The problem is too many people, with far too many more being crammed into areas without the infrastructure to cope. Cars don’t drive themselves yet in this country, and as Paul himself proves, people will drive to destinations if the need or want to.Ealing is being choked by the various levels of local government. Huge tower blocks being built in unsuitable locations, without proper outside space for residents - it seems the parks are deemed to be the accessible open spaces for those souls destined to occupy the new builds on Ealing Broadway, including Perceval House’s redevelopment. That’s going to make Walpole Park pleasant on a sunny day.All these people will still need things transported, whether they do it themselves or by other people. That means traffic won’t ‘evaporate’ and will simply be funnelled onto more overcrowded routes. Add in the boneheaded policy of zero parking and you create even more problems. I knew someone who lived in the Ark on Uxbridge Road (the building with the infamous falling cladding). No parking spaces at all, which wasn’t a consideration when they bought their flat as they didn’t have a car, but it meant all manner of problems when it came to deliveries. Some companies simply refused to visit.The problem with planning urban areas based on utopian ideals is that it rarely considers the reality of day to day living. It’s something that twerps like Costigan, Bell, Mason (a ‘qualified’ town planner) and the rest never think about.
Simon Hayes ● 1285d