Stories
Slash Boxes
Comments

SoylentNews is people

posted by CoolHand on Thursday October 05 2017, @11:06PM   Printer-friendly
from the pedaling-away dept.

everybody in London is breathing toxic levels of PM2.5 particles. And the fact that the largest sources of PM2.5 particles are tires and brake dust suggests that electrification is at best only a partial answer.

We also have to drive a whole lot less.

Fortunately, London appears to be pursuing an all-of-the-above strategy when it comes to greener transportation, including electric buses to a massive investment in cycle infrastructure, the goal really does appear to be easing gridlock and rethinking how we get from one place to another.

London's cycle superhighways have already shown they can deliver 70% increases in cycling, and now Mayor Sadiq Kahn has announced an entirely new, fourth superhighway bringing segregated lanes to Southeast London for the first time.

Instead of car tire and brake dust, Londoners will be able to inhale healthier bike tire and brake dust.


Original Submission

 
This discussion has been archived. No new comments can be posted.
Display Options Threshold/Breakthrough Mark All as Read Mark All as Unread
The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way.
  • (Score: 3, Interesting) by bzipitidoo on Friday October 06 2017, @10:10AM

    by bzipitidoo (4388) on Friday October 06 2017, @10:10AM (#577914) Journal

    We can only guess how many traffic lights are "political lights", purposefully mistimed, to delay traffic, but it's probably more than you think.

    The blatant one is the traffic light that instantly turns green for the entrance to the highly exclusive golf course where only the wealthiest people play. Nearly every light at the entrance to a shopping mall seems programmed to delay passing traffic. Merchants believe that forcing people to wait in front of their stores increases business, and I suppose they are correct in that belief. Then there are streets that run parallel to toll roads. Private toll road operators want those competing streets snarled up as much as possible, to drive more "business" to their road. Sometimes neighborhoods get in on the business of gumming up the road, to drive traffic and its pollution away from their areas. Of course red light camera operators prefer lights that generate the most violations, and they've been caught shortening the yellow. If they'd mess up the yellow, they surely would not refrain from any other means of provoking light running. Brake repair shops are another group that might prefer maximally mistimed lights, to wear everyone's brakes out faster of course. It's not much different from the tire shop that spills nails on the nearby streets, except that it's legal.

    All these special interests prefer that traffic light timing and intelligence continue to be neglected rather than improved. Interchanges and roundabouts are one of the surefire ways of putting an end to all that gaming of a traffic light.

    Starting Score:    1  point
    Moderation   +1  
       Interesting=1, Total=1
    Extra 'Interesting' Modifier   0  
    Karma-Bonus Modifier   +1  

    Total Score:   3