Boris really has lost the plot !!

[MartyMart]

Boris Johnson will talk to coalition Government about reducing traffic around Heathrow
11:00am Friday 21st May 2010


London Mayor Boris Johnson has said he will look into imposing a congestion charge on roads around Heathrow to reduce air pollution.

Mr Johnson told London Assembly members he will consult the new coalition Government about the prospect of a “clean air zone” in west London.

Mike Tuffrey, leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group, called for Mr Johnson to work with BAA to try and cut traffic around the airport at Mayor’s Question Time on Wednesday.

He said: “In terms of dealing with the air quality aspects at Heathrow, an aweful lot of that is surface transport in and out, and the studies of the ash cloud affect are as much about reduced vehicles in and around Heathrow as the planes themselves.”

Mr Johnson replied: “I will examine it and I will consult members of the Liberal Democrat and Conservative coalition about what kind of congestion charge they might support in west London.”

He added: “Plainly the reduction of nitrous oxide around Heathrow during the volcanic ash cloud is a very powerful indicator of the affect of aviation on pollution.”

The chamber at City Hall heard that passenger numbers at Heathrow were still predicted to increase from 63m to 80m a year, despite the coalition Government abolishing plans for a third runway.

Mr Johnson said: “I certainly don’t think that Heathrow can be relied upon to be Britain’s hub international airport for the future. I think that’s absolutely crazy.”

He added: “I’m not an expert on quite how much more you can cram into the existing runway capacity at Heathrow, but plainly I do not want to see huge numbers of more flights coming over the skies of london.

“I don’t want to see more nitrous oxide being emitted by traffic congestion and aviation congestiion around west London.”


What a "twit" ..... while we are there, why don't we charge anyone who wants to go food shopping and extra £8 to use a car !!!!

What bollox !!

 

[livingnote]

Yeah so what instead everybody chugger all the way out to Stansted and that's "better for the air" using gasoline x5?

I think the problem with base logic is that it doesn't apply to politicians in general.

 

[MartyMart]

Well it's the UK's main travel "hub" and the most busy European Airport .... so yeah, lets charge
people to go near it in a car / cab !!

Reduce usage and pollution = NO

Make a shit load of money = YES

: : : :

 

[strangeandbouncy]

Hi MArty,


   your post implies that Boris actually HAD a plot in the first place. I see no evidence . . . . He is a clown. That's it. A Foppy-haired, slightly/vaguely amusing self-deprecating clown. He reminds me of many of my school teachers. Verbose, Eager to impart all and sundry how "clever" he is, an inglorious buffoon, and clumsy and uncomfortable in his own skin. I have no time for him.


      Nothing personal, mind you . . .



       AndyP

 

[tv]

 

[Consul]

I frequently refer to Boris as the World's Funniest Accidental Comedian, but that's small comfort to those of you that have to live with him. The world would be better off, and funnier, if he had just stuck with the panel shows and let people with actual political skill run things. Do you think London would be better off if Ken had stayed in?

 

[livingnote]

Well just from the smell of things I can imagine how it went...they probably needed a billion
short-term that they just didn't have so now they go walking up to the bank with "please"
written in their eyes, and the bank goes "how do you propose to secure it?"

If they don't get the hint and go "but we need this for the good of the people" then the reaction
is some kind of a very loud "well then FIND A WAY, London's big and there are enough umpa lumpas
out there for you and your chocolate factory".

Gets refuted "These are *people* we're talking about, and they all have a right to bla bla bla" which
harvests "Yeah well your "people" just have to realize that nothing's free in this world, and if they
don't wanna pay then that's between you and the BBC. We are out."

...so soon enough you get "hey you know this environmental system they have in Berlin? They tax
commuters for using roads that they can't avoid on their way to and from work" and the bank dude
smiles and goes "That is more like it. A good example of proper social economics at work. Now
that we are speaking the right language might you care to append these three laws if we threw in
an extra 500 million for the Heathrow Express, plus 50 for you and your family? After all it's good
to know where you're standing at the end of your term, and it's not likely you're gonna get any
support from your "people". Or when did they last thank you for all your hard work?".

In the news you hear about the "environmental debate" plus an "adaptation of legislation to facilitate
trade and help the economy (if at all)".

Suddenly you have people going "I think it's a good thing because it gets everybody to think about
the environment and the impact we have on our ecosystem - it's sad but true, sometimes you just
have to force them to deal with the issues or nothing will ever change".

And the shareholders warmly agree.

http://beta.twiddeo.com/video/?d=5625 (Not really connected but kinda fits...)

 

[sahib]

I'll stick up for good old Boris. I like him. Just in case you don't know, he is quarter Turkish. May be that's why he hasn't got a clue ;D

However, while I disagree with the congestion charges  I think he has a point on the extensions of Heathrow.

 

[barclaycon]

Yeah but you think Parcel Force is great.

 

[sahib]

You mean Parcel Farce.

Don't get me going on this.

On Thursday I sent a parcel to London for Matta for guaranteed next day delivery.

Not difficult to guess. It was not delivered.

I normally don't use them but this time I was beyond the cut-off time for my usual courier. They are three times more expensive then the courier I use and still can not get it right. I get parcels deliverd to US or even Australia in a couple of days, yet Parcelfarce can not f**ing deliver to next door.

Few years back when I used them I sent a shipment to Mexico. It was supposed to be guaranteed. Three weeks later the customer e-mailed to ask for the shipping status. I tracked it and the parcel was still sitting in UK hub. Whne I phoned to complain saying thhis was supposed to be a guaranteed service, the reply was well....errrrrr. not really? It says it is guaranteed but not really if you look at the clause in our terms and conditins such and such.

They are a joke.

 

[zebra50]

..errrrrr. not really

Oh yes. They do an international service to some countries (including the US) which is tracked, but only until it leaves the UK...

Huh?

Pointless.

 

[barclaycon]

Ahh. I see we are finally on the same page sahib !

Yes Parcel FARCE adequately describes them.
Couldn't believe you thought they were OK before.

And as far as the congestion charge goes - I actually live in London and I can tell you that it has been an expensive political farce.
It makes no money.
It hasn't improved congestion.
People who have to drive into London are simply being forced to pay yet another tax.
It's been a disaster for business - just look at how many shops have closed in the centre.
It makes 'out-of-town' shopping centres an attractive proposition.

Boris Johnson ?
Well he got into power on the back of people wanting to ditch Ken Livingstone.
I'm afraid he hasn't lived up to expectations and his promises have remained 'aspirations'.
He just looks like a bumbling journo trying to find his feet in a position that is desperate for a political heavyweight i.e someone who can get things done.
It's all too depressing.

 

[sahib]

Hi Barclaycon,

Parcelfarce was a farce before and farce now. It is all due to lack of management. I use Interparcel. Within the last four to five months I must have shipped around 60 shipment UK and wolrdwide. All on target without a single problem. In two occassions I made an error with the collection/delivery address. I phoned them and the girl re-arranged them all and e-mailed within 10 minutes. Try doing that with Parcelfarce.

I believe you about the congestion charge. Things like that don't work and won't work. When will these osteriches lift their heads off the sand and see the reality that we don't live in times when the bicycle had just been invented. I don't support cars but I drive one because it is impossible to get on a bus with fifteen carrier bags and an autistic child.
Boris?

I really like him. Seriously. But at the same time I can't help him reminding me Derek Jacobi in I Cladius. He became a mayor by fluke. We actually have good expression in Turkish for this. Although not exact translation it goes like "where there are no sheep the goat is the greatest adventurer". I think he is really trying his best but the job is way beyond his calibre.

However, in terms of extending Heathrow I agree with his views. Increasing Heatrhrow's capacity will not make a significant contribution to London's local economy but will make the situation worse. Whereas extending other airports makes huge economical sense. There is a similar case in Istanbul. Instead of extending Ataturk Airport they reformed Sabiha Gokcen Airport in other side of Istanbul, a place called Kurtkoy. When I was younger my father had an estate agent next door neighbour/friend. His friend used to literally beg him to buy a couple of plots from Kurtkoy. My father was not interested because as the name implies wolves used to come down to Kurtkoy (wolfe village) in those days. Now I was there last month and try buying a few sq mt land if you can. There is a big sky scraper Marriot built and Hilton is on its way. Few large shopping malls and so many industrial-manufacturing hubs. And all these happened in the last few years.