On the Road the Journal of the Alliance of British Drivers
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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 speed limit 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 Transport 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 highway). pages 2 and 3). l A proliferation of yellow lines would make life The West Midlands-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 Manchester, 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 Derby, 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.