.That's why I welcome this: Be the change; why your help is needed on Blackrfriars Bridge (i b i k e l o n d o n
More details on London Cycling Campaign.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Good to see cyclists campaigning against road planning
.That's why I welcome this: Be the change; why your help is needed on Blackrfriars Bridge (i b i k e l o n d o n
More details on London Cycling Campaign.
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
My questions to Barclays Cycle Hire managers
Thanks for your email,
It comes right in time. Together with other users, we were stuck at Waterloo yesterday around 1900 as all neighbouring stations were full. No staff was at hand to help of course.
I really do like the Boris Bikes, but unpredictability makes it hard rely on.
Just this week, for instance:
- no more bikes at Waterloo on Tuesday shortly after 0800 (it's usually empty after 0830 anyway), missed my train and wasted 30 mn
- picked up a bike from Red Lion Square on that same day and tried to return it in Covent Garden, circled for 15mn to find a docking point
Here are some suggestions to improve the service.
- Add more capacity in Waterloo. I mean way more, as London is clearly under-served compared to Paris: http://richmondtransits.blogspot.com/2010/09/boris-bike-vs-french-velib-unfair.html
- Busy stations need more staff to replenish and empty slots in the mornings and evenings
- The maps on the service points are next to useless: the detailed one should list station names (as it's hard to figure out which station indicated by the computer is which on the map) and the map of the larger area should indicate Boris Bikes stations.
- Also, they should always point to the North as normal maps.
Could you let me know what you're planning to do to address those points?
Regards,
Ludovic Windsor
From: Transport for London <Transport_for_London@info.tfl.gov.uk>
Sent: Wednesday, October 12, 2011 10:26 AM
Subject: Information for Barclays Cycle Hire members
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Saturday, October 01, 2011
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Restaurant review: Skylon
After some research for a business dinner close to Waterloo, I booked Skylon in the Royal Festival Hall.
The room was vast, gymnasium sized in fact, with a level of noise approaching that of a teenage basketball match, but the floor-to-ceiling windows opening up on the Thames make it spectacular. Shame they did not give us a window table as requested. The waiters are all in star-trek-like uniform, in tune with the retro-futurist location and name, plentiful and nice enough but they probably were beamed to another planet during main course as service got slower and slower.
The wine list is predictable but good, the sommelier was new and knowledgeable.
I haven't mentioned the food, and that's because it was passable. On the positive side, my onglet was perfectly uncooked as I ordered and like it but the smoked mackerel salad was some potted fish, swimming in light mayonnaise dressing and cos lettuce.
Final verdict: Skylon joins OXO in the category "you pay for the view, not the food".
The room was vast, gymnasium sized in fact, with a level of noise approaching that of a teenage basketball match, but the floor-to-ceiling windows opening up on the Thames make it spectacular. Shame they did not give us a window table as requested. The waiters are all in star-trek-like uniform, in tune with the retro-futurist location and name, plentiful and nice enough but they probably were beamed to another planet during main course as service got slower and slower.
The wine list is predictable but good, the sommelier was new and knowledgeable.
I haven't mentioned the food, and that's because it was passable. On the positive side, my onglet was perfectly uncooked as I ordered and like it but the smoked mackerel salad was some potted fish, swimming in light mayonnaise dressing and cos lettuce.
Final verdict: Skylon joins OXO in the category "you pay for the view, not the food".
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Tube to cost £5 to fund Olympic, West London commuters bear the pain for no benefits
Some of this is due to the Olympics bill.
As a West Londoner, I deeply resent this as we don't even enjoy the benfits of the games since all events are in the East.
Sent using BlackBerry® from Orange
Friday, September 09, 2011
An airport encounter
So there I was yesterday night having three hours to kill at FRA (Frankfurt airport), working in a half-empty noodle bar -MoshMosh; if you ask (sort of Wagamama; with better beer but not as good dumplings).
Weissbier tasting meant I had zip to the gents 5mn only to find a middle-aged woman sat opposite me. The waitress (tasked with watching my possessions) later told me she tried to say someone was sitting there, to no avail. Those long tables were quite narrow, so I felt a bit annoyed for a short while and then resumed crafting a powerpoint on my laptop.
She orders food, I eat a pho and then the next thing is that she spills her white wine on my laptop. She mubles sorry, I say nothing but am profoundly annoyed. She wipes it -ineffectively-, I mention she could drink champagne as it doesn't stain since it also made it onto my trousers. She answers it should not stain, to which I say I'll have to take a trip to the dry cleaner. She looks ashamed, glances sideways without a word for a good 10 mn, then picks up her things and flees without uttering anything else.
I was amazed by so much rudeness and wondered whether she would she have offered to picki up the drycleaner bill if she was a bloke? Anyway, I guess I'll go to a different restaurant next time, maybe Hooters?
Weissbier tasting meant I had zip to the gents 5mn only to find a middle-aged woman sat opposite me. The waitress (tasked with watching my possessions) later told me she tried to say someone was sitting there, to no avail. Those long tables were quite narrow, so I felt a bit annoyed for a short while and then resumed crafting a powerpoint on my laptop.
She orders food, I eat a pho and then the next thing is that she spills her white wine on my laptop. She mubles sorry, I say nothing but am profoundly annoyed. She wipes it -ineffectively-, I mention she could drink champagne as it doesn't stain since it also made it onto my trousers. She answers it should not stain, to which I say I'll have to take a trip to the dry cleaner. She looks ashamed, glances sideways without a word for a good 10 mn, then picks up her things and flees without uttering anything else.
I was amazed by so much rudeness and wondered whether she would she have offered to picki up the drycleaner bill if she was a bloke? Anyway, I guess I'll go to a different restaurant next time, maybe Hooters?
Tuesday, September 06, 2011
When will TfL realise they need more BorisBikes at Waterloo?
The scheme is over-subscribed in several locations, including in Waterloo where at peak time (after 0815) one can't hire a bike nor drop it off after 1815.
The staff at hand -two guys and a trailer- can't cope with the quick-forming lines, often 20 deep.
At a time when the motorist is robbed more than ever, when train tickets have increased for years above inflation (as incomes stagnated), it is time to better resource alternative transportation schemes. They are both 'green' and low cost, as well as popular.
King regards,
Ludovic Windsor
Friday, April 08, 2011
Why pay for the gym when you've got the Boris Bikes?
A new application for the Boris Bikes.
See also my previous posts on this cycle hire scheme:
Monday, March 14, 2011
Postman Pat's elastic bands lambasted for littering
According to BBC News in a piece titled "Royal Mail's red rubber band use revealed
" (what a catchy title guys...), Postman Pat uses 4,000,000 rubber bands every year at a tune of £5m, an increase of 40% over 5 years.
No wonder why every day I find dozens in my street alone.
Why can't they make giant rubber balls with them like any other office workers? Or just reuse them?
See also the Keep Britain Tidy (@KeepBritainTidy) campaign.
" (what a catchy title guys...), Postman Pat uses 4,000,000 rubber bands every year at a tune of £5m, an increase of 40% over 5 years.No wonder why every day I find dozens in my street alone.
Why can't they make giant rubber balls with them like any other office workers? Or just reuse them?
See also the Keep Britain Tidy (@KeepBritainTidy) campaign.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
At last, TfL goes mobile
Transport for London has finally realised that people need travel information the most, well, when they're travelling.
Armed with this great finding, they've released a mobile version of their website -a great initiative.
Just a suggestion though: why don't they use geolocation to figure out where one to speed up the journey planner or find the closest and next bus about?
Armed with this great finding, they've released a mobile version of their website -a great initiative.
Just a suggestion though: why don't they use geolocation to figure out where one to speed up the journey planner or find the closest and next bus about?
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Monday, February 14, 2011
Cyclists living in fear
Seen on the BBC Helmet cameras capture bad driving: a cyclist is wearing a camera to record evidence of dangerous driving -in this case a quite graphic example of a van driver cutting off a cyclist and then abusing him.
IMHO, a consequence of lax policing (speed cameras don't do much for cyclists safety) and bad cycle lanes design.
See related posts:
- Sustainable transportation in Richmond?
- Cyclists to be given the right to ride the wrong way
- Waterloo: more Boris Bikes but still no sign of life for the Eurostar old platforms
- TfL still has little ideas about cycling lanes...
- Cycle superhighways: an expensive joke?
- When are we going to see this in London?
- Reversing the burden of the proof would encourage cyclingss
- Kingston worst for bike thefts
- Some hope for London cyclists?
- Cycling in London: it's about time to do something!
Wednesday, February 09, 2011
Curing the symptoms: plod in a van at the level crossing
After realising red light jumping at levels crossing is rife and having established that people running in front of trains isn't exactly the best for health and safety statistics, Network Rail has shelled out £60k on a high-tech camera van.
The sixty grand mobile enforcement control room comes complete with PC Chris Sheppard watching herds of commuters and vehicules running across the railway as light flashes.
Check this video, mostly filmed at Mortlake station (the van is parked on a double yellow line..): BBC: New spy camera to check level crossings.
It's worth pointing out that the Sheen lane crossing does have a pedestrian bridge, allowing school children to cross instead of running across unlike at North Sheen station.
My take on this? Once more, they're trying to cure the symptoms rather than tackling the issue. Which is quite simply that a level crossing on a busy line (translate: closed for 15+ mn at a time) is archaic in a densely populated connurbation. The line should be buried or a tunnel dig, or else.
Final thought: the story doesn't say if the plod-van comes with a toilet?
Thursday, December 02, 2010
BBC - Mind The Gap: Why do south London trains suffer most in the snow?
BBC - Mind The Gap: Why do south London trains suffer most in the snow?Another proof that our transport system is antiquated and no longuer fit for purpose:
In south London the companies like Southern Railway, Southeastern and South West Trains have to operate using the "third rail system".That is, the electricity is transmitted to the train using an electrified third rail that the train picks up through a bit of metal called a shoe. So, while Network Rail have been running "ghost trains" (empty trains) and de-icing trains through the night there comes a point when it doesn't help.
When the snow and ice hits, if the conductor third rail is cold as soon as snow hits it, it freezes.
Friday, November 05, 2010
Giving up infrastructure is rarely a good deal for users and tax payers
Read this am: BBC News - High-speed rail link London to Folkestone is sold
Since it cost GBP 5bn and was sold for 2.1b, I'm failing to see where's the "great news for tax payers and rail users". For the latter, the failure of British Rail privatisation and of the tube PPP maintenance contracts clearly shows that selling out transportation infrastructure is a dodgy bet for the least.
When it works, it usually means giving private companies a nice little monopoly and a steady cash flow -take the French privatisation of motorways for instance, where more is going to share holders and less to building of new roads (which was incidentally the excuse in the first place for instoring tolls on those autoroutes).
But usually it doesn't work, and either companies end up bust with taxpayer having to mop up the collateral damage. Think the great
Plus relinquishing a tool to boost a nation's economy and litterally shape a nation fabric is neither a good news for users. Prove me wrong...
Since it cost GBP 5bn and was sold for 2.1b, I'm failing to see where's the "great news for tax payers and rail users". For the latter, the failure of British Rail privatisation and of the tube PPP maintenance contracts clearly shows that selling out transportation infrastructure is a dodgy bet for the least.
When it works, it usually means giving private companies a nice little monopoly and a steady cash flow -take the French privatisation of motorways for instance, where more is going to share holders and less to building of new roads (which was incidentally the excuse in the first place for instoring tolls on those autoroutes).
But usually it doesn't work, and either companies end up bust with taxpayer having to mop up the collateral damage. Think the great
Plus relinquishing a tool to boost a nation's economy and litterally shape a nation fabric is neither a good news for users. Prove me wrong...
Tuesday, November 02, 2010
Waterloo: more Boris Bikes but still no sign of life for the Eurostar old platforms
Two good posts this week on Londonist. - The first one is on the continuing mystery of the old Eurostar platforms and why they cost £4.1 to keep in mothball state -quite a good example for a pathetic failure on behalf of people in charge of the nation's rail infrastructure. It's especially enraging when you're waiting on the approach to the station in a commuter train for a platform... I've blogged before about this, see links below.
- And it looks like TfL has heard about my winging on Boris Bike stations being located far away from stations: Huge New Cycle Hire Station For Waterloo. Shame common sense did not prevail in the first place, I still wonder why they looked at Montreal rather than Paris for municipal cycle hire best practices...
See my previous posts on those subjects:
- Waterloo plans mean no end of misery for commuters
- Londonist: What Next For Waterloo?
- The Boris bike vs. the French vélib -unfair comparison?s
Monday, October 11, 2010
North Sheen level crossing: don't miss the public meeting on the 21st
As posted todat on the Facebook group: Stuck at North Sheen Level Crossing, there will be a public meeting about the level crossing with Zac Goldsmith, Network Rail and local councillors at DUKE STREET CHURCH in DUKE STREET, RICHMOND on THURSDAY 21st OCTOBER at 7.30pm. Bring your tales of misery and woe!See my previous posts on the level crossings:
Recommended reading:
Tags: planning, north, sheen, level, crossing, railways, rail, transportation, footbridge, richmond, richmondtransits.blog
Friday, October 08, 2010
Near miss at North Sheen level crossing
They got trapped by the barriers and had to be helped out to safety by some bystanders who held the barriers.
There is no emergency phone or "panic button" at the crossing.
Such a crossing in a dense urban area is an accident waiting to happen. What will it take for action to be taken?
See my previous posts on the level crossings:
- Some news on the level crossing: consultation next Thursday!
- At last: the North Sheen footbridge is coming... alas, this is not what you expected!
- Richmond Transits: Join the Facebook group "Stuck at North Sheen
- Richmond Transits: Airtrack and North Sheen Crossing
- Richmond Transits: Monday Mayhem at North Sheen level crossing
- Richmond Transits: Update on the North Sheen station footbridge
- Richmond Transits: Here's the new camera at North Sheen level crossing
- Richmond Transits: Update on the update on the North Sheen station
- Richmond Transits: Susan Kramer's progress on North Sheen Station
- Richmond Transits: Another train tragedy in waiting at North
- Richmond Transits: Still waiting at the level crossing...
- Traffic pandemonium: just a sign of things to come?
- More on Manor road and Heathrow
- Richmond Transits: Level crossing tragedy in Barnes
- Richmond Transits: Update on the North Sheen station footbridge
- Richmond Transits: Preliminary plans for North Sheen footbridge rebuffed
- Richmond Transits: Campaing for suppressing level crossings
- Richmond Transits: Richmond and Twickenham Times: Commuters see red over level crossing
- Richmond Transits: Susan Kramer's progress on North Sheen Station footbridge
- Richmond Transits: Time to remind Susan Kramer about the North Sheen Station footbridge
Thursday, September 30, 2010
TfL still has little ideas about cycling lanes...
A sobering read in today's Evening Standard on the Elephant & Castle roundabout redesign. It is described as a cycling blackspot where a a fitness instructor died on her bike last year.Yet, the proposal design still doesn't show segregated cycle lanes.
Will they ever learn from best practices? All it takes is a trip to Rotterdam!
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Is the FDA about to finally admit Europeans are right on antibiotics for cattle?
Found this today:Is the FDA about to ban antibiotics for cows? Maryn McKenna explains ... - Boing Boing
Here's why antibiotics in the food chain are harmful:
Europe is far ahead of the United States in the responsible use of antibiotics. On January 1, 2006, the European Union banned the feeding of all antibiotics and related drugs to livestock for growth promotion purposes.
Long-term, low-level feeding of antibiotics to animals, a practice common in U.S. livestock production, creates the ideal conditions for the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.Source: European Union Bans Antibiotics for Growth PromotionAntibiotics in cattle
So, it seems the FDA about to finally admit Europeans are right on antibiotics for cattle?
How long will it take for them to also realise hormones are not a good idea either?
Still on food, another bad practice tries to hide: Big Corn wants to change "High Fructose Corn Syrup" to "Corn Sugars"
Monday, September 13, 2010
Do pigs fly? Apparently...
A police helicopter registered as G-MPSB flew over North Sheen and Kew for about two hours this afternoon (over Lower Richmond road, Bicester road, Manor grove, Sandycombe road and towards Chiswick bridge) and is back hovering above Kew tonight. Is that nuisance really needed? Can’t plod go on foot?
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