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Post by wirewiper on May 6, 2024 17:46:00 GMT
It is now confirmed that John Swinnney is the new leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP), as no other candidates have come forward. He has yet to be confirmed as First Minister for Scotland, but this is expected to be passed by a vote of MSPs on Tuesday with the Greens likely to back him. www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c72pk2qpqevo
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Post by wirewiper on May 6, 2024 10:27:20 GMT
What's your thinking behind merging the H2 and H3 into one route? The H3 was created originally so that the H2 could be shortened, by omitting little-used roads (these were served instead by the H3), and operated at a regular 15-minute frequency. The bus saved by shortening the H2 was reassigned to the H3 and to the schoolday 631 (oriiginally H1) journeys. It's a very efficient use of resources and gives the H2 users, who are the vast majority, a faster, evenly-spaced service. The 382 idea is to provide an even more direct and simplified service through Hampstead Garden Suburb, since some of the roads are wide enough to fit longer SDs, therefore also providing more capacity. Also some new links to the North, including from the area around East End Road to Golders Green. Most roads currently served by the H2 would only be a short walk away from my proposed 382 routeing, so passengers would benefit from a quicker link to Golders Green by removing the loop, just operating in both directions via Meadway. Some H2 passengers may currently have a fast link in one direction, but have to go all around the rest of the loop in the other direction. The only exception to this would be the area to the north of the H2's loop around Asmuns Hill, though here it's very close to stops on the main road for the 13/102/460. The revised H2/H3 merger would operate at a lower frequency than the current H2 to maintain a service to the local roads (also crosslinking to the 631), for any passengers who can't walk to the 382 etc, but would also operate in both directions to avoid going round the full loop for shorter journeys. This would also offer passengers to the east of the Suburb a more frequent link to East Finchley than the current H3 service. My proposals also aim to give the 382 more purpose beyond Finchley Central, linking more areas of Finchley down to Golders Green. As I think the Mill Hill East section needs a higher capacity route, particularly considering the redevelopments there, so rerouteing the 221 in place to go via Finchley Central would cover this, while also creating various new links. Ah I see - I'd missed that you are putting the 382 through HGS. I still think the H2 works well in its present form though, it is a short and reliable feeder for the Tube at Golders Green and also the local shops. And the people who have the longest journey into Golders Green are dropped off first on the return so it evens out.
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Post by wirewiper on May 6, 2024 9:12:43 GMT
Plus a feature I do find with the 18 and 25 (and probably 53, 109 and other busy routes) is that people really do get on and off at every stop meaning a limited stop route would be missing so much demand really for the route. On the flip side on precisely these routes there are several passengers who do long commutes - some even doing it all the way; with quite a few doing 40-70% of the route. I have now done the 53 several times between elephant and castle and Blackheath royal standard and the bus (at 9am westbound, at 5pm, 8pm, 9pm, midnight eastbound) and there are so many people doing large chunks of the route There is presumably a "convenience factor" at play here too - many people will be making these long journeys because the bus stops at origin and destination offer a much more convenient journey than the rail alternatives. In the 53 case, the route offers a direct (and high-frequency) service towards Central London from parts of Charlton and Blackheath that are not conveniently served by rail. This is why I would be reluctant to reduce the all-stops service on such radial routes.
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Post by wirewiper on May 6, 2024 8:26:30 GMT
At least rerouting the 112 would give a direct link between Brent Cross Shopping Centre and Mill Hill East especially as there is a lot of housing developments going on around Mill Hill East and more notably the Brent Cross Town development. I agree a link from Brent Cross to Mill Hill East would be useful, but I'm not sure the 112 would be the best route to do so. The 112 doesn't need to be replaced by a Superloop route, it wouldn't offer much advantage as the North Circular is relatively quick already. However, I did previously suggest introducing a new route at Brent Cross, which would cover some new roads around Hendon and Mill Hill, continuing to Mill Hill East and onwards - along with a wider restructure around the Finchley area: 351 - New route from Brent Cross to Arnos Grove, via Hendon Central, The Quadrant, Parson Street, Great North Way, Page Street, Pursley Road, Devonshire Road, Mill Hill East Station, Inglis Way and Frith Lane - then the 221 to North Finchley, 125/263 to Whetstone, and the 251 to Arnos Grove. 251 - Withdrawn between Arnos Grove and Whetstone, and instead extended to Barnet via the 234. Introducing a direct link from Mill Hill and Totteridge to Barnet. 382 - Withdrawn between Mill Hill East and Finchley Central, and instead extended to Golders Green, via Regents Park Road, East End Road, Ossulton Way, Kingsley Way, Meadway and Hoop Lane. Providing a more direct and higher-capacity service through Hampstead Garden Suburb. H2/H3 - Merged into one loop (no longer serving Meadway), and operating in both directions. Combining the current H3 with the northern half of the H2's loop. 221 - Diverted between Mill Hill East and North Finchley, via Dollis Road, Finchley Central Station and Ballards Lane. Introducing a direct link from Finchley Central to Mill Hill, Edgware and Wood Green. What's your thinking behind merging the H2 and H3 into one route? The H3 was created originally so that the H2 could be shortened, by omitting little-used roads (these were served instead by the H3), and operated at a regular 15-minute frequency. The bus saved by shortening the H2 was reassigned to the H3 and to the schoolday 631 (oriiginally H1) journeys. It's a very efficient use of resources and gives the H2 users, who are the vast majority, a faster, evenly-spaced service.
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Post by wirewiper on May 5, 2024 16:50:35 GMT
I know all Politicains say what they think we want to hear but Rachel Reeves has been saying there won't be any major borrowing and I can still see the North being more prioritised. Especially with Angela Raynor playing a bit role in Government. If nothing else surely the Bakerloo will have to be the first place for investment. Or let's hope it is as as lovely as old trains are these really are life expired. An all-electric bus fleet by 2030 is perfectly achievable, and would be an easy and relatively cheap win for Labour. By 2029 we will be looking at another General Election and Labour will be wanting to show it meant business on its green pledges.
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Post by wirewiper on May 5, 2024 13:11:04 GMT
At least we agree that the UK did have one of the highest excess death rates, even if we don't agree on the methodology. My point is still that had the Government managed the covid pandemic more competently, fewer people would have died. What would you have done differently? From my perspective I don’t think any other individual country did that well in managing covid. I know people cite New Zealand as a success but they were effectively cut off from the rest of the world, foolishly shutting down everything with even a single case. The whole purpose of the wide-ranging Covid inquiry is to establish as far as possible what did actually happen, and to learn lessons which will inform a better response to a future pandemic or other crisis. However I can say there are two things I would definitely have done differently, had I been your Prime Minister: 1) I would have attended every d*mn Cobra meeting - I would have chaired them myself unless there was a good and compelling resaon for someone else to chair it. 2) I would have declared lockdown on Friday 12th March 2020. The pandemic was declared by the World Health Organisation in February, and by early March we were aware of the hospitals in Northern Italy being overwhelmed by Covid patients. We also knew that people returning from ski-ing trips to that part of the world had brought covid into the UK, and were spreading it asymptomatically. The delay to lockdown was informed by the same libertarian thinking and arguments that opposed New Zealand's (and Australia's) strict lockdowns.
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Post by wirewiper on May 5, 2024 9:05:44 GMT
My excess deaths comment refers to all causes, not just those who died directly from covid but also those who died because other treatments were not available during the crisis, or because people were reluctant to go into healthcare settings. Even today we have people who are sicker than they would have been, because they had treatment cancelled or postponed due to lack of capacity in the health service whilst it was dealing with the covid emergency, or because they were unable or unwiling to seek timely intervention. Like I said other countries weren’t including things like this in their officially published figures so whilst it is technically correct to say the UK excess deaths was amongst the highest excess deaths there is absolutely no way to verify this. At least we agree that the UK did have one of the highest excess death rates, even if we don't agree on the methodology. My point is still that had the Government managed the covid pandemic more competently, fewer people would have died.
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Post by wirewiper on May 5, 2024 8:37:39 GMT
The whole world went through Covid, but the UK had one of the worst excess death rates because of the Government's poor handling of the situation. Economically we also have one of the weakest recoveries - again because of the Government's poor handling of the economy. You can see the effects of Tory policy every time you see someone sleeping in a shop doorway or underpass. Street homelessness was something that had been almost totally eradicated last time we had a Labour Government. It will not be sunshine and roses under Starmer's Labour. The country is in a huge mess due to Conservative mismanagement and will take a long time to get back on its feet. It does look like people are willing to give Labour that chance now. The excess deaths comment is a bit subjective. There was no agreed way of recording data. So some countries only recorded and released figures purely of Covid deaths i.e no other underlying conditions etc. Whereas here doctors were recording it within the other causes. There are numerous stories of family members in the UK having to argue doctors into removing it as a suspected cause. So on paper the UK may have had a high excess death rate but the reality is we really won’t ever know the true figures as many of those that died would have been waiting for treatment or had their doctor visits delayed by covid. My excess deaths comment refers to all causes, not just those who died directly from covid but also those who died because other treatments were not available during the crisis, or because people were reluctant to go into healthcare settings. Even today we have people who are sicker than they would have been, because they had treatment cancelled or postponed due to lack of capacity in the health service whilst it was dealing with the covid emergency, or because they were unable or unwiling to seek timely intervention.
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Post by wirewiper on May 5, 2024 8:02:23 GMT
Yes they do. The tories have had 14 years to impress and they’ve failed to make things better. Covid, Russia, Ukraine - always someone else’s fault. If there was huge appetite for them they’d be miles ahead in polls but alas they’re not and he’s too scared to call an election. People always harp on about what Labour was like last time it was in government way over a decade ago as if that’s any comparison to today. What’s Russia and Ukraine got to do with the Tories? Britain has been a staunch ally of Ukraine, Covid? The whole world went through that. I remember the Blair years in the 00s well, people would always refer back to the Thatcher years of the 80s as a whataboutism. The Tories effed up, but let’s not pretend things will be sunshine and roses under Starmer The whole world went through Covid, but the UK had one of the worst excess death rates because of the Government's poor handling of the situation. Economically we also have one of the weakest recoveries - again because of the Government's poor handling of the economy. You can see the effects of Tory policy every time you see someone sleeping in a shop doorway or underpass. Street homelessness was something that had been almost totally eradicated last time we had a Labour Government. It will not be sunshine and roses under Starmer's Labour. The country is in a huge mess due to Conservative mismanagement and will take a long time to get back on its feet. It does look like people are willing to give Labour that chance now.
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Post by wirewiper on May 5, 2024 7:50:11 GMT
Sadiq Khan heckled by Britain First candidate just moments into victory speechSadiq Khan only managed to say ‘Thank you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Thank you London’ before an outbreak of boos from the crowdwww.standard.co.uk/news/london/london-mayoral-election-results-sadiq-khan-susan-hall-britain-first-b1155739.htmlLondon Assembly results are finalisedOverall, Labour won 38.4% of the vote, with the Conservatives on 26.2%. The result means the political make-up of the assembly is: Labour 11 Conservatives 8 Greens 3 Lib Dems 2, and Reform UK 1 There is one member for each of the 14 constituencies and 11 additional members, based on a proportion of the overall result. Interesting, it means Labour are two short of an overall majority on the Assembly. It puts the Greens or the Lib Dems in a strong position and could yet prove to be a thorn in Khan's side if there is disagreement on certain topics. A good result for progressive parties and their supporters though.
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Post by wirewiper on May 5, 2024 7:41:49 GMT
I got only a single leaflet from her which really shows her dedication to inner London. Lab, Lib and Greens bothered with the first two even sending with door knockers. You wouldn't think that she was from the party governing the country based on this. I Still think Paul Scully would have cut through a bit better having been minister for London and being a bit younger. Or Justine Greening, if she hadn't been edged out of the party because she could not support Boris Johnson's Brexit proposals. She has represented a London constituency and would have been a strong candidate.
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Post by wirewiper on May 5, 2024 7:39:32 GMT
I disagree. Different consultations get treated differently and Superloop 2 will definitely be on the agenda as it's more high profile and affects most of the city. The first Superloop was delivered in good time after it was dreamt up and nothing got dropped or significantly altered Yes but that had a deadline of an election. Or am I just being synical. Yes you are being cynical. Who on here voted for Khan rather than Hall because a Superloop route had been introduced, or knows anyone who did?
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Post by wirewiper on May 4, 2024 17:42:23 GMT
At 14.05, the BBC News is reporting live that Labour are 'claiming' victory in London - even though not all the results are in yet. www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-politics-68609732Meanwhile, West Midlands is expected around 14.30 and it is said to be "on a knfe-edge". Terrible turn of phrase considering that the West Midlands person head of population has the most stabbings in the UK. It's the exact phrase the BBC are using ... and still not declared yet (at 18.40), Coventry has gone to a recount.
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Post by wirewiper on May 4, 2024 17:30:29 GMT
Seems Londoners have used the vote to send a message to the government instead of focusing on is that affect the capital. I do understand the reason people have done this but still disappointing we will have 4 more years of Khan. It's not just Londoners, this is being repeated up and down the country. Indeed the scale of the rout is far greater outside London; Ben Houchen may have retained the Tees Valley Mayoralty but the swing against him (17%) would turn every constituency in his area Labour. This is not a mid-term by-election fluke or a one-off protest vote, this is a clear message to the Conservative Government that their time is up. Time to throw the contract back.
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Post by wirewiper on May 4, 2024 13:07:18 GMT
At 14.05, the BBC News is reporting live that Labour are 'claiming' victory in London - even though not all the results are in yet. www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-politics-68609732Meanwhile, West Midlands is expected around 14.30 and it is said to be "on a knfe-edge".
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