Let's get London moving: appoint a supremo
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was debate between those — including some road operators — who wanted a lot of access points to M25, and those fearing that too much development of distribution depots and factories would lead to congestion, compelling long-distance traffic to use the present inadequate roads in the Home Counties. Thrombosis on M25 could spark off calls for yet another peripheral road around the conurbation!
Compare Paris developments with London's, Both capital cities are heavily motorised. In the Ile de France, of which Paris is the centre, five new towns built in recent years provide an additional challenge both to public transport — for daily commuters to Paris and between the new towns — and for those whose circumstances compel the use of cars.
But Paris built its famous Boulevarde Peripherique, a dual-carriageway road roughly akin to the proposed London Motorway box, and the right bank express way along the River Seine, relieving the former city centre traffic jams. And a six-lane middle orbital motorway is now under construction. This will provide a link between the main radial routes.
Note its location — at about 10-15km (six to nine miles) from the city centre. That is about the same distance as the North and South Circular roads in London, The impetus to proceed with the middle orbital motorway, the A86, stems from the success of the Boulevarde Peripherique which is now congested in morning and evening peaks throughout the year.
The French are not immune to environmental pressures. Their authorities expect to impose restrictions on lorry movements in sensitive areas but accept that alternative roads should be provided.
The middle orbital motorway, increasingly known as the Peripherique of the Ile de France, is an astonishly bold concept. About 20 miles of the 48-mile road have been opened to traffic in several sections and top priority is now being given to the eastern section linking the Al Autoroute du Nord with the A6 Autoroute du Sud, with a completion date of 1985 envisaged. Though increasing pressure may be brought to slow down the massive roadworks, they must be completed to maximise the benefit.
The A86 in the Val de Marne departement passes through dormitory towns and suburbs with a high proportion of middle-class residents. The road planners were told bluntly by local mayors and community leaders that the road would not be permitted unless every conceivable environmental embel lishment was incorporated. A this is precisely what has be done.
Vast sums have been spent such measures as tunnelli through sensitive areas, use viaducts, double-glazing, sou barriers costing over £50 milli' tree planting and other ima native landscaping.
With all this there were ma engineering works in reinstati public services such as g water, sewers and telephones a densely populated area. WIit was necessary to re-site a r way station it was shifted to p vide room for the motorway. one point the motorway pas! directly beneath rail tracks; another it skirts alongside large cemetery, missing boundary by a mere half-me. In several places the motorv is covered or half covered, to landscaping and limit noise.
What has been done so far I made A86 the most imaginat road project in France, if nol Europe, to which planners many countries are making a grimage.
The cost of construction of A86 in built-up areas is amt. £40 million per mile, final coming from two sources, 70 cent from the regional autho and 30 per cent from the Sti The current annual expendit on the road is about £50 millic The construction of the hi speed routes such as A86 I not prevented other regio road improvements. In the I ears between 1976 and 1980 60 million has been spent on nportant local roads facilitating lovement within the new towns r suburbs desinated for inustrial development.
How has all this been accomlished? It has been done alongde other major planning procts such as the Charles de iaulle airport at Roissy, new niversities and the new market omplex at Rungis. Are French lanners more persuasive, or renchmen more docile than -pair British counterparts?
The Ile de France region, conmining Paris, like all the other 21 agions into which France is ivided, is governed by a single egional authority under a refect, a civil servant appointed y the President. The Prefect riplements central government olicy at a regional level. He cordinates the eight departelents (counties) in the region. epresentative bodies consistig of MPs and councillors, and pecialist professional bodies, elp in the administration of the ?g ion.
Centralised power to plan has ertainly helped. There is an gency, The Direction Regionale e l'Equipment (DRE), set up in 967 by the amalgamation of arious planning and deelopment bodies, which is reslonsible for several functions i nluding the development of lublic transport. One of its eight eparate divisions, The Infrasructure of Transport Division DlTl is responsible to the 'refect for the drafting of the iverall plan and execution of 'greed transport policy.
Making one agency responsi ble for major road and rail schemes has been a crucial factor.
Road expenditure has not been a political shuttlecock. Extending the Metro; designating reserved bus lanes, the common fare policy, station car parks, renewal of rolling stock, renovation of stations, overall control of freight transport movement, all dovetail into a total transport policy including roads.
, Road construction in London in the years that have seen immense expansion of freight transport by road has been niggardly. Expenditure per head in 1979-80 was under £5 compared with the average for England as a whole of £15. In Scotland it was £28 and in Wales £41. No wonder the BRF calls for £2,500 million to be spent on the capital's road network.
But that vast sum, with the additional expenditure needed to improve public transport services, will not be spent to the best advantage without intelligent regional planning.
The re-structuring of Ministries is currently popular; there is no reason why London should not plan with the verve and nerve of the Paris region.
With a working example within 250 miles excuses are hollow. It will cost a vast sum today to put right years of neglect. The time to start is NOW.