I give my qualified support to the idea.
Few would want to see a return to the chaos of the Olympic cycling road closures, where the South Circular was shut and, simultaneously, hordes of people descended from all over the country for a once-in-50-years world sporting event. (ironically, I missed it - with roads closed, trains at capacity and buses cancelled, there was no way of physically getting my young family there). Actually, I'd support a re-run but
strictly on the condition Team GB gets to win this time
So it's fortunate, then, that Jon's proposal looks nothing like that. Almost all the roads to be closed or otherwise limited are residential or access roads, so the impact on the main roads looks to be minimal. A little extra traffic on Battersea Park Rd & Clapham Common North, and an extra minute or two on access roads, looks to be about the extent of it. A price worth paying, surely.
Pam, you are quite wrong to assert that residential roads are "made to drive on". They are made for all sorts of things, but when one of those things is driving large cars at fatal speeds, it's inevitable that those other things get pushed to one side. Might is right, and all that. This is about so much more than a few kids on bikes (if that were all it was, I couldn't support it).. have you ever thought about how relaxing it might be to enjoy the whole of your own street without the threat of lethal injury? Sure, you've got places to be, we all do.. but in no other walk of life is lethal threat considered an OK social norm just for going about your business. On my short lunch break I've got places to be, but you don't see me waving a knife around to get to the front of the queue. Well, only on a really bad day. Anyways.. the idea that play is an activity just for children (well, unless you're talking chess or S&M) is one of the sadder ones society has adopted. Would love to see my neighbours feeling like they could kick a ball about in the street once in a while, think most of them have forgotten how to have fun!
We all have those essential trips to make, but I'm curious as to what some of you do when your car breaks down, your other half needs to use it or there's 6in of snow on the ground. Fact is, we adapt to circumstances & it's rarely as bad as we think. I personally think it's worth it to see how much more civilised life can be.. if this goes ahead, I'll be joining in the fun; if not, I'll take the family on a weekend break to Utrecht where they've already figured that out.
TTFN,
A-V.