Comment 74539

By kevlahan (registered) | Posted February 19, 2012 at 04:06:21 in reply to Comment 74536

Thanks for bringing up the excellent example of London.

I've spent less time there recently, so I focused on France, but London has made impressive progress recently in rebalancing its transportation system. (Its public transit system has been neglected, but that should change with the upgrades for the olympics.)

I would argue, however, that the UK is also much more "top down" and "can do" engineering-wise than Canada.

I was impressed that when nervous reporters suggested to Mayor Ken Livingston that the congestion charge needed more study to decide whether it would be a good idea, his response was "I've studied it. It is a good idea".

Livingston later lost to Boris Johnson, who was the "suburban" conservative candidate (a bit like Rob Ford), but even Boris has kept the congestion charge and is actively supporting the massive expansion of the cycling network in London. Politicians of all stripes in London subscribe to similar, rational, transportation strategies.

As in Paris, in London the fact that implementing a congestion charge or adding cycle lanes would be an engineering challenge is not seen as an impossible obstacle.

Here in Hamilton, I am amazed that the location of the maintenance yard is seen as a possible deal breaker for LRT. This in a city with huge areas of vacant and under performing lots!

Comment edited by kevlahan on 2012-02-19 04:08:00

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