Banning traffic from towns

[Dr Beeching]

1 hour ago, offshoremanxman said:

It was absolutely rammed outside the Rosemount last night due to the weather. Maybe they should also shut the whole of the terrace to traffic and put up big barriers at the traffic lights so that they can claim credit for something that is already successful on a sunny day! 

Nothing against having open spaces for drinkers, it's a great atmosphere down there. There's just zero need for the council to chime in and get involved. Things usually turn to shit when they get involved. 

They have a faecal-Midas touch. 

[Shake me up Judy]

Let's see them clean up the beach first (See other thread). But it won't happen. 

[HeliX]

3 hours ago, Augustus said:

The thought of a pedestrianised road didn't even enter our heads.

Then it was bloody irresponsible to stand in the middle of it.

[Broadcasterman]

Here was outside the British mid afternoon today. A normal day really. No doubt it will be busier later when everyone wants to go for a pint but I’m struck by the almost zero people using the closed road for leisure purposes which was the primary purpose for closing it. There were far more people outside the Queens this afternoon every table and chair was full and strangely if you wanted you could park right outside and go for a beer. By the way those signs and barriers look bloody awful. 

Edited May 27, 2023 by Broadcasterman

[Ativa]

3 minutes ago, Broadcasterman said:

Here was outside the British mid afternoon today. A normal day really. No doubt it will be busier later when everyone wants to go for a pint but I’m struck by the almost zero people using the closed road for leisure purposes which was the primary purpose for closing it. There were far more people outside the Queens this afternoon every table and chair was full and strangely if you wanted you could park right outside and go for a beer. By the way those signs and barriers look bloody awful. 

The signage is also a hazard if you walk from The British to Tesco end.

Keep left outside Little Fish and there is nothing obvious to tell you you have left a pedestrian area and are now walking in the middle of a road.

[Broadcasterman]

1 minute ago, Ativa said:

The signage is also a hazard if you walk from The British to Tesco end.

Keep left outside Little Fish and there is nothing obvious to tell you you have left a pedestrian area and are now walking in the middle of a road.

Some people are parking there too just before Little Fish. The whole thing looks hideous with cheap nasty barriers and horrible basic red road signs up. Imagine the tourist pictures they’ll go back with - just full of hideous street junk. 

[Two-lane]

39 minutes ago, Broadcasterman said:

Here was outside the British mid afternoon today

What is the sign for? The road is one-way in the opposite direction.

It seems a bit contra-intuitive to make the area pedestrians-only and then stick some crappy metal barriers there so the pedestrians have to walk around them.

Maybe that DBC councillor can explain.

[Shake me up Judy]

It looks shit doesn't it. First Saturday afternoon in T.T. and a sunny day too. People are trying to run businesses down there. Somebody should be sacked for that. 

[Dirty Buggane]

If you are going to do it do it right, close it from bottom of railway hill to the non swing bridge. Make any road to the quay two way so they can head back to the main road, Empty the car park on to bath place at the Walpole avenue round about. Plenty of room for bike shenanigan's like in the good old days outside Bushy's or the Groudle.

[Broadcasterman]

35 minutes ago, Shake me up Judy said:

It looks shit doesn't it. First Saturday afternoon in T.T. and a sunny day too. People are trying to run businesses down there. Somebody should be sacked for that. 

It looks shit as apparently they want to spend £15K putting barriers in hence the pathetic social media campaign to try to dress this up as a success when it isn’t. But in the meantime some horrible crappy barriers and signs will do. Until £15K buys them a big horrible lift up plastic barrier with flashing lights on it or whatever they want. Which will really befit a 200 year old quayside. 

[Dirty Buggane]

8 minutes ago, Broadcasterman said:

It looks shit as apparently they want to spend £15K putting barriers in hence the pathetic social media campaign to try to dress this up as a success when it isn’t. But in the meantime some horrible crappy barriers and signs will do. Until £15K buys them a big horrible lift up plastic barrier with flashing lights on it or whatever they want. Which will really befit a 200 year old quayside. 

So will the £15000 cost for the barrier be £1342+VAT and the rest for the Automated gate and barrier people. To make it be able to be closed using the same system that controls Douglas lighting. That is based in a shed somewhere in the UK.

Edited May 27, 2023 by Dirty Buggane

[Broadcasterman]

51 minutes ago, Dirty Buggane said:

So will the £15000 cost for the barrier be £1342+VAT and the rest for the Automated gate and barrier people. To make it be able to be closed using the same system that controls Douglas lighting. That is based in a shed somewhere in the UK.

Well the initial announcement is important to read because it says the full cost will not be paid by the ratepayers but will be shared by the DfE. To take its share of the cost they have to prove this nonsense is a success (ie, it’s improving tourism to get the DfE grant). Hence why all the bullshit is being posted to try to twist reality about how much extra trade it’s generating when it’s generating absolutely no extra trade at all. 

https://www.manxradio.com/news/isle-of-man-news/barrier-being-sought-for-north-quay-to-help-pedestrianise-the-area/

It’s truth twisting in order to access taxpayer funds to part pay for a project that literally has achieved nothing. The costs have now increased to £15K.

Edited May 27, 2023 by Broadcasterman

[Dirty Buggane]

Yeah half from DfE and other half from Douglas Development Project, which to the best of my knowledge drives all of its funding from DBC . Which unless they have found a magic money tree  all their money is raised from rates.

Edited May 27, 2023 by Dirty Buggane

[Max Power]

On 5/26/2023 at 6:36 PM, Amadeus said:

I voted for the closure of north quay and am on record as saying that it should be permanently pedestrianised. This is why: 

 

Without being funny, people would be standing outside the Bridge and the British on a nice summer's Friday or Saturday evening, or even a mild night, whether the road was open or closed. They have done for as long as I can remember. 

I never had a problem walking around town, but since having an accident, I'm disabled and walking any distance, or standing for any length of time is unpleasant. If I was okay, I'd probably be in favour of pedestrianised areas, but I think this is being done under a misapprehension. It's assumed that people will flock to our wonderful bars and restaurants and be happy to behave as though we are in Barcelona or Naples. I don't think we have the type of establishments or the clientele who will be willing to stand or sit outside in the middle of winter? 

[Broadcasterman]

21 minutes ago, Dirty Buggane said:

Yeah half from DfE and other half from Douglas Development Project, which to the best of my knowledge drives all of its funding from DBC . Which unless they have found a magic money tree  all their money is raised from rates.

That’s why we get “once in a blue moon” sarcasm after pay day, on a hot weekend, at the start of the TT, outside a pub that’s been constantly busy on every similar hot bank holiday weekend at the beginning of the TT for the last 50 years whether it’s open to traffic or not. Because if we can’t spread this false myth then we won’t get the taxpayer grant off the DfE and we’ll have to pay for the barrier ourselves. 

Edited May 27, 2023 by Broadcasterman