Most recent activity
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It seems the hipster world tour team are competing in a multi-day Audax here, the GBEnduro. Does anyone know anything about it?
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The entirely predictable hysteria, particularly with the last two areas, has kicked off.
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Was watching the BBC news last night and they had a clip of Froome and Poels reconning the course just before he binned it. Froome is putting on a wind jacket without his hands on the handlebars and Poels is saying something like, 'you shouldn't be taking so many risk'. He sounds slightly annoyed as well, as Froome seems to be brushing him off.
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I don't think the one-way model is a good idea, just relaying the thinking inside of the brains trusts at the Councils!
I think filtering is the way to go. TBH, the neighbouring streets are already horrible because of rat-running in the park. One only has to look at Kingston Gate for example. They closed the gate for maintenance for 3 weeks and surrounding roads were horrible, and now they are open they are equally horrible.
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I've use to work for one of Richmond Park's neighbouring Local Authorities. Apologies to the spirited discussion above, but the prospect of an entry fee is remote. Personally, I dont think they should do it even if they could because there would inevitably be exemptions, rich-cunt-factor etc that would maintain the status quo.
As it was seen back then, there are two realistic options. The least effective one, but one that preserves the ability to reach destinations in the park from all gates, is making it one-way. No particularly desirable but would have a marked effect in cutting out at least 50% of the rat running.
The second options, is to place filters on each side of the park so the roads are effectively cul-de-sacs (preserving access to ballet school, car parks etc).
I vote for the latter, but realistically the former option is likely to endurethe least hysteria.
I should also note that the gate at the bottom of Broomfield Hill use to be open to traffic from the A3. One of the old timers in the highways team said it use to be grim and the closure of that gate a in the 80s or 90s made a massive difference (edit: Robin Hood gate circa 2003 and there was a petition against of apparently over 10,000), so there is precedent.
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Was watching the highlights and there were some technical descents with dry stonewall and structures with pretty much no buffer between the (narrow) carriageway.
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Interesting to see if he can be competitive when he comes back. Cadel was the oldest Tour winner at 35, which Froome would have to match.
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This is a timely discussion as I had a dream last night Porte and Connor Dunne joined my south london cycling club.
Porte finished 4th on Mt Baldy in the ToC. Could possibly have won the stage if he wasnt SRAMed (dropped chain i think). So he has something resembling form. I would like to see him do well, if only to make the Tour more competitive.
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Was on the passo rolle today, everyone was going bonkers and getting wasted. Someone was even letting an air raid siren off. This was at 9am, 6hrs before the race came through.
Apparently all the smashed up trees if from storm/flood in 2018.
The biggest governmental failure (not just regulatory) for the people of London is not the tall buildings on the skyline, rather the almost complete removal of the affordable housing grant, the fact that housing need cannot be met by the private sector and the inflexibility of green belt policy/NIMBYs in the suburbs.
The latter group of people have also been advantaged by the fact all of the above has lead to an explosion in their value of their asset, abided by politicians.
Until Brexit came along and sucked the life out of constructive political discourse, housing needs, particularly in the south-east, was rapidly becoming the most pressing political issue. Most people in the industry would likely agree Sadiq Khan has done some good in reorienting the planning system in London but we are so far behind meeting housing need, I cant help but think the future is grim.