Thursday 19 January 2012

Barmy Schemes In Southend – Pt I

Businessmen in Southend will be encouraged to use electric bikes to get around town.

Southend Council is piloting the innovative project after receiving a £12,000 handout from the Government.
Like the Government has any money…
Council bosses want to loan hi-tech bikes to firms whose employees will be urged to use them instead of their cars.

It is hoped the scheme will help ease car parking and traffic problems in the borough.
How many will this affect? Ten? Twenty? Just what effect is that likely to have on the traffic in Southend? I might as well pee off the end of the Pier and claim to be 'easing sea level problems'...
The E-bikes project is funded by the Government’s £1.04million Climate Change Skills Fund for the East of England, part of a nationwide effort to push local councils to become more environmentally aware.
Utterly pointless.

10 comments:

Antisthenes said...

What we see here is central control and planning and the illustration that it inevitably gets it wrong. The local council is to provide a service that private enterprise could but will not. It will not because there is not sufficient demand and profit for it. Without governmental control private enterprise will eventually sort problems out such as congestion in town centres. Out of town and internet shopping is already making steps in that direction and private enterprise will given time think up new but profitable ways to ease the situation even more. All it takes is a tipping point where a problem becomes so expensive that an alternative solution can take a profitable advantage. Most of the time government is the problem by interfering in the market place for example traffic congestions that are exacerbated by; Regulations such as over zealous planning controls, health and safety regulations and political ideology putting solutions out of reach. Green policies are another example of inept government actions that would best be left to private enterprise as would so much more that government does. However statist, corporatists and vested interest are in charge these days so do not expect that things will improve only that they will get worse.

Woman on a Raft said...

A second-hand bike from the shop here costs about £25 and if all you want to do is bob round town, then you can do so for the price of a Pizza Express dinner for two.

So all they are doing is diminishing the sales of bikes by local new and second-hand traders, and taking servicing work away from independent mechanics.

The best we can hope for is that the bikes are nicked for scrap metal and shipped out as quickly as possible, before they do any more economic damage.

Deniro said...

If all government spending could be limited to £1200 that would save a lot of money.

Clarissa said...

Aside from the electric car, is there a more pointless method of powered transport than the electric bicycle?

Personally I'd prefer the council to spend that sort of money (and more) sorting out the road surfaces as I'm fed up of weaving my way around the potholes on my non-electric bike.

Tattyfalarr said...

Schemes = legalised money-laundering.

Tattyfalarr said...

Haven't they heard that old saying "Give a man a fish.....and tomorrow he'll be back for another five for the missus and kids ?"

Isobel really necessary said...

Yay. More bikes. That will solve everything, but (get ready for the outrage of cyclists everywhere who are so misunderstood as I say this) that means more people riding on pavements, cycling through red lights, not bothering with lights at night.

That should make Sarfend a joy to visit.

Anonymous said...

Forgive me if I am wrong, but the "Govt.. (bullsh** title here) Green (more bullsh**) etc", gave them this money, to use bikes powered by electricity, which has to be generated by some means, isn't very efficient is it? Why not just buy regular bikes?

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JuliaM said...

"The local council is to provide a service that private enterprise could but will not. It will not because there is not sufficient demand and profit for it. "

Spot on! But with an unlimited supply of taxpayer money...

"...and if all you want to do is bob round town, then you can do so for the price of a Pizza Express dinner for two. "

I have to wonder just which sorts of jobs (that aren't public sector ones) even requite you to 'bob around town'?

"Personally I'd prefer the council to spend that sort of money (and more) sorting out the road surfaces..."

Amen!

"Why not just buy regular bikes?"

Good question. Because they think people won't want to pedal them?