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Re:Car Free Development - 2006/05/01 10:46'it is not possible for all existing residents..to operate without a car'
There aren't any existing residents yet. The nature of the development will create the need. The moral responsibility to the future is to offer solutions, and avoid creating a need. Unfortunately the developer is putting profits first, and not the future so is incapable of meeting this challenge.
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Adam
Re:Car Free Development - 2006/05/01 11:07I agree with Charles' comment re. practicing what you preach. Much of this forum's argument about car-free development smacks of the slippery stuff we hear so often like "I believe in Comprehensive Education but have to send my children to Public School because the State schools are simply not good enough", or "I believe in the NHS but have to have private medical insurance because one just has to wait too long on the NHS" and so on and so on. It's always someone else's fault, someone else's responsibility to take the lead, or (in this case) someone else who's got to lose their freedom to choose for themselves.
If you truly believe in something then you should lead by example, simple as that. So give up your own car and then tell the rest of us how we should live, not before.
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charles style
Re:Car Free Development - 2006/05/01 11:22Elinor, by "existing residents and businesses" I meant the residents and businesses who are here now, not those who will be moving into the Phoenix Quarter.
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Elinor
Re:Car Free Development - 2006/05/01 11:24Adam, why do you think I have a car?
Lewes residents are put in a very difficult position because the public transport provision is so poor. Owning a car, and feeling guilty about it, does not prevent anyone from wishing to ensure that the situation is improved.
I am interested in solutions to what everyone agrees is a problem, including the developer. I don't care two hoots if the person offering a helpful solution, has a car or not.
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charles style
Re:Car Free Development - 2006/05/01 11:56Elinor, actually the public transport system here is not bad at all, there is a good train service and a reasonable bus service. We hope new residents will be using this to be able to leave their car at home as much as possible . This situation would be far worse if the development was not located in the town but in the countryside or small villages or coastal towns which do not have the benefit of the public transport facilities available to the people who live in Lewes. We agree that car useage has to be kept to a minimum. It is also clear that having new facilities and shops in Lewes will help local people to use their cars less as they will not have to travel to Brighton so often to shop or to go to the cinema or to go to work. There is an overall sustainability argument here and the thrust of it is that towns are the right place to locate new homes and businesses to. We are not solely motivated by profit, we are however very concerned that the viability of the project should not be undermined. It is possible to have a situation that improves the quality of life of those who live here, that allows the town to grow and to improve its facilities and to help save the planet all in one go and we are motivated by that aim, we intend to prove this is possible with the information that will be available for all to see when we submit our planning application.
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Elinor
Re:Car Free Development - 2006/05/01 12:34Mr Style, I am sure you'll forgive me, and many others for being just a little bit amused by your telling me that public transport in Lewes is quite good. I will just pressume you are only referring to the train service to Brighton, or London. If it is so good, then pressumably you won't need to provide so many car parking spaces, and will 'pave the way' for limited parking space provision. I am sure you will understand why I am so annoyed by this. On one hand we are being told that we can't heavily restrict car use for environmental benefit, because of business restraints and demand for spaces, and on the other we are being told that occupants won't need a car because the Public Transport is so good. All I know is that there is a massive traffic jam in front of my house twice a day, snaking right through the town, that is not caused by the Phoenix industrial estate, but which will be added to by occupants of new flats, and all their friends, and visitors. This could be different if it was car free, other developments have managed it, and made a profit, so I don't see why it shouldn't be the same here. It occurrs to me that an entreprenuer like yourself could consider marketing the benefits of such a wonderful safe and clean environment, and charge more for it!
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