Which road users cause congestion? (Clue: it’s not cyclists, not in 1919 and not now)
From Modern Roads, of 1919, by Henry Percy Boulnois, city surveyor of Exeter and Liverpool, and later a member of the Government’s Road Board in 1909. In the 1920s, Boulnois was chairman of the council of the Roads Improvement Association. This was the first ever organised body to push for the improvement of roads. The highly influential RIA had been founded by cycling organisations, the Cyclists’ Touring Club and the National Cyclists’ Union.
Perversely an updated version of this table giving “Passenger Car Equivalent” units (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passenger_car_equivalent) is used to justify spending money on increasing the number of cars on our roads (and not spending money on cycle facilities). In fact, as this much older table shows, this merely increases congestion.
Yes, the irony is plain – and painful.
Thanks.
Looking forward to your publication! Is it in press?
Nowhere near!