Wednesday, 17 November 2010

I Think I See The Reasoning Behind This….

Colchester Council’s bizarre war on businesses continues apace, with their barmy plans for cutting congestion in the High Street:
Colchester Council wants to ban vehicles other than buses, taxis and bikes between 10am and 6pm, to cut congestion.
And how do they expect supplies (and buyers) to arrive?
But Colchester Retail and Business Association has urged councillors to think again, saying this would cause massive rises in the cost of deliveries.

Michelle Reynolds, chairman, said: “Most people have their stock delivered by courier.

“If you have a courier delivery any time between 8am and 6pm, it’s fine. The moment you start saying I want it before 10am, you’re racking up the cost.”
Which the shops will have to pass on. Leading to higher prices, customers going elsewhere, shops closing, a reduction in council rate intake….

Can’t they see this?
Solutions suggested by the group in its official response to the idea include allowing delivery vehicles to have unrestricted access, or introducing permits.
But either of those suggestions would require a hell of a lot of work – and possibly a charging mechanism - for council staff to have to implement. And councils are supposed to be cutting st…

Ah. I see now.

5 comments:

  1. They could contine to allow any vehicles but I suppose that wouldn't involve them making up rules, which they love to do.

    ReplyDelete
  2. It seems a shame to intrude on the privacy of the place.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I don't drive much these days and can't begin an explanation of how wonderful this is. I use the train, and for the last ten years have been told various forms of public transport would improve. They haven't, but I've organised my work off-peak, so I'm fine.
    I rather favour "plans" like door to door public transport to places like hospitals, schools and such - given how much better the roads are in school holidays.

    ReplyDelete
  4. They actually don't want anyone in the High Street, you know.

    My nearest town is the same - no vehicles in the High Street except the usual suspects (plus anyone who can borrow a Disabled badge, of course); ever-reducing speed limits on all the approach roads; ever-proliferating speed bumps; ever-spreading traffic lights where none were ever needed before; ever-increasing cycle lanes, odd red and green areas at junctions (does anyone know what they mean?), and of course arbitrary and savage enforcement of all the above.

    Then the same people who've done all this sit in their offices wringing their hands and deploring the fact that everyone goes to out-of-town malls.

    You have to wonder what goes on inside their heads.

    ReplyDelete
  5. "...I suppose that wouldn't involve them making up rules, which they love to do."

    It's as if they make no connection between lack of businesses and lack of business rates coming it.

    "...given how much better the roads are in school holidays."

    Yes, even I (a non-parent) can tell you when the school holidays start, merely by the fact that everything gets so much easier on the roads.

    "You have to wonder what goes on inside their heads."

    Very little, it appears...

    ReplyDelete