Topic ID 3610
Oh the joy! No queueing from the A10 all the way to Mead Lane. 15 minutes shaved off my journey! Half term heaven! Do you think we could convince government ministers to come and observe the difference in traffic if the School run was sorted? This morning, for the first time, I was thinking....Hertford doesn't need a bypass, it needs a fleet of yellow school buses. I'm wondering how other people have found it? Is it much better down Port Hill or Hertingfordbury?
Reply ID 52722
It's been brilliant by Hertford North station. I know lots of people are off work too, but every school holiday is noticeably different on the roads.
Reply ID 52724
Port Hill is almost always better, Didn't go down till 9.15 today but went straight through to the Libary lights with no stops.
Reply ID 52726
It has been a lot clearer in the town this week, but I don't think that the majority of the traffic is the school run. Parents tend to take the week off work, so aren't travelling.
Reply ID 52727
It has been very quiet on the school run for the last few weeks prior to Half Term. I think all the older ones are off on study leave - so goes to show how many of them are driven to school - lazy sods [:D]
Reply ID 52735
Well according to the Director of the Environment department at County Hall, the difference in traffic between normal (gridlocked) Hertford in peak-time rush hour and the flowing empty roads that we experience in half-term is 10% of traffic (i.e. 10% less). Therefore, his argument is that if we can reduce the traffic by doing car-shares etc. to a level that is 10% less, we'd experience roads like this all the time. Not sure if I believe that figure but there you go, that's the view of the Powers That Be in County Hall....
Reply ID 52738
I'd say it was more than ten per cent. Oh, and who else noticed the two guys doing a traffic feasibility study at the Old Cross traffic lights during the week? Hmmm... not a very accurate respresentation of the traffic down there.
Reply ID 52741
Considering no Hertford school is beyond walking distance from any point in Hertford, it stunning that so many children are driven and amply explains why there are so many fat little porkers out there.
Reply ID 52742
I don't think anyone would seriously make the effort to drive their children to school unless they really had to. Remember not all children get a place at their nearest school and I don't think you could expect them to walk miles to school. To get the bus would be fine if they are old enough. A lot of children are too young to walk or catch a bus though, so unless a school bus network is established parents don't have much choice but to drive them. I can't think of many things worse than having to sit in traffic every day and wasting part of your life, surely no one would do it unless there was no other choice? I think children's lives are so much more sedentary today. They have DVD's, computers, texting all things that you can do or watch sitting down. We did not have those things while we were growing up and there were not many overweight children at my school or among my friends. We also did not have fast food outlets, or endless fatty foods and ready meals marketed in our direction. It's obvious that a combination of the above could lead to obesity.
Reply ID 52743
quote:Many of the children driven to Hertford schools live in Hertford. Hertford is walking distance from side to side, whichever way you walk it. Outlying villages, yes, but within Hertford itself, there is no excuse.
Originally posted by frazer
I don't think anyone would seriously make the effort to drive their children to school unless they really had to. Remember not all children get a place at their nearest school and I don't think you could expect them to walk miles to school. To get the bus would be fine if they are old enough. A lot of children are too young to walk or catch a bus though, so unless a school bus network is established parents don't have much choice but to drive them. I can't think of many things worse than having to sit in traffic every day and wasting part of your life, surely no one would do it unless there was no other choice? I think children's lives are so much more sedentary today. They have DVD's, computers, texting all things that you can do or watch sitting down. We did not have those things while we were growing up and there were not many overweight children at my school or among my friends. We also did not have fast food outlets, or endless fatty foods and ready meals marketed in our direction. It's obvious that a combination of the above could lead to obesity.
Reply ID 52744
there is a few families down my road and neighbouring roads that drive to school. It take us 5 mins to walk there.
Reply ID 52745
On a positive note, the Mill Mead walking bus has certainly been flourishing in recent months, in fact there are now two! Last year the whole scheme was nearly scrapped due to lack of numbers. Dare I suggest (Hi Shunt [:)]) that recent measures making traffic stay on main roads has actually (in the mornings at least) encouraged more parents to let their children walk to school rather than just bunging them in the car?
Reply ID 52746
quote:Nice thought, but I doubt it.
Originally posted by dennismoore
On a positive note, the Mill Mead walking bus has certainly been flourishing in recent months, in fact there are now two! Last year the whole scheme was nearly scrapped due to lack of numbers. Dare I suggest (Hi Shunt [:)]) that recent measures making traffic stay on main roads has actually (in the mornings at least) encouraged more parents to let their children walk to school rather than just bunging them in the car?
Reply ID 52747
quote:Unfortunately, I have to agree with Shunt... it's more likely to do with the weather brighting up. The only way you'll stop people from driving people to school is by fining everyone instantly for dropping kids off at the school and then making parents prove that they absolutely had to drive them in (live miles away without a nearer school and no suitable public transport or they normally walk and it was pouring down) claim it back while those who don't have to drive them in have to pay for the privilege. Never going to happen though.
Originally posted by shuntquote:Nice thought, but I doubt it.
Originally posted by dennismoore
On a positive note, the Mill Mead walking bus has certainly been flourishing in recent months, in fact there are now two! Last year the whole scheme was nearly scrapped due to lack of numbers. Dare I suggest (Hi Shunt [:)]) that recent measures making traffic stay on main roads has actually (in the mornings at least) encouraged more parents to let their children walk to school rather than just bunging them in the car?
Reply ID 52748
What a great idea Bockman, that is possible with the number plate regognition system, which will automatically find (through the dvla computer) where they live, whether they are taxed and insured, and if they are too close for driving, then fine the bu--ers!! Unfortunately I've just thought they might be taking their loved ones to school and then going off to work, back to the drawing board, sigh.
Reply ID 52749
quote:Nooooooo!![:0] We're heavily over legislated, watched, controlled and monitored in Britain already. People just have to work out that it's easier to not drive.
Originally posted by Hugh
What a great idea Bockman, that is possible with the number plate regognition system, which will automatically find (through the dvla computer) where they live, whether they are taxed and insured, and if they are too close for driving, then fine the bu--ers!! Unfortunately I've just thought they might be taking their loved ones to school and then going off to work, back to the drawing board, sigh.
Reply ID 52750
quote:I was being sarcastic... My bad though, I forgot the [sarcasm][/sarcasm] tags.
Originally posted by Hugh
What a great idea Bockman, that is possible with the number plate regognition system, which will automatically find (through the dvla computer) where they live, whether they are taxed and insured, and if they are too close for driving, then fine the bu--ers!! Unfortunately I've just thought they might be taking their loved ones to school and then going off to work, back to the drawing board, sigh.
Reply ID 52753
A lot of parents drop their children off on the way to work though, so although there are health benefits of making kids walk, i doubt it'd reduce the traffic that significantly. I think the roads were so quiet last week as a lot of parents take leave over school holidays.
Reply ID 52801
Just as it was getting better...... The phasing of the lights at Mill Road/Ware Road have changed today. Ware Road was empty. The traffic getting out of Mead Lane was tailed back for nearly 25 minutes......why oh why......