Tuesday 7 October 2008

Raging about the pavements


And brought me news that Edinburgh Conservative councillor Jason Rust is proposing different speed lanes to ease congestion problems - on the pavement.

Yes, I laughed, especially at this bit:
Cllr Rust told the BBC Scotland news website he sometimes came across the problem during his lunch break while walking from his west end office to buy a sandwich.
He said: "Now and again I am in a hurry and get stuck behind people who are walking along at snail's pace, stopping every few seconds, and it is a minor irritation.
"This would be a practical measure to see if it works.
Imagine being delayed slightly in the streets of a busy city, eh? Whatever next? I'll bet some eejit comes along and puts a flamin great tramline down the middle of the street and reduces the pavement width...
Just in case you thought Rustie was on his own, though, in steps the Lib Dem councillor in charge of transport in Edinburgh, councillor Phil Wheeler, to say that he'd listen to suggestions and then gave an endorsement of a survey carried out by Nurofen, allowing that company to get its product advertised on the BBC website:
Phil Wheeler, Edinburgh City Council's transport convener, said: "The results of this survey are interesting.
"More interesting, perhaps, will be to see what serious proposals can be put forward to try to deal with the problem."
Anybody with more than two brain cells knows that the idea is barking mad:
1. How would you legislate for it?
2. How would you signpost it?
3. How would you enforce it?
4. Who lets these councillors out on their own?

Why would a solicitor with respected Edinburgh firm Anderson Strathearn not see the barkingness of the suggestion he was putting forward? Why would the heid honcho (transport) of Edinburgh Council not treat the proposal with disdain? Why would a Lib Dem councillor be giving credibility to a survey by a commercial operation that states the blindingly obvious (people get annoyed when their progress through crowded streets is impeded)?
Is it all just so we all think we need painkillers?

3 comments:

McChatterer said...

Reducing the clutter of street furniture on narrow pavements would help more, I would think?

Calum Cashley said...

I would have thought so. Now, who's in charge of street furniture???

Anonymous said...

I had an email from Nurofen about this. They wanted me to promote it in Manchester as well. I agree with you, completely mad. My response was to chuck it straight in the bin.