Stafford Traffic.

Steve_b

Well-Known Forumite
Wow there seems to be a little bit of confusion about what a 15min neighbourhood is.

Let’s take a look at the nearest thing we have to one in Stafford. Baswich. Residents of Baswich can walk, in 15 mins, to schools, doctors / health centre, library, community centre, play area, supermarket, Bar, Café, and several take away food options. They have a cycle network connecting them directly into the town centre. At no point have the residents been told they cannot travel to Aldi or to the markets in town neither have these facilities ever been blamed for the decline in the town centre. Now let’s say you are a council that is developing a brand new housing development on green fields. Wouldn’t it be sensible to look at all the good things Baswich has and build them into the design? Perhaps improving them by centralizing all the facilities into the middle of the development, perhaps ensuring there is no road running between them so it doesn’t have to be closed for events. Make sure that there are paths from all parts of the development leading to these facilities and that these paths / cycleways are connected into a wider system leading into town. If you want to be really radical make sure all cars access is by the rear of the houses leaving the front for children and neighbours to meet, have parties and, if they wish, setup community gardens. That is what a 15min neighbourhood is. It is about adding choice, adding freedom and building communities.
Yes, it’s a shame developers do not include the infrastructure we have here, and I yes it is a shame we have to close the road for our event. Will councils take note, I very much doubt it. oh, and I have been known to venture out of my 15min neighbourhood to Aldi and beyond on occasions.
 

proactive

Enjoying a drop of red.
If you can access tik tok here’s one of numerous links of really peed off people being held up, frustrated and caused damage to by the trials.
Oh, I thought you meant someone you actually knew in the real world. Tik Tok is utter bollocks. Besides there are no 15 minute cities in the UK yet so I'm calling what you've said total shite.

You are if nothing else, consistent.
 

gilbert grape

Well-Known Forumite
Oh, I thought you meant someone you actually knew in the real world. Tik Tok is utter bollocks. Besides there are no 15 minute cities in the UK yet so I'm calling what you've said total shite.

You are if nothing else, consistent.
Keep swallowing all that crap you're fed.....
 

proactive

Enjoying a drop of red.
Keep swallowing all that crap you're fed.....
1200px-Looney_tunes_careta.png
 

littleme

250,000th poster!
I don't know what's wrong with people on a Friday night, I left work in town at 8.30pm, travelled the whole 7(max, depending on the lights) mins up the a34 to north end...... Two cards were racing through quite tight traffic, at at least at 70mph, bloody idiots
 

cj1

Well-Known Forumite
Besides there are no 15 minute cities in the UK yet
Isn't Stafford already a "15 minutes city" without the movement restrictions? Within a 15 minutes walk residents have access to doctors, dentists, pharmacy, corner shops, takeaways, vets, coffee shops, pubs, hair care, schools, employment opportunities the list goes on. Each resident can use the facilities within their own "15 minutes city" limits or use the facilities of neighbouring "15 minutes cities" without restriction.
 

Mudgie

Well-Known Forumite
Isn't Stafford already a "15 minutes city" without the movement restrictions? Within a 15 minutes walk residents have access to doctors, dentists, pharmacy, corner shops, takeaways, vets, coffee shops, pubs, hair care, schools, employment opportunities the list goes on. Each resident can use the facilities within their own "15 minutes city" limits or use the facilities of neighbouring "15 minutes cities" without restriction.
More like 15 months for a doctor's appointment.
 

cj1

Well-Known Forumite
If businesses don't have to compete for their customers' thanks to a "captive audience" how good will the facilities provided be within 15-minute cities as it will be difficult or impossible to seek out better elsewhere
 

kyoto49

Well-Known Forumite
If businesses don't have to compete for their customers' thanks to a "captive audience" how good will the facilities provided be within 15-minute cities as it will be difficult or impossible to seek out better elsewhere
Back in the day businesses provided an excellent service and facilities because it was the right thing to do. Imagine!
 

Thehooperman

Well-Known Forumite
Isn't Stafford already a "15 minutes city" without the movement restrictions? Within a 15 minutes walk residents have access to doctors, dentists, pharmacy, corner shops, takeaways, vets, coffee shops, pubs, hair care, schools, employment opportunities the list goes on. Each resident can use the facilities within their own "15 minutes city" limits or use the facilities of neighbouring "15 minutes cities" without restriction.
But who shops local anymore?

The shops and takeaways in the Parkside precinct are pretty dire and I'd prefer to use other more distant supermarkets, takeaways or eat out if I'm not cooking.

We did have a nice coffee shop until they did a runner.

My doctor's was within 15 minutes until they moved over to Rising Brook. I can't even get a through bus anymore so have to drive it.

There are no work opportunities for me within Stafford let alone Parkside (well apart from WFH since 2020) and whilst I'm supposed to be based in Birmingham most of my work is around the country if I need to go to an office.

Finally, how long has Stafford been a city?
 

kyoto49

Well-Known Forumite
But who shops local anymore?

The shops and takeaways in the Parkside precinct are pretty dire and I'd prefer to use other more distant supermarkets, takeaways or eat out if I'm not cooking.

We did have a nice coffee shop until they did a runner.

My doctor's was within 15 minutes until they moved over to Rising Brook. I can't even get a through bus anymore so have to drive it.

There are no work opportunities for me within Stafford let alone Parkside (well apart from WFH since 2020) and whilst I'm supposed to be based in Birmingham most of my work is around the country if I need to go to an office.

Finally, how long has Stafford been a city?
This is the problem, ideas like this are great imo but it all needs joined up thinking and that will never happen in Stafford. Plonk housing estate after housing estate on any green space available with no consideration to the wider needs of the community. Just look at that monstrosity built north of Parkside. Where would people who live there go to play sport, any sport with a 30 min walk let alone 15. There is no cycle path to town, no facilities for that community whatsoever. And even when it's finished it is literally a place to sleep for commuters, that's its only selling point. Utterly grim all round.

Until communities are prioritised over builders profits and council back handers nothing wil change locally.
 

Noah

Well-Known Forumite
Back in the day businesses provided an excellent service and facilities because it was the right thing to do
Not in the 1950s they didn't. Imagine "Open All Hours" only worse. Short measure, poor quality, surly service, ... That's why people flocked to supermarkets when they appeared
 

littleme

250,000th poster!
Not in the 1950s they didn't. Imagine "Open All Hours" only worse. Short measure, poor quality, surly service, ... That's why people flocked to supermarkets when they appeared
Supermarkets offered fantastic service, until l they stopped paying the staff for that service.....the right thing to do do, is no longer the thing to do...no one has time to do personal things for people, they're timed on everything, taking too much time means adisciplinary, disaplinarys lead to you loosing your job...it declines and declines and declines..... Untill there no service at all....
 
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gilbert grape

Well-Known Forumite
Yes you are mate. And a total nutjob to boot.
You've left yourself open there. Again!

Doing more searching this weekend and it's actually all had more resistance than I knew about with thousands protesting in Oxford this weekend.
Not on the news? Of course not as they don't want it covering! Just like anything else in the last few years.
The actions of those in power have lead to a sea of mistrust so do you actually think revolutionary ideas that restrict any movement will be embraced by those that think outside the box?
 
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