Mayor of London

[Mark O]

Yup, plenty of signs and Cameras in London (and almost everywhere!) these days!.......Big Brother (or should I say Sibling?!!) is watching you!

[christoph404]

The thing about the congestion charge is that it is easy to forget to pay it, I mean it goes through your mind to pay it later on, but easy to forget. When the C charge first started you had to pay it the same day, thankfully you now have until the next day to pay which is a much better system.I think anyone driving anywhere near London should be aware of the C charge, its pretty well signed and if you do neglect to buy it on the day you do have that extra 24 hours to correct your mistake. When the congestion charge first started CC for London hounded me for about 6 months because I had transposed a letter on my postcode ( an H instead of an E) which meant my address was coming up as an office block further down the street. I received lots of letters accusing me of fraudulently claiming a residents discount for my old Triumph and latterly some phone calls to my mobile asking where my car was because it was going to be "removed" from the street! This despite numerous reply's from me with proof of my correct address, it was a case of ".....the computer says.....no! I don't keep a car in London anymore, there is just no joy in driving around the congested roads here, my old banger is living in Scotland, I take it out for a run in the summer when Im visiting, thats my driving fix for the year! On the subject of transport improvement in London, I would have thought some kind of tram system would work. Hugely expensive to construct, but other European cities I have visited such as Prague and Budapest have a brilliant tram systems that gets you around very quickly and motor cars are not allowed to drive on the tracks so no hold ups in that respect. In Edinburgh there is major work going on at the moment to install a tram system in the city centre, perhaps the London Mayor should pay a visit and get some impression of how its working out there.

[Freddy]

Wasn't it on Top Gear that the way to get around the congestion charge is to register your car as a taxi?

It does sadden me that with so many traffic signs etc it must uglify some of the lovely streets and areas in the Capital

Freddy

[Marky B]

Is there a town in Holland which removed all traffic signs,traffic lights etc,and the drop in accidents was unbelievable?
Ta Ta
Marky B

[Steve Crook]

Originally Posted by christoph404 On the subject of transport improvement in London, I would have thought some kind of tram system would work. Hugely expensive to construct, but other European cities I have visited such as Prague and Budapest have a brilliant tram systems that gets you around very quickly and motor cars are not allowed to drive on the tracks so no hold ups in that respect. In Edinburgh there is major work going on at the moment to install a tram system in the city centre, perhaps the London Mayor should pay a visit and get some impression of how its working out there.

Or a lot closer to home, the Tramlink system between Wimbledon and Croydon.

Steve

[Steve Crook]

Originally Posted by Freddy It does sadden me that with so many traffic signs etc it must uglify some of the lovely streets and areas in the Capital Freddy

Have you been to London in the last 30 years?
There always were lots of traffic signs. And the congestion zone signs are on the approach roads, not in the zone itself

Steve

[Steve Crook]

Originally Posted by christoph404 The thing about the congestion charge is that it is easy to forget to pay it, I mean it goes through your mind to pay it later on, but easy to forget. When the C charge first started you had to pay it the same day, thankfully you now have until the next day to pay which is a much better system.

You can also pay it in advance, before you visit
And remember that it only applies Monday - Friday from 7am - 6:30pm

Steve

[christoph404]

Originally Posted by Steve Crook Or a lot closer to home, the Tramlink system between Wimbledon and Croydon. Steve

I've been on that tram, its pretty good and I believe Croydon council uses it as a selling point to promote location filming in the area with Croydon being able to double for more exotic European cities! Now if we could have that tram system running along Piccadilly and Oxford Street that would be even better!

[Mark O]

Love having a ride on the Croydon Trams!......here's a few pics taken last Summer whilst enjoying a lovely pint of extra cold Guinness!......

[Steve Crook]

Originally Posted by Mark O Love having a ride on the Croydon Trams!......here's a few pics taken last Summer whilst enjoying a lovely pint of extra cold Guinness!......

Although as you can see in those pictures, at the Croydon end they just run on tracks in the road and can get blocked by vehicles. At the Wimbledon end they run on the old railway line that was closed in the 1990s (or before).

Part of that is along the route of the old Surrey Iron Railway, one of the oldest railway routes in the country and the first public railway

Steve

[Mark O]

Originally Posted by Steve Crook Although as you can see in those pictures, at the Croydon end they just run on tracks in the road and can get blocked by vehicles. At the Wimbledon end they run on the old railway line that was closed in the 1990s (or before). Part of that is along the route of the old Surrey Iron Railway, one of the oldest railway routes in the country and the first public railway Steve

Thank you for the link Steve.........I had no knowledge of the Surrey Iron railway, and a very early one it is too!.......some very interesting pics on the External links also, it's good there are still some traces of it to be found!

[Fellwanderer]

Originally Posted by Mark O Thank you for the link Steve.........I had no knowledge of the Surrey Iron railway, and a very early one it is too!.......some very interesting pics on the External links also, it's good there are still some traces of it to be found!

And here is a link to the oldest surviving single arch railway bridge in the world - just a couple of miles down the hill from me:

Causey Arch

[Moor Larkin]

Originally Posted by Automotivehistorian Can anyone remember how Ken came to be Deputy Leader (and then Leader) of the Greater London Council? It was certainly not by toadying.

I have the definite memory that some old chap was in charge of the Labour group and everyone said he would turfed out once the voters voted, reassured by the aged patrician, and Ken got a grip of things.... and the old guy was..... and Ken took charge. He was a master of the system. Maybe he learned the technique, reading about what happened with Hindenberg in '33.

Originally Posted by julian_craster Boris is much smarter and more intelligent than Ken.............

I liked the guy who vox-popped on the radio. He was saying he was going to vote for Boris because he thought he would kcfu it up completely and they might do away with the whole darn mayor thing and he could save himself a fortune in tax................ Some hope of turkeys voting for Xmas!

[Mark O]

Originally Posted by Fellwanderer And here is a link to the oldest surviving single arch railway bridge in the world - just a couple of miles down the hill from me: Causey Arch

Thank you for the link Fell.......I didn't know that Railway's were quite that old!........I always thought the line between Manchester Oxford Road and Liverpool was the oldest, but there you go!

I've not had the opportunity to visit Durham yet and visit the magnificent Cathedral, but met a couple who came from Durham on Holiday last year and they were very proud (rightly) of their historic City!

[Marky B]

Originally Posted by Mark O Thank you for the link Fell.......I didn't know that Railway's were quite that old!........I always thought the line between Manchester Oxford Road and Liverpool was the oldest, but there you go! I've not had the opportunity to visit Durham yet and visit the magnificent Cathedral, but met a couple who came from Durham on Holiday last year and they were very proud (rightly) of their historic City!

You will find us north easterners a hospitable bunch.
Ta Ta
Marky B