A PERFECT IMBALANCE
Page 7
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It all sounds wonderful. And very worrying. What are we talking about? The plans by architect Sir Norman Foster to remove motor vehicles from London's most famous public places such as Whitehall, and Trafalgar and Parliament Squares. Sir Norman insists that all he's trying to do is achieve "a balancing act, a kind of Yin and Yang" between road users and pedestrians. According to a former head of traffic for the Metropolitan Police, it could lead to city-wide gridlock, business failures and a shockwave that could be felt up to six miles away. But as our old friend Joe Soap says: "The way some folk go on you'd think nowt ever happens in't North! Never mind London—what about all the bloody bans we've got up here?" He's right. There have been more column inches written about Sir Norman's proposals than any other pedestrianisation project in the land. Meanwhile truck operators throughout the UK have to overcome the creeping paralysis of the here and now created by ever more LGV bans and restrictions—while still delivering to shops and stores that become marooned when the tide of traffic goes out, never to come back again. The latest 7.5-tonne ban in Salisbury (see page 8) is a classic example of the problem. It may not get the headlines in the Daily Telegraph but unlike Sir Norman's plans it's a reality. Operators will have to overcome the consequences of Salisbury City Council's action—or face the wrath of their customers and consumers. And guess who's got an exemption? The city council, of course. Well, how else are they going to pick up rubbish From the shops? Presumably that's what Sir Richard would call achieving a balance between Yin and Yang. Joe Soap would call it having your cake and eating it. (tyjc