The Lewes Road bus lane/traffic congestion

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marshy68

Well-known member
Jul 10, 2011
2,868
Brighton
North Laines seem ever more popular with shoppers from out of town, no wonder, I went to Worthing a couple of weeks ago, I'm sorry to our friends over there but it is a very poor shopping experience. Brighton is lively, has quirky and interesting shops, people look happy as well, I couldn't wait to get back home. Worthing just seemed to be full of miserable looking pensioners.

I was in Worthing at the weekend and was truly shocked at how terrible run down and depressed the town centre had become - I grew up in Worthing, so was very sad.
 


Stuart Munday

Well-known member
Jul 6, 2003
1,432
Saltdean
Has anyone noticed that Lewes Road is quieter today, at 8 o'clock this morning the road wasn't too bad and at lunchtime very quiet indeed so im not sure if they have changed the traffic lights or it is just a one off.
 


Has anyone noticed that Lewes Road is quieter today, at 8 o'clock this morning the road wasn't too bad and at lunchtime very quiet indeed so im not sure if they have changed the traffic lights or it is just a one off.

All the cars are gridlocked up Simmo's road trying to avoid Lewes Road.
 


Stuart Munday

Well-known member
Jul 6, 2003
1,432
Saltdean
The annoying thing is that at lunchtime there were about 7 people in yellow jackets opposite the bus garage counting the traffic doing some kind of survey, typical that they are doing it on the quietest day, unless they have actually done something to improve it.
 






teaboy

Well-known member
Jul 5, 2003
1,840
My house
Maybe you need to attempt to drive a car at 20mph, the emissions will be higher as you cannot achieve the highest gear which will be very pleasing for all the residents and pedestrians now caught in the daily jam caused by near empty bus/cycle lanes. It will now be interesting to see if cases of asthma increase in these area's now

What makes you think I haven't? There are plenty of places with 20mph speed limits outside Brighton too - it isn't unique! Drive in 3rd or 4th - it works fine in my car - and look far enough up the road so you hardly ever have to brake. Traffic jams are caused by cars, not the people outside cars. Anyway, your argument is contradictory - 20mph is too slow, but there are traffic jams meaning you can't go faster?
 


Green Cross Code Man

Wunt be druv
Mar 30, 2006
20,648
Eastbourne
Anyway, your argument is contradictory - 20mph is too slow, but there are traffic jams meaning you can't go faster?

I don't think there is contradiction there. There is a certain logic in assuming that if the traffic is flowing well, less cars will be at any one time on a particular road as more people will have therefore finished their journey earlier.
 




teaboy

Well-known member
Jul 5, 2003
1,840
My house
I don't think there is contradiction there. There is a certain logic in assuming that if the traffic is flowing well, less cars will be at any one time on a particular road as more people will have therefore finished their journey earlier.

If the traffic is moving at the speed limit then more vehicles will pass a point at 20mph in any given time than at 30pmh or at 40mph. This is because the gaps between cars is smaller as less time is needed to stop safely at lower speeds.

At higher speeds the gaps increase. This may make it appear less busy, but fewer journeys are completed.
 




Green Cross Code Man

Wunt be druv
Mar 30, 2006
20,648
Eastbourne
If the traffic is moving at the speed limit then more vehicles will pass a point at 20mph in any given time than at 30pmh or at 40mph. This is because the gaps between cars is smaller as less time is needed to stop safely at lower speeds.

At higher speeds the gaps increase. This may make it appear less busy, but fewer journeys are completed.

Is that a fact for the speed of 20mph? I understand your point but isn't there a trade-off as although more cars may be on the road, it would theoretically take them longer to get from a to b? There must be an optimum speed for traffic I suppose.
 




Is that a fact for the speed of 20mph? I understand your point but isn't there a trade-off as although more cars may be on the road, it would theoretically take them longer to get from a to b? There must be an optimum speed for traffic I suppose.
It's quite simple, as these diagrams illustrate.

426px-Fundamental_Diagram.PNG



The fundamental diagram of traffic flow is a diagram that gives a relation between the traffic flux (vehicles/hour) and the traffic density (vehicles/km). A macroscopic traffic model involving traffic flux, traffic density and velocity forms the basis of the fundamental diagram. It can be used to predict the capability of a road system, or its behaviour when applying inflow regulation or speed limits.

There is a connection between traffic density and vehicle velocity: The more vehicles are on a road, the slower their velocity will be.
To prevent congestion and to keep traffic flow stable, the number of vehicles entering the control zone has to be smaller or equal to the number of vehicles leaving the zone in the same time.
At a critical traffic density and a corresponding critical velocity the state of flow will change from stable to unstable.
If one of the vehicles brakes in unstable flow regime the flow will collapse.

The primary tool for graphically displaying information in the study traffic flow is the fundamental diagram. Fundamental diagrams consist of 3 different graphs: flow-density, speed-flow, and speed-density. The graphs are two dimensional graphs. All the graphs are related by the equation “flow = speed * density”; this equation is the essential equation in traffic flow. The fundamental diagrams were derived by the plotting of field data points and giving these data points a best fit curve. With the fundamental diagrams researchers can explore the relationship between speed, flow, and density of traffic.


The key factor is the one I've highlighted:- If one of the vehicles brakes in unstable flow regime the flow will collapse. What this means is that the most efficient way of driving on a busy road is for everyone to travel at the same speed - the variable speed limit signs on the M25 are a well-known example of trying to get this message across.
 
Last edited:


seagullsovergrimsby

#cpfctinpotclub
Aug 21, 2005
43,916
Crap Town
I think it's more 'Greens are anti-dangerous parking'.

As is the rest of the council.

Do you think the solution is to mark out parking spaces on the pavement where the pavement is wide enough to allow parked vehicles and pedestrians/pram pushers/mobility scooter/wheelchair users to co-exist ? If it was implemented then the council could crack down on the real dangerous parking that is custom and practice on Elm Grove.
 


Magicman

Active member
Jul 19, 2011
293
Elm Grove
Just a question for the 'greens are NOT anti car' brigade ...

whats the idea behind the current parking proposals on Elm Grove ?

http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/1070...ncil_announces_crackdown_on_pavement_parking/

Quite simply , because the council "lost" on its recent plans to implement resident parking in the area , its nothing but spite !
The people who live on Elm Grove soon wont be able to park there , they will park in the side roads , the side road residents will have no where to park , the council will then install resident parking and thereby win a previous lost battle and get lots of extra cash . Snidey feckers !!
The dangerous parking area's (corners etc) could be marked or hatched out and rightly so , but all of Elm Grove ? Really ?
 




Green Cross Code Man

Wunt be druv
Mar 30, 2006
20,648
Eastbourne
It's quite simple, as these diagrams illustrate.

426px-Fundamental_Diagram.PNG



The fundamental diagram of traffic flow is a diagram that gives a relation between the traffic flux (vehicles/hour) and the traffic density (vehicles/km). A macroscopic traffic model involving traffic flux, traffic density and velocity forms the basis of the fundamental diagram. It can be used to predict the capability of a road system, or its behaviour when applying inflow regulation or speed limits.

There is a connection between traffic density and vehicle velocity: The more vehicles are on a road, the slower their velocity will be.
To prevent congestion and to keep traffic flow stable, the number of vehicles entering the control zone has to be smaller or equal to the number of vehicles leaving the zone in the same time.
At a critical traffic density and a corresponding critical velocity the state of flow will change from stable to unstable.
If one of the vehicles brakes in unstable flow regime the flow will collapse.

The primary tool for graphically displaying information in the study traffic flow is the fundamental diagram. Fundamental diagrams consist of 3 different graphs: flow-density, speed-flow, and speed-density. The graphs are two dimensional graphs. All the graphs are related by the equation “flow = speed * density”; this equation is the essential equation in traffic flow. The fundamental diagrams were derived by the plotting of field data points and giving these data points a best fit curve. With the fundamental diagrams researchers can explore the relationship between speed, flow, and density of traffic.


The key factor is the one I've highlighted:- If one of the vehicles brakes in unstable flow regime the flow will collapse. What this means is that the most efficient way of driving on a busy road is for everyone to travel at the same speed - the variable speed limit signs on the M25 are a well-known example of trying to get this message across.

Thanks very much for the informative and very interesting reply. Your highlighted point, I guess, explains well something that has wound me up for years, the congestion that occurs randomly and seemingly without good reason on a busy motorway.

I would love to know just what the optimum speed is for the Lewes Road, particularly at rush hour, given the draconian way the road has developed. I wonder if that equation was considered or whether ideology superseded the notion of a better flow.
 


Gwylan

Well-known member
Jul 5, 2003
31,801
Uffern
I wonder if that equation was considered or whether ideology superseded the notion of a better flow.

What ideology? Seeing that this was a plan originally proposed by Labour, passed through the council (with organised funding) by the Tories and implemented by the Greens; how it could have been implemented for ideological reasons?

There may be a lot of political differences between all three parties but there's a remarkable degree of agreement between them on transport issues (something that a lot of people posting on here seem to have trouble taking on board).
 


Green Cross Code Man

Wunt be druv
Mar 30, 2006
20,648
Eastbourne
What ideology? Seeing that this was a plan originally proposed by Labour, passed through the council (with organised funding) by the Tories and implemented by the Greens; how it could have been implemented for ideological reasons?

There may be a lot of political differences between all three parties but there's a remarkable degree of agreement between them on transport issues (something that a lot of people posting on here seem to have trouble taking on board).

Does an ideology have to be attached only to one political body? Isn't it possible to share an ideology? My use of that word was not attached with any prejudice to any party whatsoever.

I meant were the changes implemented due to a determination to make things harder for the drivers of cars.
 


unklbrian

New member
Feb 4, 2012
190
Quite simply , because the council "lost" on its recent plans to implement resident parking in the area , its nothing but spite !
The people who live on Elm Grove soon wont be able to park there , they will park in the side roads , the side road residents will have no where to park , the council will then install resident parking and thereby win a previous lost battle and get lots of extra cash . Snidey feckers !!
The dangerous parking area's (corners etc) could be marked or hatched out and rightly so , but all of Elm Grove ? Really ?

Thats just about my opinion , surely marking where vehicles can park [ maybe angled parking to help overcome blind reversing] would be the sensible option , cars have ben parked 'off road' there for as long as I can remember ....

But vendictave spite seems the only option the GREEN council will countenance [ and there we see the 'anti car' leaning ]
 




Westdene Seagull

aka Cap'n Carl Firecrotch
NSC Patron
Oct 27, 2003
21,480
The arse end of Hangleton
How many more times does one have to say 'how many more times?'

But the Greens ARE anti-motorist - well certainly anti petrol motorist. I know you deny it, and that my views are on the Greens are clear to all who see signatures, but the Greens are keen to lower / prevent car use. That is a fact. Now, if you think that's a good or bad thing is certainly up for debate !
 


Westdene Seagull

aka Cap'n Carl Firecrotch
NSC Patron
Oct 27, 2003
21,480
The arse end of Hangleton
Quite simply , because the council "lost" on its recent plans to implement resident parking in the area , its nothing but spite !

I've got to agree with this ! The council make £11m a year from parking in various forms and Elm Grove was meant to be their next golden goose. The locals rejected it. Now simply re-designing the VERY wide pavements to allow for both pedestrian and access would be cheap and simple but guess what ? The council would make no money from it ! It's an attempt by the council to force a parking permit scheme. I'd wager a large amount of money that there were no accidents from how Elm Grove parking currently works in the last five years !
 


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