The following received recently:
'If I recall correctly the conditions for getting plans passed includes a requirement that the roads in the area must not suffer a net degradation.
Install nuisances in the roads, e.g. traffic calming measures to "protect" pedestrians which will make the road practically unusable at peak times. Then when it comes time to initiate measuring techniques they may reach up to the pathetic level thus when after the development is completed they can successfully be measured to be no worse, allowing the developer to move onto their stage 2.
Educate the road users early to avoid the area (by the same method) and the road users will find alternative ways to travel to avoid any bottlenecks. This, of course, does not solve any apparent problems (e.g. vehicle traffic endangering pedestrians) but simply shifts them to a less politically sensitive area and can indeed make things worse as drivers go faster to make up "lost" time. Again when it comes time to measure the results they would be much more positive from the Developers perspective.
This way no real engineering is done, no real improvements are completed, no real net gain but all the correct boxes get ticked. Day to Day inconveniences to the Public can be explained away and even built upon as Safety Measures and any objectors are thus marginalised.
Of course I am not implying that our glorious leaders would ever stoop to such measures.
JLR - IHHC
A Resident of The Royal Burgh of Nairn - Nairnshire.'
