They call it a dramatic U-turn in the Geazett, but it’s just another rerun of an old story to fill some space. Yes, they have dramatically reprinted Peter Callow’s populist musings that he would look to remove buses and taxis from St. John’s Square at some point in the future.
Will it actually happen? Probably not given the joke of a road system in town.
Should they have considered this before embarking on the project? Undoubtedly.
I can’t deny I think it’s a good idea though. In fact I think it’s essential. I don’t think they should even have entertained this shared space ideology in Blackpool, especially outside St. John’s church because the space is pretty limited. Maybe I’m a bit old school but I think motor vehicles should be on roads and not pavements – sweeping vehicles excluded.
It’s also a monumental waste of money if they allow hideous, 30 year old, smoke-belching buses back on there because – as I have mentioned before – St. John’s Square would be the same as it was prior to the £4.7million being spent except an awful lot more dangerous. One could ask what the point of making it look like a plaza was if they’re then going to destroy it by allowing public transport on it.
The big question is whether Peter Callow actually has a plan for this. How is he going to reroute the buses? How is he going to answer the disabled and pensioners that were used to getting dropped off in St. John’s Square?
This situation is one where the tram network could have been the answer if it were implemented properly. Convenient stops at central and St. John’s complete with a terminus at the bus station site with links to Bispham, Layton, South Shore and Poulton could have been the solution. Sure, lots of investment would be needed but a network of transport systems that complement each other would have been a much better investment than the Talbot Gateway will be – if that ever sees the light of day.
The tram could have been the mode of transport for Blackpool if the investment was there and a logical network plan was designed, but Blackpool Council seem keen to push on with courting the fossil fuel burning, tree killing, iceberg melting internal combustion engine.
loading…
How is he going to answer the disabled and pensioners that were used to getting dropped off in St. John’s Square?
He doesn’t need to answer to anybody… He’s Peter Callow! Even Cabinet ministers have to listen to him, don’tchaknow?
loading...
Could always give them the ultimate in durable vehicular transport for the disabled: A concrete wheelchair.
loading...
I would like to see Herr Callow removed from office and stuck in St Johns square, as a monument to institutional incompetence: “where idiots come first”.
Total wanker.
loading...
Having spent two days last week in St Johns Square I have to confess to being really worried about the shared space. It is an accident waiting to happen. However, the local businesses do need servicing by taxis and buses so where are they going to go???
These are the issues that Councillors should be getting involved in. There needs to be a properly researched travel plan, not some old shit cobbled together by Peter Cross.
The retards employed by the Highways Dept should have already thought up solutions to this.
loading...
The retards employed by the Highways Dept should have already thought up solutions to this.
Retardation is, of course, what results from incest…
loading...
who is Peter cross?
loading...
Peter Cross is “in charge” of highways.
There certainly appears to have been lots of corporate incest going on in the highways dept. Definately a case of jobs for the boys (or neices, step-daughters, nephews etc…….
The main reason why they have n’t come up with a solution is because none of them have a clue what they are doing! Never have I seen such a shower of inexperienced, ill-equipped numptys. (apart from Childrens Services ohh and Social Services ohh and Tourism & Regenerastion etc……
loading...
I agree about the tram line, the irony is this is the exact route that the Marton line trams used to take and their rails where still there (although not usuable) when they dug the area up this year.
A cheaper solution than the sort of tram track that we have done on the sea front could have been a new techology called Ultra Light Rail:
http://www.ultralightrail.com/index.htm
loading...
Went to Blackpool yesterday to have a look around and do some shopping for my oldest. The whole family went (very rare in my household) we would normally go to Preston or Manchester but because of the improvements in Blackpool shopping centre we decided to go there. This is the first time I have been into Blackpool to shop for almost two years.
I was impressed with St Johns new pedestrian area it does seem silly to have buses going through it every five minuets. But what I was particularly fed up with was the taxis. There was a young female driver following a bus into the “pedestrian zone”, I would give her the benefit and think she was unaware of what she was doing, the taxis decided that she was committing one of the cardinal sins. One cab tucked right up behind her and began to blast his horn at her constantly which for some reason signalled the other taxis to do the same. So for a couple of minuets we had five or six car horns blearing out at the driver and any shopper or dinner in the area. Not very welcoming I sure you would agree.
I most admit the shops in the town centre were limited and are not as big as shops in Preston. Having said that it was a lot better then I imagined it would be and it my well have been my first port of call in future, when not going out for the day with the family. However it will not be, my wife parents are Indian my wife is British born in London and has spent a total of eight months in India. I mention this because it is the reason why neither I nor my family will be shopping in Blackpool any time soon.
On four occasions I heard my wife referred to as a Paki once it was shouted at from across the street at other times people passing by felt it was necessary to point it out. Not since I first began dating my wife have I felt so angry and so close to violence. The fact that I hade to hold my to oldest boys in check stopped me from doing anything and also the knowledge it would solve nothing. I say this without a shadow of doubt that this would not have happened to us in Preston or Manchester or any other major shopping centre we visit regularly.
loading...
Totally agree about Blackpool taxi drivers, they are very aggressive drivers and are forever peeping at people.
As regards the racism I’m sorry to hear about that. I’ve heard alot more racist terms being used in recent years here in Stoke and it’s purely as a result of the governments open door immigration policy. People are openly resentful when they hear a foreign accent, ie “god not more foreigners”. Labour has done so much damage to this country.
loading...
Agreed Zim,I have friends in Blackburn who are subject to racist abuse for being WHITE, although our media is unwilling to acknowledge that racism cuts both ways; the reporting of the Chris Donald case is proof.Either way its not on, but what do you expect from a goverment that promotes the differences in people (diversity) and is obsessed with ‘minority’ rights, to the exclusion of the majority
Its all down to Zanu labours policies, I just wished more people showed their hatred of them,they are to blame.Nothing would make me happier to hear Labour councillors and MPS receiving the abuse they richly deserve for their perverse policies.
Its now out that mass immigration is not a result of incompetence but a deliberate policy by this government to create a multicultural society; a fine example of labours perverse social engineering, without ever consulting the poulation in the process.
Immigrants arent to blame, but Labour scum are.
Wht sort of goverment does that?
An Authoritarian governement, that cares little about the consequences for the population?
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/geraldwarner/100015291/we-must-outlaw-political-correctness-as-ruthlessly-as-it-has-trampled-on-our-liberties/
Fascist come to mind?
loading...
That’s the strange thing isn’t it there aren’t many Indians in Blackpool.
loading...
Bit fed up, were they locals who made the remarks or visiters? Either way, I’m sorry to hear what happened do tell your family Blackpool has some wonderful people who would never use that word.
loading...
Are we saying that because someone else is a racist then its all right for us to be? Not very christian.
loading...
Not at all, but racism comes in different forms, our media likes to think that only whites can be racist but thats racist in itself; theres no need for any racism, but theres no need for Zanulabour either.
loading...
[...] take a blind man to contact Mr Callow about this scheme? The rest of us with full use of our eyes could see from the off that unless they were going to actually sink a road into this pedestrian area and make [...]