incident. On these sections broken white lines “Seconds later a car mounted the upgraded to the standard of the proposed a permanent Operation Stack decision. I impact, cost and time to construct presentation on the Lower between all lanes indicates that each lane has pavement and struck Desreen... In that expressways. spoke to and gave my contact details to Peter by avoiding the need to build Thames Crossing was given the same status. moment I became a widower,” Mr Brooks- This is under consideration – and for the afterwards – he will make sure we are kept additional lanes. Just as in the Dynamic Hard Shoulder Dutton wrote. by Peter Fry, from the A229. Peter said that because of similar “it’s informed when consultation comes along. A There are three types of scheme which schemes, overhead gantry signs display the The car team doing the consultations for all the port’s fault” complaints, the A14 On the question of the Western Docks are classed as Smart motorways – Controlled mandatory speed limit which varies depending was driven to Felixstowe was under consideration for Development and the A20, Dover Harbour Highways England. The main public Motorway, Dynamic Hard Shoulder Running and on the traffic conditions and speed cameras by 85-year- this treatment too. So, next year they are Board have a legal commitment with Dover consultation will be in 2016 with a All-Lane Running. are used to enforce these. Signs can also be old Geoffrey expecting a submission from us. District Council (and Highways England) to used to close lanes should that be required. Lederman, who view to getting “spades in ground” Dover Traffic Access Protocol on the A20 implement “improvements” – this is the Controlled Motorway If an incident occurs in lane one – formerly was sentenced before 2020. approach was also mentioned. The port replacement of two roundabouts with traffic Controlled motorways have three or more the hard shoulder – a red X symbol is displayed to 18 months Peter went through the two main options regards it as a success, while acknowledging light control. The whole thing is quite a major lanes with variable speed limits. The hard to let motorists know the lane has been closed in jail for (already well publicised) – Option C is HE’s some aspects unpopular (Aycliffe residents undertaking and the roadworks will run for 50 shoulder should only be used in a genuine to traffic. Driving in a lane under which the causing death favoured one, to avoid “bottlenecking” at don’t like it) most especially the “permanent” weeks (yes, really) which will involve reducing emergency. red X symbol is being shown is illegal and by dangerous and provide genuinely alternative 40 mph speed limit. traffic to one lane each way (no doubt with could lead to you being prosecuted. driving, a routes. Highways England is looking to make speed restrictions) and involve at least two CCTV is used extensively to monitor traffic sentence that I spoke up and supported that point, saying the scheme permanent – with gantries and temporary right turn bans – and probably more Dynamic Hard Shoulder Running for any incidents. Should drivers break down was later that they need to get traffic from the southern variable limits to operate only when schemes use of TAP to control traffic flow. schemes or be involved in an accident there are reduced to end (A2) to the M20, since Eurotunnel traffic are “active” with lorry queues. And finally, an unrelated point from the Dynamic Hard Shoulder Running involves emergency refuge areas at the side of the 12 months on at least would still use it. However, the temporary traffic order expires meeting, but worth mentioning, is that DHB opening the hard shoulder as a running lane to carriageway for them to use though these are appeal. Their plan is to further enhance the A2 and in January – before gantries can happen, so are in favour of Britain staying in Europe. traffic at busy periods to ease congestion. The typically further apart than current sections Mr Brooks- the A229 to take this traffic, rather than the a new order may be needed. Shepway don’t They fear withdrawal would result in the scheme, which was initially developed on the of motorway operating the dynamic hard Dutton, who M25/M20 as at present. They are looking to want it, and have complained after queues end of juxtaposed border controls, in turn M42 in the Midlands, is now in operation on shoulder running configuration. chronicled upgrade the rest of the A2 as well (at last!) – stretched back beyond the A260 junction. resulting in more controls (both directions) at sections of the M42, M1, M6, M4 and M5. life after his but that’s not agreed yet, so it’s too early to This might also be the case, to a lesser port that would be difficult to provide for and On these stretches a solid white line wife’s death celebrate. degree, with the introduction of individual result in delays and serious traffic build-ups. differentiates the hard shoulder from the What to do if you break down? on a blog, I pointed out that this was vital – more so photo/ face matching of everyone leaving the This might also be the case, to a lesser normal carriageway. Overhead signs on If you are unlucky enough to break down also started than ever with the possibility of a garden country – including all coach passengers. degree, with introduction of individual photo/ gantries indicate whether or not the hard or be involved in an accident, you should use a petition on Should the over 70s take city at Ebbsfleet. I said that the whole A2 shoulder is open to traffic. They also display an emergency refuge area if you are able to The whole thing could have a question mark face matching of everyone leaving the country Change.org a fresh test? (to Dover) needed at the very least to be over it depending on government policy over – including all coach passengers. the mandatory speed limit which can vary reach one safely. If this is not possible, you according to the traffic conditions. Speed should try to move on to the verge if there is calling for compulsory testing of drivers cameras are used to enforce the variable no safety barrier and it is safe to do so. Leave every three years once they reach age 70. speed limits. your vehicle via the nearside – left hand – door It garnered about 140,000 signatures in If an incident occurs in lane one – formerly and wait on the verge a safe distance away less than a week. Hi-tech device helps driver in the hard shoulder – a red X symbol is displayed from the road. At the moment, drivers over age 70 in to let motorists know the lane has been If you stop in the nearside lane, leave your the UK must fill in a self-assessment form closed to traffic. Driving under a red X sign is vehicle via the nearside door if it is safe to do every three years to renew their licences. illegal. The hard shoulder must not be used if so and wait behind the safety barrier, if there The form doesn’t include a medical or the signs over it are blank or display a red X, is one. If you are unable to move over to the driving test. appeal against speeding charge except in the case of an emergency. nearside lane, remain in the vehicle with your “I know the human cost of unfit drivers A technology entrepreneur has escaped a data produced by the device indicated that As accurate, affordable GPS technology is CCTV is used extensively to monitor traffic seat belt on. on the road and I never want anyone to charge of speeding by using telematics data. the vehicle speed was way below the 30mph now being used by more and more motorists for any incidents. Should drivers break down In all cases, switch on your hazard warning go through a tragedy like the one that has The case was the first of its kind and speed limit. it is only a matter of time before more and or be involved in an accident there are lights. Contact the Highways Agency via a decimated my family,” Mr Brooks-Dutton could open the floodgates for hundreds of Mr Herron therefore decided to challenge more cases of this type come before the emergency refuge areas at the side of the roadside emergency telephone. If you have wrote on the petition’s page. Several thousands of motorists. the police evidence in court. courts. Mr Herron said: “I would not have carriageway for them to use. no choice but to stop in a live traffic lane then commenters said they were elderly drivers It was alleged that Neil Herron, 52, from Mr Herron had a Legal Expenses Policy had any grounds on which to challenge the you should immediately switch on your hazard who agreed with the proposal. , was driving his vehicle at 40 with Churchill Home Legal Expenses. Having allegation if I had not had the data from the All-Lane Running schemes warning lights. If you are in the left hand lane “I’m on the verge of 70 - and I’ve mph in a 30mph limit on 13th January outlined his case to Claims Handler Mia device provided by Omnia. As the name suggests All-Lane Running Smart and it is safe to do so, exit your vehicle via already independently decided to take 2014 at 12.15pm. His vehicle’s speed was Gazzard of Churchill, she confirmed cover “Many drivers have faced similar motorways use the hard shoulder permanently the left hand doors and wait away from your myself off the road in the wider interests captured by an LTI 20:20Ultralyte 1000 Speed would be provided. allegations and believed that they were not as a running lane for traffic. vehicle, behind the barrier if possible. of the travelling public,” wrote one. “I’m Measuring Device operated by a mobile Finally, 19 months later, the Sunderland speeding but no way of proving it. Now we On Monday 14 April 2014 eight miles of the If it is not possible to get out of your vehicle 61, and intend giving up driving when I’m patrol. Magistrates Court found in his favour after have created and developed the affordable M25 between junctions 23 and 25 became safely, then you should stay in your vehicle 70,” said another. However, Mr Herron was trialling a driver the Crown Prosecution Service offered no technology which motorists can use to create England’s first Smart section of motorway with your seat belt on and dial ‘999’ if you Are these people right? What do you safety telematic device at the time, and the evidence. driving peace of mind.” with traffic running permanently on a new have access to a working mobile phone. think? Email your views to [email protected] running lane that was previously used as the l For more on this, see www.rac.co.uk

Page 10 abd.org.uk abd.org.uk Page 11 The ABD does not favour additional restrictions on new drivers, which have There was agreement that a well maintained road network provides socio- On The Road been suggested in some quarters, e.g. curfews, limits on carrying passengers economic benefits, but these are difficult to quantify On The Road Shallow support for speed limit reduction Benefits of making Getting involved with By Brian Mooney they wanted 30mph on a particular road as supporting 20mph on the The Road User Panel The last issue of On The Road covered the London Borough of rest by default, and thus a majority for 20mph on every road! Locals By Ian Taylor Hammersmith & Fulham’s push to impose 20mph limits on all heavily denounced these claims on the LBHF website. Since the last edition there have been two borough-managed roads. About 30% of roads currently have 20mph. ABD has warned that support is shallow, with a knee-jerk roads pothole-free meetings of the Road User Panel. The first was in Despite the authority’s propaganda blitz with 80,000 glossy reaction from just 3% of those receiving the biased booklet, and the August, and a considerable amount was taken up promotional booklets sent to local businesses and homes, the consultation failed to enable an intelligent choice. The Public Policy Exchange held a symposium in London on talking about Operation Stack on the M20 in Kent. consultation resulted in only 45% of responses supporting it. Just A TV crew interviewed several locals in July and couldn’t find It had just been decided to use closed-down over a quarter supported 20mph on some roads, while 29% wanted it anyone who supported the proposal; reactions were often very tackling potholes and improving maintenance of the road Manston Airport, near Ramsgate as an emergency on none. ABD’s shoestring leafleting drive did just enough to tip the strong! The main agitators even had to admit that some of their own network. MALCOLM HEYMER went along, as the ABD’s former parking area for trucks. vote against to 55%. members were opposed. highway engineer, to find out the latest. Here is his report... Being local to the area I spoke at some length, Yet LBHF deviously claimed “Big support”… saying 71% supported It will be interesting to see if the Cabinet decides to proceed. going through the proposed routes in detail and a reduction to 20mph. Bizarrely they counted anyone just saying Watch this space. he theme of the seminar pointing out the points on the proposed diversion was the Government’s routes that had flaws. additional funding for road I made clear that the airport could only ever be a T temporary measure: there is much argument about maintenance and how it could the old airport’s future in Thanet, but whatever the ABD meets new DfT road safety team best be used. result it won’t be available for an extended period. convictions than other young drivers once There were several speakers from I was intently listened to by all agencies, whom ollowing the general election local authorities, including London and I also sent away with the message that all the in May, the ABD was eager they took to the roads. Next, the ABD team expressed concern Tie up to raise profile shire counties. All agreed that the different participants, police, Highways England, to meet the new team funding, while welcome, would F that many local authorities, urged on by county council, port and tunnel and ferry operators, responsible for road safety at organisations such as 20’s Plenty for Us, not be sufficient to clear the backlog of all needed to act together in providing accurate, up- the Department for Transport, are pushing to get as many 20mph limits in maintenance problems during the life of to-date information. this Parliament. It would be necessary, The second meeting was in October. Transport and on September 22, Ian Taylor, place as possible. “We accepted that the DfT may not therefore, to prioritise action to give the Focus have published results from their survey of Chris Tottle and Malcolm Heymer be able to demand a moratorium in the best possible return. driver satisfaction. There are on-going surveys on visited DfT headquarters in interim, but we would like to see strong The morning session covered the roadside facilities (mainly motorway services) and Westminster to meet Caroline encouragement for highway authorities to approaches taken by different authorities also journey disruption, both planned (works) and Fish and two other members of wait and see the outcome of the study,” in prioritising repairs. All agreed that unplanned (accidents, jams etc.). Malcolm said. potholes were a sign of failure and that A publication will come out on HGV driver her team. Something must be done about potholes “Not surprisingly, Caroline was unable to prevention is better than cure. Getting priorities for improvement. Future surveys will Caroline has been a senior manager give us much assurance in this regard. it right first time is also essential, as it to quantify. One approach suggested is include non-motorised user priorities, all user within the DfT for several years, but had Split Second met ABD members at Gaydon “She reiterated the DfT position that causes great frustration to road users to calculate the impact if an asset such priorities for improvement and driver behaviour and only moved to road safety two months speed limits are for local authorities to The ABD is delighted to announce a tie up with if repairs have to be done again. Much as a road or bridge had to be closed. road safety. previously. decide – the localism agenda at work.” Kent-based PR agency Split Second Events – a move reference was made to the Potholes Examples given were the emergency I shall be giving a description of ourselves at a She was therefore learning about the The final topic for discussion was the designed to help raise the association’s social Review (Prevention and a Better Cure) closure of Hammersmith Flyover a few future meeting next year. subject and wanted to hear the ABD’s views. motorway speed limit. media profile. published in April 2012, and the concept years ago, and the closure of Thames These panels take place every two months. Useful Ian Taylor gave a brief history of the The ABD team suggested that now, at the The ABD is keenly aware of the growth of social of State of Good Repair (SOGR). There bridges during the floods of 2013-14. contacts are being made, and we just might get background to the ABD before talk turned to start of a five-year Parliament, would be a media and video as a means of promotion; last is, not surprisingly, a strong correlation The afternoon session was about some invites to participate in Highways England, young driver safety. good time to proceed with an increase in year it launched a successful video, Does Your between SOGR and ‘customer’ highway authorities communicating Office of Road & Rail and Department for Transport The ABD does not favour additional the limit. Council Give You The Hump - available on Youtube, satisfaction. effectively with the public on meetings on subjects such as safety and speed limits restrictions on new drivers, which have By the end of the parliament, it should focusing on Bristol’s man made traffic problems. Authorities face a dilemma between maintenance issues. Expectations had in the future. been suggested in some quarters, e.g. have become clear that the speed limit However, officials acknowledge they have neither ‘doing the worst first’ versus maintaining to be managed by making it clear that curfews, limits on carrying passengers. increase would not have led to an increase the time nor skill set necessary to make the fullest the higher category roads in the network not all damage to road surfaces could be Quite apart from the difficulties of in casualty rates. use of the medium. to the best possible standard. The given the same priority. Motoring history enforcement, such measures avoid tackling They mentioned the decision to raise the ABD Director Brian Macdowall said: “We have former approach can swallow the bulk of Many authorities have set up on-line We like the title of this new book, No Speed Limit, the issues head-on and would restrict young speed limits for HGVs from 40 to 50mph on tried with varying degrees of success more the available budget before the major reporting systems for the public to notify which is all about cars of all types dating from drivers’ mobility. single carriageways and from 50 to 60mph orthodox methods of engaging the general public roads are tackled. Some councils have them of defects, which enables problems the happy days when there wasn’t any speed limit Malcolm said: “We were told that on dual carriageways, which came into to bring attention to the threats they face to developed sophisticated assessment tools to be flagged up more quickly than relying outside built-up areas. the Government is also opposed to such effect in April. owning and operating their own vehicles. for prioritising investment over all asset solely on highways inspectors. There The cover, showing the facia panel of a Jaguar restrictions. This shows that the Government accepts “If we, and the general public, are to face up types, which include structures as well as is a need, however, for greater inter- XK150S with the speedometer right round the clock “We said there needs to be a fundamental the benefits of higher speed limits in certain to those threats to restrict, prohibit, over tax and different category roads themselves. One operability between different reporting at 140 mph gives a taste of what it is all about - the change in the way young drivers are trained. regulate private vehicle ownership, the widest circumstances. The next logical step is to speaker suggested that some very minor systems and phone apps. world of enjoyable motoring before we became At present, the driving test checks a driver’s possible audience has to be attracted; social raise the motorway limit for light vehicles rural roads might have to be abandoned Roger Geffen, Campaigns & Policy bogged down with often competence in the physical handling of a media is the way forward and we look forward to a to 80mph. altogether, as the cost of maintaining Director of the Cyclists’ Touring Club, ludicrous regulations. vehicle and their knowledge of the Highway We provided documents showing that productive relationship with Split Second.” them was out of all proportion to the said that CTC had set up FillthatHole.org. The author, Stuart Bladon Code, hazard perception and so on. increases in speed limits on motorway-class Using the @ABDKent Twitter account as a trial traffic carried. uk for cyclists (or anyone else) to report joined Autocar staff in 1955 and “Clearly it is important that drivers have roads elsewhere, notably in the United ground; in just in just over one month Split Second Steve Gooding, director of the RAC defects, without needing to know which in this book he looks back on those essential skills but, on their own, they States, had not resulted in the increased achieved over 1,789 profile hits - a massive Foundation, said the UK has a well local authority is responsible. By clicking the 70 cars driven and enjoyed are not enough. accident numbers predicted by opponents. turnaround from our 200 average views. developed infrastructure network, but it on a map, the program automatically over the years, moving on into “It needs to be recognised that driving Malcolm said: “Caroline’s response was Natasha Sutton, Director of Spilt Second, is of no use if it isn’t working properly. sends the report to the appropriate his freelance time as a motoring is essentially an exercise in continuous risk that the Government’s priority at the said: “There is real potential for attracting new He stressed the importance of good road council. There are other, similar systems writer after leaving the journal management, adjusting course and speed to moment is to ensure that the programme of supporters, members, income and profile to the surfaces to safety, especially for cyclists in existence as well, so local authorities in 1981. maintain a safety zone around the vehicle road improvements announced earlier this ABD. We plan on bringing a bit of fun and edginess and motorcyclists. Some 29,000 drivers are sometimes under considerable Each chapter tells a story, not as conditions change. year goes ahead, so the motorway speed to social media feeds, while also working with ABD claimed for pothole damage last year, pressure just to keep on top of all the just about the cars, but about “It is, therefore, essentially a mental limit is unlikely to be revisited in the near members on covering more political aspects that but that figure was lower than in some reporting. the motoring developments of Enjoyable book process. future.” interests ABD members and followers.” previous years. Road network condition Overall, there is some cause for the time, such as the imposition of parking meters in “Whether a driver is safe or unsafe will This is disappointing, but with December The ‘Car Positive’ campaign is something the is also of importance to many business optimism that the extra Government London, the opening of the first stretch of M1, and depend largely on their beliefs and attitudes 22 marking the 50th anniversary of the agency will be focusing on – make sure you follow organisations, public transport operators funding being provided for road the change of the rule of the road in Sweden. towards other road users and to risk.” ‘experimental’ 70mph speed limit, it @TheABD @ABDKent for regular updates. and cycling organisations, so all road user maintenance, plus innovative thinking by You’ll find it a good read and a book which is The ABD delegation also mentioned the provides an opportunity for the ABD to make Natasha continued: “Trust me when I say you are groups are affected. at least some local authorities, should see difficult to put down, leaving you always wanting to success of the Under-17 Car Club and left a further call for the motorway limit to be either going to love it or loathe it... but that is just There was agreement that a well an improvement in road condition over read another chapter. It is published by The History copies of independent surveys which showed brought into the 21st century and into line the ticket. Because it means we are sparking your maintained road network provides socio- the next few years. We must certainly Press (£14.99). members had far fewer accidents and with most other European countries. interest to speak up and voice your opinion.” economic benefits, but these are difficult hope so!

Page 12 abd.org.uk abd.org.uk Page 13 The Government should introduce tax incentives to promote car sharing to We need to start again and review road safety from the bottom up. It must be On The Road work, according to think tank Policy Exchange and written by Damian Hind based on the recognition that, like railways and airports, roads are also essential On The Road y goal is for genuine, not profit or ideologically-based Mroad safety and driver News: Vans in the city, prosecution and the over-slowing of essential UK infrastructure. Best Your views road safety will never be achieved report about motorways and t has taken a long time but finally major A roads managed by one of our most deadly junctions, on a for-profit basis or on the Highways England getting at the Oval in south London, has aspirations of ideologists with no CV 2016 and much more A I in the subject. nearly three times the funding that been altered to eliminate left hooks Our current road safety policy is entirely council A roads receive serves to to cyclists by separating the left / based around a multi-billion pound road safety l The Alliance of British Drivers was underline why we’re calling for ahead traffic streams and providing due to appear on ITV in the new year, in a industry, and most of that money actually documentary about Britain’s relationship with to benefit from the new a safe segregated space for cycling. prevents not one single accident. On the speed, and issues around speeding. highways fund the Government The good news is that it works, except when contrary, because the focus is on profiteering Century Films recorded part of a meeting plans to create from Vehicle Excise inconsiderate drivers block the junction but via too many tax break charities with agendas fortunately these idiots are a minority (camera other than road safety, we are probably and interviewed committee members for the Duty (VED). programme, which is to be aired some time in enforcement is needed). killing people because the focus is not on real Announced in the last Budget, the small The junction is being used by hundreds of accident causes. January. Sadly, though, we’ve now been told print indicates that the money will only be that our footage hasn’t made the final cut. cyclists in the morning peak – safely – and In my view, because road safety has merely spent on Highways England’s network despite pedestrians now have more time to cross – in evolved piecemeal for over a century, it is This is a big disappointment, but all is not it accounting for just 100 miles in Surrey. lost. Show spokesman Arron Fellows said: “We one phase, without being in conflict with now totally irrelevant and we have a Highway This means 3,300 miles of Surrey roads either cyclists or drivers. The new time- Code that is hopelessly out of date, and which only have two episodes to begin with, and won’t see any benefits, even though there are the ABD does not feature, but we are hoping sharing method of control means that motor contains many dangerous and contradictory significantly more miles driven on them than traffic does not get delayed, so it’s a win-win rules. we may be able to include it in subsequent those earmarked for the cash – the number has episodes.” win scheme. We need to start again and review road actually risen by 100 million every year since Currently it’s only operational northbound, safety from the bottom up. It must be 2010. but it’s good as far as it goes. This is the most based on the recognition that, like railways l The London Assembly is launching an With local motorists contributing £100m inquiry into van traffic in the capital. significant step forward we have seen for years and airports, roads are also essential and A professional drone, similar to that which has been bought by Powys County Council in VED every year while only getting £20m and can, and should, be replicated at many important infrastructure. In doing that we Light commercial traffic (vehicles below back to invest in our roads and the county l Highways England has just published a other major junctions as soon as possible. must identify who society must have using the 3.5 tonnes) makes up 13% of London’s traffic Road traffic volumes in Britain hit a contributing £35bn annually to the UK roads. compared with HGVs that account for 4%. new record in the year ending June 2015, feasibility study into ‘dynamic wireless power economy, it’s vital the Government acts to forecasts light goods according to the DfT. transfer’ (DWPT) by TRL and Halcrow (now ensure this new fund doesn’t bypass Surrey or Rik Andrew, Co-chair, Transport vehicle traffic will grow by 22% between 2011 The Department estimates that motor CH2M). threaten the financial recovery nationwide. for London’s junctions review group Keith Peat and 2031 whereas HGV traffic is expected vehicle traffic rose 2.3% in the year. Building on the findings, it is now procuring to remain static. TfL is preparing a freight The provisional figure of 314.6 billion a contractor to conduct off-road trials, John Furey, Cabinet member for eople ask why the UK does not strategy for publication early next year and vehicle miles is the highest rolling total ever, replicating motorway conditions. require vehicles to use daylight about 0.1% above the pre-recession peak for If the 18-month programme is deemed a highways, Surrey County Council, the committee’s findings could feed into its running lights. In a written preparation. the year ending September 2007. success, on-road trials could follow. County Hall, Kingston-upon-Thames P The assembly notes suggestions that vans The DfT said the increase was “likely to answer dated 25 Feb 2008, the DfT are substituting for HGVs because the former reflect growth in the UK economy”, with GDP l The use of aerial drones to inspect or some reason we have stated that “...the requirement for growing 2.6% in the year ending June 2015. highways structures will snowball when require less regulation, offer more flexibility, allowed a significant proportion new types of motor vehicle to be and are easier to load and park. “Lower fuel prices may also have officers appreciate the financial, time and equipped with dedicated daytime contributed to increased traffic,” it said. safety benefits on offer, according to a Fof our public open space, l Greater Manchester’s Casualty Reduction Traffic increased on all road types with specialist contractor. also known as roads, to be taken running lamps would result in an Partnership expects to generate £1.2m of net traffic on minor rural roads rising fastest, by Many companies and public bodies fly over by a small number of people increase of about 5 per cent in fuel income from drivers attending its Drive-Safe 5.5%, to 44.8 billion vehicle miles. unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) over land, – motorists – to abandon large consumption”. driver improvement courses this year. Motorway traffic rose 1.8% from 63.9 billion buildings and structures with video cameras This figure was widely quoted in the media The course, which costs £79.50 to attend, to 65 billion vehicle miles. capturing high-resolution footage of areas that metal objects on them – cars/vans – as well as Hansard. One national newspaper, is offered to drivers caught speeding as an are difficult to view by other means. usually for free. having estimated the corresponding cost for alternative to paying a fixed penalty and l The Government should introduce tax For highways engineers, the biggest benefits Those roads were built at great expense to drivers, added it was only an average and that receiving points on their licence. incentives to promote car sharing to work, are likely to come from UAVs’ ability to fly allow vehicles to travel up and down them, “if you drive a gas-guzzler it will be much Until June this year, Greater Manchester according to a think tank. beneath bridges, generating video footage by clogging them up with parked vehicles we higher” – unaware that energy consumption also provided the courses on Merseyside. The recommendation comes in a report that engineers can view in both real-time and have slowed traffic down at an estimated cost of small bulbs is the same whether fitted to a In 2014/15 the courses generated net published by centre-right think tank Policy retrospectively. of £200m to road users. Reliant Robin or a Hummer! income of £1.575m from 67,381 clients in Exchange and written by Damian Hind, a Powys County Council recently bought a They take up around 30,000 hectares. If In response to my email pointing out that - taking the toll? Greater Manchester and 37,071 in Merseyside. former strategy adviser in the Cabinet Office’s £1,300 UAV for building inspections and says they were all charged for we could perhaps the 5% figure was clearly absurd because Some of the income is used to replace wet policy unit. Hind says “it has never been more the device saved more than the purchase free up 50% of them, giving enough room for 40bhp (say) to propel a ton of metal along an anyone explain to me why film cameras with digital equipment and important” for the Government to ensure that price in the evaluation period alone. 375,000 urgently needed homes, at present the road is 746 times the 40 Watts needed to average build densities, or to grow enough drivers are still paying tolls replace mobile speed enforcement vehicles. people are “highly mobile and able to access power two bulbs, then transport minister Jim to use routes such as the the best employment opportunities wherever l Building lots of houses around rail wheat for 150m loaves of bread a year. The Fitzpatrick replied saying: “The figure given C l The European Commission is they might be”. stations in London’s green belt will lead to real cost of free parking is a lot less homes in the answer was mistyped and should have Dartford Crossing, and the Severn commissioning consultants to devise a set He sees great potential for apps to huge increases in road traffic, says the Royal and a lot less food. read “about 0.5 per cent” and not “about 5 Bridges? of ‘urban mobility indicators’ that city popularise car sharing and says the Town Planning Institute. I am quite happy to drive a few streets per cent”, adding that, in any case, the lights I was always led to believe that they were authorities could use for target-setting. Government should explore introducing tax Think tanks, academics and policy further along to where I know it’s free. But, would be LEDs and used only for the 50% of introduced to recoup the costs of building The 150-200 indicators will cover matters benefits to encourage car sharing to work. commentators have suggested easing housing like any good or service that is free to the our mileage covered in daylight. them – but the money received from toll such as mode share; emissions; congestion; pressures by relaxing green belt policies user, we tend to misuse and over-consume it, We would be better off without DLRs, even charges wiped out that expenditure many and road safety. l Highways England is to conduct off- around London, especially by allowing more which leads to greater costs to society. We ignoring the energy and resources they waste. moons ago. “There will be a complete pool of suitable road trials of inductive charging that would housing to be built close to rail stations. get through around 8bn plastic bags a year, On a related subject, something needs to Now, it is yet another cash cow being forced indicators that cities can choose from,” the allow drivers to charge their electric vehicles But in a new report, ‘Building in the green many of which end up blowing round the be done, including retrospectively, about upon drivers, who are already paying for Commission explains. without stopping. belt?’ the RTPI says the assumption that streets and entering the water system, causing the excessively bright LED rear lights that the privilege of using our transport network “In addition, there will be a subset of 40 Wireless inductive charging enables a people living in such developments would use environmental damage. The introduction of a have somehow become a major element of through ever-increasing taxes. Enough is surely indicators referred to as ‘urban mobility vehicle’s batteries to be recharged from rail to get to work is flawed. small charge has seen an 80% fall in their use car design and identity, causing dangerously enough, and I don’t understand why there scorecard’ and another one of 15 indicators induction loops embedded in the road. It has examined commuting data for in Scotland. The same rules apply to parking. high levels of glare especially on wet roads at isn’t a greater clamour to put an end to this referred to as ‘urban mobility scorecard mini’ Recharging can occur when a vehicle is five medium-sized towns in the green belt night. robbery. whereby cities will be able to benchmark their stationary or on the move, with the latter (, High Wycombe, , John Siraut, Director, Economics performance versus each other.” process known as dynamic charging. Maidenhead and Bracknell). at Jacobs Idris Francis Ken Parsons

Page 14 abd.org.uk abd.org.uk Page 15 Object about proposals for traffic-calming measures and speed limit reductions. On The Road Few people do and that’s one of the reasons why they keep happening. Introducing On The Road Editor - Carl Jones Award-winning journalist Carl Jones is the new a Business Editor in my newspaper days, and have Editor of the ABD’s On The Road magazine. also edited a business magazine, I don’t pretend Carl has more than 25 years of experience in to be an expert in transport-related matters – so the industry, working in newspapers, magazines, I’m relying on ABD members to keep me abreast of radio and television. the issues they’d like to see featured. Much of his career was spent with the Midland “I see On The Road as not just a voice for the News Association, during which time he regularly ABD committee and its campaigns, but to promote edited one of the largest daily regional papers in its members too – so, let me know what you’re the country. doing, what your views are on the big issues, and A former Institute of Journalists prize-winner, help me to fill the magazine with a broad range of he now works as a media consultant, TV and radio the topics that really matter to you.” producer and broadcaster, and event master of If you have anything you would like Carl to ceremonies. consider for the next magazine please contact him Carl said: “Although I spent nearly a decade as by email: [email protected] Carl Jones, Editor of OTR How to stay informed... and spread the word too Social media: You can keep abreast of Publicity material: If you would like ABD-related news, and what the ABD is up to on copies of any ABD literature, please contact our a daily basis, by following us on Twitter membership secretary Sean Corker. ABD contacts - (@TheABD), or on Facebook (www.facebook. Please don’t over-order, though, as printing com/allianceofbritishdrivers) costs are high. Don’t forget to retweet our posts to help us a who’s who? gain more followers, and to share or ‘like’ our Complain, and write to the media: GENERAL ENQUIRIES: Facebook posts, encouraging your friends to Object about proposals for new traffic-calming 01825 764162 support us too. measures and speed limit reductions. Few people do and that’s one of the reasons why they keep PRESS AND MEDIA LINE: Website: The ABD’s website (www.abd. happening. Take time, too, to reply to anti-car 0870 444 2535 org.uk) is available to everyone, and there is a articles in the media – you may be able to get members’ site too (members.abd.org.uk). a debate going, and become a spokesperson MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY: Both of these contain mountains of information shouting up on behalf of drivers. Sean Corker on a diverse range of topics, with links to other PO Box 248, Manchester, M41 4BW useful sites which may help your research. Fighting fund: The ABD has a fighting fund 0161 408 7070, Log on to find out more, or contact the ABD which welcomes donations at any time, or by Webmaster, Chris Ward. standing order if you wish. For more details, [email protected] contact our membership secretary. Forum: Want to discuss issues with other CHAIRMAN: members? Then register for our online forum. Joint memberships: These are free, Brian Gregory It’s split into topics and regions to help make and help increase the size of the group. If your 01642 589373 the conversation as relevant as possible. partner or spouse isn’t a joint member, sign them [email protected] For details, see the members’ website. up if you can – Sean Corker has details. TREASURER: Digital magazine: If you want an Local and regional contacts: Have Hugh Bladon electronic version of our On The Road magazine, you been in touch with your local co-ordinator 01934 628136 it is available in pdf format, and can be recently? Find out how you can advise them of downloaded from the ABD website. a local issue, and help them to campaign, by WEBMASTER: logging onto the members’ site (members.abd. Chris Ward Action pack: The ABD offers an informative org.uk). If there’s no local co-ordinator for the [email protected] ‘action pack’ which explains the process used area, why not take on the role yourself? by local authorities to set speed limits, and the ON THE ROAD EDITOR: rights you have to object to new or reduced The ABD’s National committee: Carl Jones limits. committee is always looking for more members [email protected] The pack costs £5 to non-members, but is free to bring fresh ideas. If you’d like to help out, to current members, who just need to send a contact Brian Gregory, Brian Macdowall, Ian large SAE to: ABD Action Pack, 3 Wheatcroft Way, Taylor, or email [email protected] PRESS RELEASE CO-ORDINATOR: Dereham, Norfolk, NR20 3SS. Chris Lamb Alternatively, send correspondence by email to Contact your MP: We’d encourage all [email protected] members to write regularly to their local MP, COMPANY SECRETARY: reminding them of their duty to stand up for Terry Hudson Affiliated organisations: The ABD runs drivers. It’s best to get their contact details from [email protected] an affiliation scheme, allowing groups which their local constituency website – contacting support us to formally recognise the work we do. them through the Parliament website can be a CAMPAIGNING HELP: If you are a member of an organisation you think complicated and long-winded process. Make sure Ian Taylor and Brian Macdowall should be backing the ABD, please inform Terry you state that you are a constituent of theirs, to [email protected] Hudson and we’ll try to sign them up! get priority in a reply. [email protected] Want to get more involved? Contact Ian Taylor or Brian Macdowall to find out how…

Page 16 abd.org.uk