If I were Minister for Transport, I'd...

[garcon]

Copied from a fun thread in the GT, cos actually there's lots of serious discussion to be had here. I dunno 'bout the rest of you, but here in the UK our roads are congested, as car owners and drivers we are the biggest net subsidisers to the Chancellor's coffers, for some reason I can't fathom (envy?) there's a powerful anti-car lobby out there that would love to see car manufacturers, dealers and enthusiasts alike all burn in hell. It's time to fight back!

So - as the Rt Hon Garcon Magnifique MSc PDQ MP, Secretary for Transport, my policies will be (with apologies for plagiarism)...

Overhaul the driving test system, introducing a compulsory advanced test to gain a licence for performance cars - say over a certain bhp/ton. This test will comprise mainly of the current IAM Advanced Test, plus sessions on skidpan and track. And it'll be expensive and over-21 only.

Reduce speed limit to 20mph on non-through residential roads and outside schools at peak times, wider use of 40/50mph limits through rural hazards (villages, junctions etc), set NSL (National Speed Limit) to 70mph on single/dual carriageway A/B roads and 80mph on motorways, wider use of variable limits through high congestion areas on motorways.

Control the number of speed cameras and ensure they really are placed at accident blackspots and genuine hazards only. DOUBLE the number of fully marked Police Traffic cars and place emphasis on penalties for driving without due care, wreckless driving etc not just speed related tax collection.

Specific clamp downs on tailgating, lane discipline, incorrect use of front/rear foglights, inappropriate speed - i.e. 30+ past schools, suicide speeds in fog etc.

Standardise Police Traffic Officer Tuition nationally, and enforce rules limiting response and pursuit calls to Class A Police Drivers only - no more being put into danger by speeding panda cars driven by officers with no more training than me...

Resume obligatory 'Green Cross Code' lessons for kids.

Overhaul tax system - reduce plg road tax, class SUV's and 4x4s as commercials and tax accordingly with rebates only for those who can prove necessity, further rebates for those in rural areas not served by public transport, tie all vehicle related taxation to investment in roads, integrated public transport and some environmental initiatives (in proportion to the true level of damage cars do compared to heavy industry, i.e. precious little).

Compulsory and significant reductions in insurance for those who pursue approved voluntary advanced driving tuition (such as IAM), subject to no claims or convictions.

I'm sure you'll think of more...

[carrera]

Not a bad list.
How about displaying insurance details (policy number only , to allow police check) and MoT certificate in the window alongside the tax disc.

Zero tolerance on drink driving.

Reinforcement of SORN.

[Maisie]

Make more use of cariable speed limits - 20mph zones outside schools during school hours only for example, or like the beginning of the M56 out of Manchester where there's a 40 zone and no traffic during certain times of the day.

Re-introduce the 20 year rolling classic car tax program

Fund school buses - a vast proportion of rush hour traffic is due to school runs. It's amazing how much shorter journeys are during school holidays.

Clamp down on bad driving - lane swapping, lane hogging, foglight use (that includes the oaves with sidelights and front fogs on). Make anyone caught driving without due use of brain retake their test.

Also agree with limiting new drivers - too many of them think they're invincible. And when they do crash and kill people, it's always "a tragedy - xxx's car "mysteriously left the road"" - there's not enough stigma about driving like a boy racer and getting your friends paralysed or killed.

[Tristan]

To chip in a rule I'd like to see - ABOLOTION OF SPEED LIMITS ON MOTORWAYS. They should be variable at ALL times with cameras on the back of the signs á la M25 Junctions M3-M40. At certain times in certain places there should be no speed limit.

Whaddaya reckon??

[Lee Janotta]

Excellent suggestions all around, garcon. Most of them could also improve our road system.

"Safe and prudent speed" should be the law on all dual carriageways during non-peaking hours. There's no reason one shouldn't be able to do triple-digits on an empty motorway in the middle of the night.

More stringent liscensing requirements, with specific tests for competence in poor conditions and during emergency maneuvers, are needed on both sides of the pond. It's frightening to see how incompetent people are here when the roads are covered in ice and snow, or even just wet.

Traffic cameras should be outlawed, plain and simple. You should always have the right to confront and challenge your accuser, you can't do that with a remote camera operated by beaurocrats.

[bella]

i do agree with the abolition of speed limits on motorways at certain times of the day. when it's not possible to do more than 60 safely so be it. but when it's just you you're going to kill at 3am on the m62 then you should be allowed to go as fast as you like. in the end it's your life.

speed cameras are good however i disagree with their use in conjunction with a 50mph zone on a motorway/a road. ie where i got done on the a1. it bunches up traffic and makes it more dangerous i reckon.

i also think they should remove all bullbars from 4x4s and ban the buggers from the motorway and around schools.

[medler]

I disagree with the removal of speed limits on motorways at quiet times. Most people cannot handle a car at high speed and even at 3 am most motorways are busy. I think all drivers/riders should have a retest every 5 or 10 years and this should include a medical. The re-test should also be nearer to advanced standard, as the present test is meant to be a base level and your driving should improve from that point.
Speed cameras have a part to play in law enforcement, but at present forces see cameras as a way to remove traffic cops from duty. This leads to people getting away with appalling driving as long as it is below the speed limit.
Road fund duty should be removed and then we only pay tax for the fuel we use and remove the bureaucracy collect tax duty creates. In place of the road tax disc in the windscreen should be a discs for MOT (if required) and insurance.


.

[Tedebear]

Originally posted by bella


speed cameras are good however i disagree with their use in conjunction with a 50mph zone on a motorway/a road. ie where i got done on the a1. it bunches up traffic and makes it more dangerous i reckon.

Totally agree with your comments on the A1 - we travelled up to the classic car show via the A1 on Sunday and the fequency of the speed cameras is dangerous - the flow of traffic along there is impeded nearly to the point of people running up each others backsides to slow down for the cameras...either lift the speed limit to allow the traffic to flow or remove every second camera??

Had to laugh though - someone has turned around a road sign to block a camera somewhere along there...class!!!

[Tedebear]

Oops meant the A2 actually above....

[davemorganfan]

About time cyclists were also made to comply with road traffic regulations. Make them carry compulsory insurance, just like motorists. Clamp down hard on the buggers when they ride accross zebra crossings and ignore traffic lights. And most of all, remind them in the strongest terms (i.e threaten them with life imprisonment) if they don't use lights at night. Real lights too - not those pathetic glow-worm substitutes.

[josvandeperre]

Not forgetting amputating the limbs of footpath cyclists

[Stephen Green]

I would tax foreign trucks in the form of toll booths or entry tax (especially the French, sorry Garcon) and make sure the money was put back into repairing roads and not the general coffers of the government.

[garcon]

Hey, no need to apologise - it's only a name. I nicked their language for it (or more accurately someone else did), doesn't mean I like them!!

The government has already tried to apply some kind of additional tax on foreign registered HGV's, in an attempt to close the loophole whereby UK haulage firms would buy & tax trucks abroad to avoid extortionate UK taxes.

Good stuff y'all - are roadusers the only potential focus group the government hasn't consulted??

Though I like the idea, I can't agree with an immediate scrapping of m'way speed limits - there'd be carnage... however, over time, if we are able to educate drivers and reduce congestion then it could be an achievable goal - on certain stretches at certain times etc...

[Bluebottle]

How about scrapping the No Undertaking rule for motorways? That would put an end to the rapid crossing of all three lanes by [GENERALISATION] BMW drivers [/GENERALISATION] when they, for example, join the M1 from the M25.

As a cyclist, I thoroughly agree with Mr Morganfan's suggestions! I once got rear-ended on my bike by another cycle rider because I stopped at a red light!!

I also think there should be a test for anyone who wants to walk on our pavements, I've lost count of the number of people who have stepped out in front of me and my bike (on the road Mr Vandeperre!) without looking- or even worse, the ones who look straight at me and step out!!

[bella]

ban foreign students from cycling.
either that or give us extra points for putting one (or more) on our bonnets...

[steve_r]

Ban Caravans.

Make at least half the police road traffic cars are "Plain Clothed". On motorways, marked police cars are a waste of time, everyone drives like angels when they see one.

Install webcams on all new cars, and allow citizens arrests for poor driving.

[josvandeperre]

Undertaking is a function of bad lane discipline - if anyone ever used the inside lane motorway congestion would slump and there would be no need to consider undertaking (which is probably a more viable answer than improving lane discipline)

If cyclists have tests and lights and insurance and amputation for footpath cycling then I'm happy for pedestrians to take tests - as well as crossing the road things like umbrella courtesy could be included - ie no golf umbrellas on narrow pavements

A lot of this stuff is basic citizenship skills that should be taught in schools since parents don't

[garcon]

On the UK news today, "road safety groups" have launched a high court challenge to the government's new rules on speed cameras that require them to be visible and bright yellow. Their argument being that hidden grey ones are "more effective".

WHAT?!?!??!?!?! :confused:

Turns out it wasn't "road safety groups" at all - it was Transport 2000. A bunch of bearded cardigan wearing tree huggers who would love to throw car owners in jail and ban cars from our roads so we can all return to travelling on horseback.

SO WHAT THE F DO THEY KNOW ABOUT SPEED CAMERAS?!

They're not interested in road safety! All they want to see is more drivers sneakily caught for speeding, so they can say "Ha - you mass murderer you! Look what damage your car is doing! It's the work of the Devil!" After which they'd presumably dance around in a circle in some wood somewhere and burn the culprit's car as a sacrificial offering to the god of hairy cyclists.

Transport 2000 has one policy, summarised as we hate cars. As far as I'm concerned, they do not have a voice when it comes to matters of road safety.

It is as clear and simple as this: Speed cameras can only be effective as a road safety device if they are positioned before specific road hazards, and are clearly visible to road users from several hundred yards. This way, they act as a clear deterrent and slow traffic to the prevailing limit in a safe way, so that speed at the hazard is reduced.

In so doing, this helps to reduce one element of risk at the hazard. An integrated policy which combines proper use of cameras with driver education to improve observation and hazard perception (the latest generation of the driving test makes good progress in this direction) will improve road safety at such hazards as schools, pedestrian crossings and awkward junctions.

[carrera]

"A lot of this stuff is basic citizenship skills that should be taught in schools since parents don't "

Jos, the mothers are too busy teaching their X5s kerb mounting skills and the fathers; the burks in the Mercs; are out undertaking on the motorways as they race to another meeting.

[rocket]

Originally posted by steve_r


Make at least half the police road traffic cars are "Plain Clothed". On motorways, marked police cars are a waste of time, everyone drives like angels when they see one.

i think that having more marked cars is a better idea & have them out there not at the station
another thing that should be done is to teach people how to read traffic & to look further up the road than the bumper in front

[Smokey 6 litre]

If i were misister for transport i'd..run off with all the money! or failing that create a road in the middle of Norfolk which is not linked to any other roads and loops round to its self again, this road would have rumble strips on the corners, no speed cameras and a convieniently created tunnel to it with a secret entrance that only i know about.

[Smokey 6 litre]

Originally posted by carrera
"A lot of this stuff is basic citizenship skills that should be taught in schools since parents don't "

They tried to teach my class citizenship. and i think it is on the curriculum under 'Key Skills' It was auful, one of the worse classes i've ever been in, How to be a good neighbour, turn down your music, dont park you car on their grass.
Its not that people dont know this stuff, its that they dont choose to abide by it, no ammount of lessons will change that.