Should motor vehicles be forced to use motorways where available? There is no excuse for motorvehiclists to use the Birkenhead tunnel when the M53 leads in to the Wallasey Tunnel. Birkenhead Tunnel should be for pedestrians and cyclists.

On 05/09/2021 12:34 pm, Mike Collins wrote:
>
> Should motor vehicles be forced to use motorways where available? There is no excuse for motorvehiclists [sic] to use the Birkenhead tunnel when the M53 leads in to the Wallasey Tunnel. Birkenhead Tunnel should be for pedestrians and fairy-cyclists.

FIFY.

On Sunday, 5 September 2021 at 17:43:58 UTC+1, JNugent wrote:

On 05/09/2021 06:20 pm, Mike Collins wrote:

> On Sunday, 5 September 2021 at 17:43:58 UTC+1, JNugent wrote:

> On 05/09/2021 12:34 pm, Mike Collins wrote:
>
> Should motor vehicles be forced to use motorways where available?
> There is no excuse for motorvehiclists [sic] to use the Birkenhead
> tunnel when the M53 leads in to the Wallasey Tunnel. Birkenhead Tunnel
> should be for pedestrians and fairy-cyclists.

> FIFY.

On Monday, 6 September 2021 at 00:03:58 UTC+1, JNugent wrote:
> On 05/09/2021 06:20 pm, Mike Collins wrote:
>
> > On Sunday, 5 September 2021 at 17:43:58 UTC+1, JNugent wrote:
> > On 05/09/2021 12:34 pm, Mike Collins wrote:
> >
> > Should motor vehicles be forced to use motorways where available?
> > There is no excuse for motorvehiclists [sic] to use the Birkenhead
> > tunnel when the M53 leads in to the Wallasey Tunnel. Birkenhead Tunnel
> > should be for pedestrians and fairy-cyclists.
>
>
> > FIFY.

?

On 06/09/2021 12:09 am, Mike Collins wrote:

> On Monday, 6 September 2021 at 00:03:58 UTC+1, JNugent wrote:
>> On 05/09/2021 06:20 pm, Mike Collins wrote:
>>> On Sunday, 5 September 2021 at 17:43:58 UTC+1, JNugent wrote:
>>> On 05/09/2021 12:34 pm, Mike Collins wrote:
>
>>> Should motor vehicles be forced to use motorways where available?
>>> There is no excuse for motorvehiclists [sic] to use the Birkenhead
>>> tunnel when the M53 leads in to the Wallasey Tunnel. Birkenhead Tunnel
>>> should be for pedestrians and fairy-cyclists.
>
>>> FIFY.
>
> ?

Don't worry.

On 05/09/2021 12:34, Mike Collins wrote:
>
> Should motor vehicles be forced to use motorways where available? There is no excuse for motorvehiclists to use the Birkenhead tunnel when the M53 leads in to the Wallasey Tunnel. Birkenhead Tunnel should be for pedestrians and cyclists.
>

They are exercising historic rights... going back ooh, 80 years?

Near here, there is a country lane with sections of single track that is
designated as a B road. The council at great expense (money from the
developers of the new estate and future council taxes, not from "road
tax"), has just built a smooth, wide, parallel road a few hundred yards
away. The new road doesn't seem to have reduced traffic along the old
one and Google still insists the old road is the shorter/faster route
(it obviously assumes NSL means 60mph).

There is an idea (not yet a plan) to stop through traffic on the old
road. Except, presumably, the act of downgrading a road and putting in
some bollards requires a disproportionate amount of belly aching at
several thousand Pounds an hour by parliament.

On Monday, 6 September 2021 at 19:43:24 UTC+1, TMS320 wrote:
> On 05/09/2021 12:34, Mike Collins wrote:
> >
> > Should motor vehicles be forced to use motorways where available? There is no excuse for motorvehiclists to use the Birkenhead tunnel when the M53 leads in to the Wallasey Tunnel. Birkenhead Tunnel should be for pedestrians and cyclists.
> >
> They are exercising historic rights... going back ooh, 80 years?

A bit longer than that
https://blog.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/2013/08/30/worlds-first-fatal-car-accident/

On 06/09/2021 07:43 pm, TMS320 wrote:
> On 05/09/2021 12:34, Mike Collins wrote:
>>
>> Should motor vehicles be forced to use motorways where available?
>> There is no excuse for motorvehiclists to use the Birkenhead tunnel
>> when the M53 leads in to the Wallasey Tunnel. Birkenhead Tunnel should
>> be for pedestrians and cyclists.
>>
>
> They are exercising historic rights... going back ooh, 80 years?

A little bit longer than eighty years. King George V opened the
Queensway tunnel (Liverpool - Birkenhead) in 1934. He also officially
opened the East Lancashire Road (A580) on the same day 9though it didn't
connect directly to the tunnel).
>
> Near here, there is a country lane with sections of single track that is
> designated as a B road. The council at great expense (money from the
> developers of the new estate and future council taxes, not from "road
> tax"), has just built a smooth, wide, parallel road a few hundred yards
> away. The new road doesn't seem to have reduced traffic along the old
> one and Google still insists the old road is the shorter/faster route
> (it obviously assumes NSL means 60mph).
>
> There is an idea (not yet a plan) to stop through traffic on the old
> road. Except, presumably, the act of downgrading a road and putting in
> some bollards requires a  disproportionate amount of belly aching at
> several thousand Pounds an hour by parliament.

Can't a county council or UA stop up a road?

I'm sure that Parliament wasn't involved in every case of a terraced
street being obliterated from the map after compulsory purchase and
demolition.

On 07/09/2021 01:20, JNugent wrote:
> On 06/09/2021 07:43 pm, TMS320 wrote:
>> On 05/09/2021 12:34, Mike Collins wrote:
>>>
>>> Should motor vehicles be forced to use motorways where available?
>>> There is no excuse for motorvehiclists to use the Birkenhead tunnel
>>> when the M53 leads in to the Wallasey Tunnel. Birkenhead Tunnel
>>> should be for pedestrians and cyclists.
>>>
>>
>> They are exercising historic rights... going back ooh, 80 years?
>
> A little bit longer than eighty years. King George V opened the
> Queensway tunnel (Liverpool - Birkenhead) in 1934. He also officially
> opened the East Lancashire Road (A580) on the same day 9though it didn't
> connect directly to the tunnel).
>>
>> Near here, there is a country lane with sections of single track that
>> is designated as a B road. The council at great expense (money from
>> the developers of the new estate and future council taxes, not from
>> "road tax"), has just built a smooth, wide, parallel road a few
>> hundred yards away. The new road doesn't seem to have reduced traffic
>> along the old one and Google still insists the old road is the
>> shorter/faster route (it obviously assumes NSL means 60mph).
>>
>> There is an idea (not yet a plan) to stop through traffic on the old
>> road. Except, presumably, the act of downgrading a road and putting in
>> some bollards requires a  disproportionate amount of belly aching at
>> several thousand Pounds an hour by parliament.
>
> Can't a county council or UA stop up a road?

I don't know (that's point of the word "presumably"). If they can do it,
I don't see why it can't be done tomorrow.

> I'm sure that Parliament wasn't involved in every case of a terraced
> street being obliterated from the map after compulsory purchase and
> demolition.

There's a big difference. It's council tax payer's money, not developers
with their eye on a return.

On 07/09/2021 01:13 pm, TMS320 wrote:
> On 07/09/2021 01:20, JNugent wrote:
>> On 06/09/2021 07:43 pm, TMS320 wrote:
>>> On 05/09/2021 12:34, Mike Collins wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Should motor vehicles be forced to use motorways where available?
>>>> There is no excuse for motorvehiclists to use the Birkenhead tunnel
>>>> when the M53 leads in to the Wallasey Tunnel. Birkenhead Tunnel
>>>> should be for pedestrians and cyclists.
>>>>
>>>
>>> They are exercising historic rights... going back ooh, 80 years?
>>
>> A little bit longer than eighty years. King George V opened the
>> Queensway tunnel (Liverpool - Birkenhead) in 1934. He also officially
>> opened the East Lancashire Road (A580) on the same day 9though it
>> didn't connect directly to the tunnel).
>>>
>>> Near here, there is a country lane with sections of single track that
>>> is designated as a B road. The council at great expense (money from
>>> the developers of the new estate and future council taxes, not from
>>> "road tax"), has just built a smooth, wide, parallel road a few
>>> hundred yards away. The new road doesn't seem to have reduced traffic
>>> along the old one and Google still insists the old road is the
>>> shorter/faster route (it obviously assumes NSL means 60mph).
>>>
>>> There is an idea (not yet a plan) to stop through traffic on the old
>>> road. Except, presumably, the act of downgrading a road and putting
>>> in some bollards requires a  disproportionate amount of belly aching
>>> at several thousand Pounds an hour by parliament.
>>
>> Can't a county council or UA stop up a road?
>
> I don't know (that's point of the word "presumably"). If they can do it,
> I don't see why it can't be done tomorrow.

I have an idea that it used to involve the local magistrates. It's a
legal process either way and has to be carried out with a certain amount
of formality and ceremony (as well as allowing objections to be made and
addressed).
>
>> I'm sure that Parliament wasn't involved in every case of a terraced
>> street being obliterated from the map after compulsory purchase and
>> demolition.
>
> There's a big difference. It's council tax payer's money, not developers
> with their eye on a return.

There is much legal preparation to be done before physical steps towards
construction of a new road can commence. Stopping up a right of way
crossing the route (and diverting it via a nearby route) is fairly
common. Of course, every by-way and footpath could theoretically be
preserved, but it would add to the cost of the scheme, which all falls
on taxpayers. It has nothing to do with "developers".

The last scheme completed near here stopped up at least one named lane
(which now exists in two separate pieces), and possibly a farm track or two.

On Monday, 6 September 2021 at 19:43:24 UTC+1, TMS320 wrote:
> On 05/09/2021 12:34, Mike Collins wrote:
> >
> > Should motor vehicles be forced to use motorways where available? There is no excuse for motorvehiclists to use the Birkenhead tunnel when the M53 leads in to the Wallasey Tunnel. Birkenhead Tunnel should be for pedestrians and cyclists.
> >
> They are exercising historic rights... going back ooh, 80 years?
>

If modern cars were built like this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E88I8lm6vNc

There would be less 'accidents'.
The 'law abiding' speeding driver would have good incentive not to hit anything.