Bill Midgley column

Jul 27 2005 By Bill Midgley, The Journal

Perhaps we haven't quite yet got to the stage where the private car driver is viewed in the same anti-social class as the tobacco smoker, but I think the majority of us who still drive cars could be forgiven for thinking that way.

We have consistently seen ever more restrictions upon the private motorist, particularly in the way in which we gain access to our places of work and our city centres.

One of the most infuriating things in recent years has been the introduction of the bus lane. Not in its concept, but because it would appear that any vehicle other than a private car is allowed to use this route through a city centre.

This problem is then exacerbated by the inability of those who control traffic to remove individuals who are seemingly delivering and park their vehicles on double yellow lines, thereby compounding the congestion.

It might just at some stage occur to those who consider they know how traffic should flow that the free movement of traffic is essential to business. Some people have to travel to their places of work by their own transport because public transport does not. And facetious comments to the effect that bicycles can be used do not exactly fit the North-East weather when an easterly gale is blowing in February and you have to travel 10 or 15 miles to your place of work.

Business meetings are essential if we are to see a free flow of ideas, trading relations and the overall development of the economy. Perhaps we shouldn't be surprised that it is those who have little, if any, experience of business who decide how our traffic should flow.

But, as in most things these days, those who legislate and impose restrictions and regulations on our lives have very rarely ever produced anything themselves.

Perhaps I may be cynical, but I view much of what is happening as a mealy-mouthed way of trying to prevent private cars entering our city centres. It may be politically incorrect to say so, but creeping control tends to be a well-worn path.

The real impact will be in the not-too-distant future when major retailers move out to greenfield sites and business parks and city centres become marginalised and no-go areas. An extreme view? - not exactly - all that is required is a little bit of foresight.

The volume of traffic is a problem. What is needed is an imaginative approach to how traffic can be made to move more quickly, not brought to a halt.