Roads that serve more than just car-drivers (Roads)

Tue 28 Oct, 11:14

Urging Charlbury to be more like a City with a population of around 272,657 to 275,037 people? Shows how out of touch the anti car brigade are with reality.

Mon 27 Oct, 16:19 (last edited on Mon 27 Oct, 19:04)

I've been reading this forum whilst travelling across Europe. 

Nearly all successful communities face the same problems as us, finite road space, but more people wanting to drive and typically using ever larger cars.

The best communities (Copenhagen & Paris - but also smaller places like Ghent, Bruges and Gubbio) have restricted car usage. Most public and on-street parking is typically expensive and/or time limited.

These places are not anti-motorist, but they recognise car drivers are one set of road users alongside others. 

The places that manage cars are much more pleasant. I see more people walking and cycling as fewer cars are clogging the streets. As more people can access the shared spaces shops are better used. In Charlbury we have options like bus and rail (it's one reason we moved here a decade ago).

The places which have not managed their cars become ever more congested and polluted, yet the arguments continue that they need yet more road space given over to cars and even more parking. The whole environment degrades and yet car drivers continue to be annoyed.

I'd urge Charlbury to be more like Ghent.