Meet Coventry’s Battery Boffin Taking On Tesla
This is the title on an article in the Business section of The Sunday Times.
Read it, but if you can’t here’s a quick summary.
- Professor David Greenwood at the Warwick Manufacturing Group is developing a battery for Jaguar and Land Rover.
- Plans are afoot to build a massive battery factory in Coventry.
- Greenwood and his team are working to give the Nissan Leaf more range and a more affordable battery.
I don’t believe that the team in Coventry are the only group in the world with similar aims.
Note that in How Big Would The Batteries Need To Be On A Train For Regenerative Braking?, I reckoned that one battery from a Nissan Leaf could handle the regenerative braking energy of a four-car Class 710 train, running between Gospel Oak and Barking.
We are approaching the era of battery transportation at a fast pace.
How Could The Twenty Mile Per Hour Limit Be More Strongly Enforced?
Where I live in Hackney, in common with some other London boroughs, there is a lot of twenty mile per hour zones.
20 MPH Signs In Hackney
As the picture shows they are well signed.
But this doesn’t stop drivers and motorcyclists rushing around, often quite a lot in excess of the allowed limit!
Councils have been criticised recently over using box junction cameras as cash machines, as this article on the BBC details. The title of London councils raise millions through box junction fines summarises the article well!
It may be an erroneous observation on my part, but as London gets more congested and the traffic slower in Central London, it does seem that when the traffic eases as it often does in Hackney, that drivers take more than a legal advantage.
Excessive speed also seems to have got worse in this area, since the 20 mph limit was brought in. Red rags and bulls come to mind.
Why can’t we set up a network of automatic number plate recognition cameras, that locate and timestamp vehicles in the 20 mph zones.
Computers would then check all the timings and issue tickets to those, who obviously got from A to B at over the speed limit. Just like cameras on motorways around road works.
It could be a very nice little earner for councils.
The Sheppey Crossing
The Sheppey Crossing is the bridge onto the island for road traffic.
Note the towers of the older Kingsferry Bridge, which carries the railway across. It is a rare vertical-lift bridge that carries both road and railway.
One of the others of this type in the UK is the Newport Bridge on Teesside.
The Newport Lifting Bridge
I wrote about it in The Tees Bridges and Barrage in 2010.
What A Plonker!
Of all the stupid road accidents that happen every year, yesterday’s one in Kent must rank as the most stupid.
This article on the BBC, which is entitled M20 motorway shut after lorry crash causes bridge collapse, gives full details.
There will be a lot of questions asked about this digger and as Dellboy would say, its right plonker of a driver.
- Why didn’t the truck and the digger have a specialist escort?
- Did the driver understand metres and/or feet and inches?
- What is the name of the company responsible, so that I can sue for a ruined holiday, spent camping on the M20?
At least the driver didn’t kill or serious hurt anybody, although it must have been a close run think for the motorcyclist.
A couple of weeks ago, I was seriously delayed because of another plonker, who crashed with a train on a level crossing at Waterbeach.
I think we could bring in a law, which meant that everybody, who is delayed by anything like this incident can contact a central insurance number or web site, where you can easily add your claim to the pile.
After all if my train is late, I can get a refund and have been able to for years. Recently, I was travelling on a Cheap Day Single ticket from Manchester to London, which arrived in London about two hours late, due to an unspecified problem. I filled in a form on the Virgin web site, when I got home and I had my compensation in a week or so.
The insurance companies have the power to knock some sense firmly into the minds of these idiots, who endanger everyone’s lives.
Shared Space In Preston
Done properly, I think shared space can transform a town or city centre.
These are pictures of the centre of Preston.
It seemed to be working well as I left, during the morning go-to-work period.
A Part-Solution To The Level Crossing Problem?
Several times in my life, I have been delayed on trains, by accidents at level crossings.
Luckily none of them were that serious, but this list of United Kingdom level crossing accidents, includes quite a few where several died.
So I was pleased to find this data sheet on the Internet for a Vector LX. This is said.
VECTOR LX is now in operation at multiple level crossing sites around the UK, operating as an unattended enforcement system. VECTOR LX is a highly capable monitoring and enforcement tool that continually captures and analyses data, identifying offenders and providing valuable ‘intelligent’ data.
Using a unique combination of ANPR, video and scanning radar, VECTOR LX not only identifies when offences occur, but gathers a wealth of ‘situational awareness’ data to identify behaviours at different times of day. All of this is delivered without the need for road loops or intrusive connections into the traffic signals, providing a system that is powerful, effective and simple to maintain.
Surely, it is a part-solution to the problem of drivers weaving through the barriers.
What Are We Going To Do For The Lower Thames Crossing?
This report in the Thurrock Gazette is entitled Over a thousand residents make anger known at Lower Thames Crossing meeting tonight and it describes the anger in the area over the proposed new Lower Thames Crossing. This map from this BBC report, shows the proposed route.
The Proposed Lower Thames Crossing
I don’t drive, but I do appreciate that there is extra capacity across the Lower Thames is needed to relieve the Dartford Crossing.
So what should be done?
I think that whether or not a new Lower Thames Crossing is built, we should give people alternative routes to cross the river.
Crossrail may help in that some cross river journeys like say from Kent to Essex, may be quicker by the following route.
- Train or car to Abbey Wood station.
- Crossrail train to Whitechapel station.
- Walk across the platform at Whitechapel and take another Crossrail train to Essex, changing at Stratford or Shenfield as required.
Obviously, it won’t suit everybody, but the design of Whitechapel station has been designed to facilitate journeys like this.
I think that the Abbey Wood branch should be extended to Ebbsfleet International and Gravesend, as soon as possible. This extension is safeguarded but not planned.
It would probably help too, if the interchange between SouthEastern’s HighSpeed services and Crossrail at Stratford wasn’t a long hike round the Eastfield Shopping Centre.
Surely, the real problem is freight.
This will only be eased by putting more of it on rail between Europe and the UK.
In the end another Thames Crossing will be built and this should also solve the problem of a bigger Thames Barrier.
Changes At Highbury Corner
Transport for London have announced their plans to change the pedestrian, cycling and vehicle routes at Highbury Corner, which are detailed in this document on their web site, which is entitled Have your say on improvements to Highbury Corner for pedestrians and cyclists, and changes to bus services.
The document contains this map.
Highbury Corner Changes
The map is a good summary of the proposed changes.
- The western side of the roundabout is to be closed and become a pedestrian area.
- The roads around the roundabout will become two-way.
- The area in front of Highbury and Islington station and the Famous Cock public house will become a large pedestrian area.
- Pedestrian routes will be improved.
- There will be new cycling routes.
- There will be provision for a taxi rank by the station.
- The 277 bus route will be cut back to Dalston Junction and more buses will run on route 30.
- There will be a new N277 night bus.
They are also developing two options for the arboretum in the middle of the roundabout.
- Option 1 would keep it closed off from the hoi polloi.
- Option 2 would open it up to create a pleasant walking route to the station.
The first option would see nineteen trees felled and the second twenty-three.
My Problems With The Current Layout
I try to avoid using Highbury Corner as much as possible, despite it being an easy bus ride on a 30 or 277 bus from the stop behind my house.
The reasons are as follows.
- Highbury and Islington station needs a makeover with a wrecking ball. It has no lifts to the Victoria and Northern City Line platforms and at certain times of the year, my feet aren’t up to the stations long and dreary passages.
- To get to the station from the bus stop, you have to walk along a narrow pavement and cross a busy road on a light-controlled crossing at both ends of the walk. To make matters worse, there are two roads, which are used by drivers as rat runs and then there are bikes chained up blocking the pavement.
- Coming home is only one road crossing, but the bus stop is exposed and can be a bleak and polluted place to wait.
- If I’m coming home with heavy shopping, it’s impossible to get a taxi.
- The bus stops are not well-placed if you arrive at the station and want to go South to the Angel.
- Some of the pavements are rather narrow and crowded.
At least when I’m coming home, I can take the North London Line to Dalston Junction station and then get a bus from outside the station.
So how does the new layout affect my points.
1. Highbury And Islington Station
This isn’t covered in the current plans and I hope when TfL get round to sorting the station, they do a good job. I would like to see the following.
- Full step-free access.
- A second entrance in the 1904 entrance on the other side of Holloway Road
- Better laid out walking routes to the Emirates Stadium.
- A decent iconic building on the top of the station.
In Could We Create A Second Entrance To The Overground At Highbury And Islington Station, I proposed an a second entrance at the other end of the Overground plstforms.
It’s probably not feasible, but the station has potential for being a lot better.
2. Walking Between The Station And The Bus Stops On St. Paul’s Road
The walking route is improved a bit.
- Moving the crossing on St. Paul’s Road to the west is good.
- The wider pavement in froint of Marie Curie will help.
- The closure of Corsica Street is good.
- I would like to see more of a closure of Highbury Place.
But the walking route is improved a lot, if Option 2 for the arboretum is implemented.
- It would be much more pleasant and sheltered to walk through the trees.
- I like the option to walk from the St. Paul’s Road stop, to catch a 271 bus to go towards Archway at Stop H.
It will of course seem to be longer.
3. The Eastbound Stop On St. Paul’s Road
There is very little that can be done to improve Stop C, unless it was moved nearer the roundabout and placed on a wider pavement.
It is a stop that gets loaded up with fast food litter and needs a Big Belly.
4. Taxis
I like the provision of a taxi rank, in front of the station.
5. Buses To The Angel
The bus stops seem better positioned.
If possible I would like to see Stops F and G as near to the station as possible, with Stop G on a wider pavement.
Stop G is probably a better option now to go South, as the bus routes 4, 19 and 30 have joined and it should be easier to cross the traffic.
6. Narrow And Crowded Pavements
The places that I don’t like are.
- From the Barclays Bank to Bus Stop C along the North side of the roundabout.
- From the station to Bus Stop G.
- From the station to Bus Stop F.
The first and third will be improved if drivers don’t rush into and out of side roads.
The second may be improved by the better crossing at the roundabout.
But I do feel that bus stops C and G need to be on wider pavements.
These are my comments on other parts of the proposals.
Traffic Routes
As I don’t drive, any more, I won’t comment, other than to say, that if drivers obey the signals, pedestrians will be happy.
Closure Of The Western Side Of The Roundabout
I’m very much in favour, as all stations should welcome you to an area. A pedestrian space half the size of a football pitch does that!
Improved Pedestrian Crossings
No problem! I don’t like double crossings, as I’m getting a bit slow.
Legible London Signage
I have a gammy left hand and use the signs and liths a lot, as I find them easier to use than a book of maps or a smart-phone,
New Cycling Facilities
My days of cycling in areas like Highbury Corner are long gone. So long as cyclists obey the rules and don’t knock me over on the pavement, I’ll leave them alone.
Changes To Trees
A proportion of London’s trees are suffering because of pollution and some others are inappropriate for today’s climate.
All I ask, is that a sensible approach is taken, that in a few years means that Highbury Corner is held up, as the correct way to manage an urban space.
Some people get far too emnotional about trees, when a hard-nosed practical approach can often lead to more trees being planted.
I should also say, that I used to own and live in a property surrounded by beautiful trees, many of which were hundreds of years old.
Over a period of about ten years, I lost about twenty specimen elm trees to Dutch Elm Disease and then the Great Storm of 1987 blew half the rest of my wonderful trees away overnight.
Bus Service Changes
I’m broadly in favour and providing that the extra buses are added to route 30 to make up for the loss of route 277 between Dalston Junction andv Highbury and Islington, I won’t bother too much.
I sometimes feel that there might be scope for a bus to go on a route something like this.
- Shoreditch
- Dalston Junction
- Highbury and Islington
- Holloway Road
- Archway
But I think I’m just being selfish!
Options For A New Public Space
As I want to walk through the arboretum, when I take a bus to Highbury and Islington station, I’m totally in favour of Option 2.
Drop-In Sessions
TfL will be holding three events at which you can view the proposals in detail and speak to representatives of TfL and Islington Council.
Union Chapel, Compton Terrace, London N1 2UN
- Wednesday, 24 February 15:00 – 19:00
- Saturday, 27 February 09:30 – 13:30
- Monday, 29 February 10:00 – 14:00
Conclusion
It’s a good start and I wouldn’t be surprised if the final scheme was better.
Walthamstow Village Has All Changed
These pictures show the implementation of the mini Holland in Walthamstow Village.
I like it! I wondr if these protestors have mellowed?
The Anonymous Widower 