New figures released by Transport for London (TfL) have shown that the London Trams network has been delayed by other road users blocking the tracks at least once a month, for most months since November 2019.
It is true that many of these blockages only cause minor delays to services (although even one small delay can contribute to a snowball effect of continued delayed services across the network), but some last longer with the figures showing that on one occasion the tracks were blocked for 46 minutes which meant that 130km of planned services had to be cancelled.
The majority of delays occur in central Croydon. For those not familiar with the London Trams network, the line in central Croydon runs on a single track loop with, in particular, the section along George Street and Church Street being very narrow and often blocked by cars and delivery vans.
Delays have not only been caused by private cars and delivery vans, but also by the emergency services who often have no choice put to park on the tracks when dealing with incidents.
Although many of the blocking incidents are caused by inattention and unawareness of what they are doing, it is also claimed by local traders that it is exacerbated by the lack of short-term parking in the town centre.
In some parts of the country cars also park too close to bus stops so that buses cannot reach the kerb very easily and passengers, including those in wheelchairs or encumbered with prams are forced to step off the pavement to reach the bus, often meaning that the driver is forced to deploy the ramp as the bus cannot be lowered sufficiently to aid boarding for those who find it difficult for various reasons. Then the bus becomes delayed unnecessarily. Too many motorists have an ‘entitled’ attitude. I think some people dereve to have pictures taken of their offending vehicles and passed on to the police.
However, I do sympathise with those such as emergency vehicle drivers who are left with no alternative and in the case of amulances may have to run a series of tests on the patient before they dare turn a wheel. I do think delivery vehicles could park in a designated parking lot and transfer goods to their customers using pedestrian vehicles in very much a similar manner to Royal Mail. Even if such obstructions cannot be eliminated entirely, I’m sure with good planning they can be greatly minimised. In time it may even be deemed necesary for the Croydon trams to be diverted underground, such as in cities on the Continent, for example Antwerp. Of course, traffic congestion was a major reason that the London Underground came into being. Quite an irony that a similar situatiion seems to be unfolding in a neighbouring area!