Many of us haven’t had to think about it for quite some time but as the UK begins to re-emerge from yet another lockdown, already there is a noticeable increase in rush-hour congestion. Whether you’re someone who has thrived from the work-from-home set-up, or you’re dying to get back to the office I’m pretty sure no-one enjoys shunting towards Tom Long’s junction of a morning or navigating the bottlenecks on West End. If you’re someone who heads into somewhere like Bristol, it’s a choice of setting off at the crack of dawn or suffering the endless crawl as you near the city centre.
However, it currently doesn’t feel like there’s much of a better option. Unless London is your destination there are very few useful train connections from here and buses are so infrequent and time consuming that I’m left puzzled as to who manages to plan their day around them.
You may be lucky enough to have a commute that is close enough to walk or cycle, however, our infrastructure between settlements has evolved to prioritise motorists above all else. With two young children, I have my heart in my mouth on our daily route to school because the narrow country roads that connect our communities were created long before the idea of a two-ton lump of metal hurtling along at 40 miles an hour could even be imagined – and they’re not really suited for the job.
Wouldn’t it be lovely to drive to Minchinhampton knowing you’re bound to find a place to park? Or as a resident, knowing you won’t have to fight for a convenient spot? How about the idea of walking across the commons without the continuous drones of engines from all directions? (remember that beautiful quietness we enjoyed in the weeks at the beginning of the first lockdown in 2020?) As a parent, I would just like it to be safer and easier to get around without jumping in the car.
What are the solutions?
We need to come up with some ideas and work together to try and reduce congestion and the environmental impact of our daily commutes. There are lots of great schemes going on already in other communities – what would work for us here?
Would something like Stroud Valleys Car Club be useful? What about a lift share scheme? Do we need to persuade the council to make improvements to our roads or public transport systems? Could the traffic be significantly reduced if the way children got to school improved? If so, who needs to take the initiative and facilitate better commutes to local schools?
We’d love to hear your opinions, ideas and personal experiences related to local traffic and the way we make regular journeys. Please get in touch!
