Planning and traffic in Stafford.... terrible?

[Mrs M]

Lets look at the options.

WALK. It's amazing how far you can get in a short time.
CYCLE. Not everyone is confident cycling on the roads nowadays but if you are then cycle.
BUS. Would work fine if on time, you are on a service link, it was not full of idiots and if you haven't got kids. It's okay saying kids are okay on the bus but when they are playing up or creating too much noise, you don't half get the look form folks making for a very uncomfortable jouney.
CAR SHARING. Fine if you go to work and leave at the same time and have no appointments/jobs in between. Doesn't suit everyone.
SCHOOL RUNS, Good idea but, if like me, you have 3 or more children, this does not work.
PARK and RIDES, again only good if you are on their route, would be good for commuters. The best place would be somewhere near Argos and/or Screwfit. This is not a decent enough shopping town tow warrant park and ride for shoppers.
As I said previously, stick to the laws of the road, don't brake for no reason and things should ease up a little. Eg, I was at a junction today that I, and maybe 2 other cars could have pulled out if it hadn't been for the numpty speeding along way too fast for the road.

I would love to walk everywhere but it is not feasible for me as I have so many things to do throughout the dayn that I could not fit in with the children.

I would love to do my bit for a greener world. I do what I can. If I had a choice, I would not choose a Zafira for a family car, I would probably choose something more eco friendly, But, I can't. Athough I do buy bio fuel if you can count that. If there is a 7 seater to suit my family that is eco friendly, chances are I couldn't afford it.

This is all in my opinion.

 

[Mrs M]

By the way, the bus station used to be where the railway station carpark is.

 

[Mrs M]

http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/07/10/new-rail-stop-for-stafford/

 

[Scuttlingb]

New job Mr Sofa???

The Minister for Rail, TOM HARRIS, has now written to Mr Cash saying that such a stop is being considered.

 

[db]

http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/07/10/new-rail-stop-for-stafford/

A new railway station just outside Stafford may be on the cards as part of a planned high speed rail 'bypass' for the area.

The Government has promised to consider having such a 'park and ride' stop, dubbed Stafford Parkway, to the north of the town on the new proposed route.

Stone MP Bill Cash has been pushing for the move, arguing that it would reduce traffic congestion and improve access to high speed rail travel.

wasn't this one of the suggestions that expert made in this thread, which got poo-pooed?

 

[expert]

This will be good, as it will remove the need for two railway lines through stafford. We can keep the railway line that goes south to Penkridge and remove the one going to Great Haywood. This can be changed to a road therefore taking traffic away from the centre of town and ease congestion.

 

[tek-monkey]

But doesn't that track just pretty much follow the A513?

Yup:

Maybe use it to help join Beaconside up like this:

But that would trash the Spittal Brook pub, not a good plan!

 

[expert]

Yes and extended it to the A449 (when it is open) and traffic will be able to bypass the town and be able to get to the Technology Park and Hospital. It would also make it easier for ambulances to get across town. The road could be next to the Spittal Brook pub and therefore not trash it.

 

[Toble]

This will be good, as it will remove the need for two railway lines through stafford. We can keep the railway line that goes south to Penkridge and remove the one going to Great Haywood. This can be changed to a road therefore taking traffic away from the centre of town and ease congestion.

So, no services to rugeley and cannock then? Oh Dr. Beeching!

 

[expert]

Travel to Rugeley and Cannock could be from the new Stafford Parkway station.

 

[Toble]

Travel to Rugeley and Cannock could be from the new Stafford Parkway station.

Not from the town center then? Brilliant. Plus, slow local trains on a high-speed bypass route wouldn't work.

And after all the work done to carry these existing lines over the new Rugeley bypass (how come they got one?), I doubt they'll be scrapped now.

As you converting rail lines into roads.... ever been to Blackpool?
To get into the middle of the town, after the M55 fizzles out, you join the "Yeadon Way".
This follows the old route of the Blackpool Central line. it is terrifyingly narrow.

To make it 2 feet wider would have doubled the construction costs apparently.

No sir, Rail -> Road is not a good idea.

 

[tek-monkey]

Yes and extended it to the A449 (when it is open) and traffic will be able to bypass the town and be able to get to the Technology Park and Hospital. It would also make it easier for ambulances to get across town. The road could be next to the Spittal Brook pub and therefore not trash it.

Slight problem being the bridges in both places the tracks join the road. Plus, as said, what about people who use the trains to go to Rugeley and Cannock? Don't forget the new station would be to the north of Stafford, most likely the NW judging by current lines and available land.

 

[expert]

Would the high speed line be the one the runs past Weston and through Colwich and use the existing line by Rudgley bypass?

The trains could depart from the town centre if it went via the new Parkway station and use the new railway line. Currently high speed and slow trains use the same railway line so why not in the future?

Converting the line in Stafford into a road is viable as it is 4 lines wide as opposed to two lines. This would be wide enough for a single carriageway.

To access this road I would recommend slip roads off the major roads (A34 and A449) similar to the way you would join a motorway

 

[db]

Travel to Rugeley and Cannock could be from the new Stafford Parkway station.

Not from the town center then? Brilliant. Plus, slow local trains on a high-speed bypass route wouldn't work.

yeah, i'm all for more/better roads, but not running local trains from the town centre does seem counter-intuitive to me..

 

[Toble]

Currently high speed and slow trains use the same railway line so why not in the future?

Because the whole point of the bypass line would be to speed up long distance trains.
Of course Branson's idea of doing this currently is to throw loads of cash at Network Rail and convince them to close the local stations. (Stone, Norton Bridge, Barlaston, Wedgewood)

 

[expert]

Currently high speed and slow trains use the same railway line so why not in the future?

Because the whole point of the bypass line would be to speed up long distance trains.
Of course Branson's idea of doing this currently is to throw loads of cash at Network Rail and convince them to close the local stations. (Stone, Norton Bridge, Barlaston, Wedgewood)

When they build the bypass line could they build a line next to it for the slower trains to Rudgley etc?

 

[db]

When they build the bypass line could they build a line next to it for the slower trains to Rudgley etc?

expert should definitely win first prize for "persistent bugger of the week" lol

 

[Toble]

When they build the bypass line could they build a line next to it for the slower trains to Rudgley etc?

expert should definitely win first prize for "persistent bugger of the week" lol

heh.

One last point.... Shugborough Tunnel?

 

[expert]

When they build the bypass line could they build a line next to it for the slower trains to Rudgley etc?

expert should definitely win first prize for "persistent bugger of the week" lol

heh.

One last point.... Shugborough Tunnel?

Cycle path (joke!!!)

 

[Toble]

One last point.... Shugborough Tunnel?

Cycle path (joke!!!)

But where would your magical road go then?
Next you'll be advocating the filling in of canals and putting roads over them, and then it'll be pistols at dawn Sir!
(besides, you can't do that anymore.. the goverment say so... thats why the M6Toll has that aqueduct over it that isn't actually connected to a canal yet. Yet.