Are Camden's Bus Diversions A Sign Of Calamitous Transport Planning Or The Decline Of TfL

It seems that everyone else can see the calamities happening on in Camden....except for the council planets themselves. There's been a lot on social media, about the conflicts of interest with certain councillors involved with these new hair brain schemes.....some councillors have already been replaced.

Residents are up in arms (again), complaining that original consultations have been discarded. 

Even the local paper 'CamdenNewJournal' is now leading with articles pointing out the incredible insanity of recent traffic schemes. 

But it's not just Camden Council..TfL are also being put on the spot by the local paper.

In their latest online edition, they say 'all the signs point to what can only be described as the decline of Transport for London'.

Fitzrovia, Judd Street, Hampstead Road, Midland Road, Tottenham Court Road....all these crazy, congestion causing schemes have received backing from TfL.

Is TfL up to the momentous job of transforming transport and street usage by vehicles in the face of the threatening climate change?

A revolution in transport is essential. It will, of course, never be achieved unless it is planned centrally by the government.

The introduction of electric cars is a case in point – this will not come about without the full co-operation of manufacturers, the lowering of costs, the changing habits of consumers – as well as sound planning by transport authorities such as TfL.

But TfL appears to fail when it comes to public consultation. While half-baked consultations on the introduction of cycle lanes have been welcomed by many cyclists they have also caused waves of resentment among private drivers and cabbies.

Creating two lanes in Tottenham Court Road has left it as a street of two parts – one, going northwards, choked with traffic; the other, going south, virtually deserted, just a few buses and a few cyclists.

Or take the decision taken this week to allow a crane in Crowndale Road which forces virtually all buses going southwards to miss Camden Town and zigzag their way across th borough, instead of using Camden Street and Crowndale Road. 

Was there any real consultation?

Any prior publicity?

Without warning, thousands of families who will be boarding buses to go shopping in Camden Road and Camden High Street will now find themselves (until May 25) squeezed out of Camden Town. 

It will be even worse for th disabled and young mothers with children.

This may seem of little importance to the bigwigs at TfL, but it means a lot for local families. 

Good local government would avoid such calamitous planning. 

Unfortunately what the residents have in Camden at present, is well below aceptable standards.