Topic ID 591
Looks like someone is trying to organise and try and find a solution to this. I got a note through inviting me to sign the petition at: http://www.PetitionOnline.com/hbrr2005/petition.html There is a message board for the campaign at http://ratrun.proboards20.com
Reply ID 5816
I think it's the same guy who started a similar message board a few years back - looked very positive to start with but then faded. Good to see it being brought up again, although I still remain highly pessimistic that a solution will ever be implemented.
Reply ID 5892
Somebody sent out a survey to all bengeo residents about this some years ago. The trouble was it was fundamentally flawed. They only sent one survey per household. My partner and I both had a very different opinion as to how the problem could be solved and the survey vaporised in the heat of the discussion! We did like the lady who sent all residents a yellow sticker for their windscreen/rear view mirror. We kept ours on for ages and it improved courtesy along the rat run... unless you didn't have one of course.
Reply ID 5912
No matter what you do to try and stop traffic coming through Bengeo, people will still try and use it as a rat run, especially since St. Andrew Street and Old Cross just clog up at peak times. I suspect that the majority of "rat runners" are locals from Hertford, Ware and the surrounding villages. Perhaps the key to solving the problem is to try and make it easier to drive through Bengeo by resticting parking on a single route through. The main problem would be Nelson Street where there is no off-street parking.
Reply ID 5914
They would not be able to carry on driving through if you blocked it off a la Port Vale.
Reply ID 5917
quote:Agreed, but that is just not a realistic option (might have been years ago to nip a developing problem in the bud, but not now). All a road closure would result in is more traffic being diverted through the already-congested Old Cross, St.Andrew's street, A414 etc. Restricting the parking is not an option - it's all terraced houses, folk have no choice but to park on the road (although I'm sure the disused railway line could be put to use for extra parking to free up the roads a little.) I think the best solution would be making Byde Street (the stretch between Wellington and Fanshawe) one way - this would reduce the traffic and help keep the remaining traffic free-flowing. Not sure which way would be best, though - I suspect northbound only.
Originally posted by Victor Meldrew
They would not be able to carry on driving through if you blocked it off a la Port Vale.
Reply ID 5922
I agree that the housing is all terraced there and the owners have to park their cars on the road, but maybe they could look at parking them on a road nearby but not that one. The problem is that Nelson Street is the only street into Bengeo from that direction.
Reply ID 5923
but then I'm sure the house owners would have something to say about that - especially if they have children
Reply ID 5924
quote:Also you do need to take into account the fact that some people using the rat-run don't live in Bengeo and realisticly to implement a workable solution these pepole need to be considered.
Originally posted by nora batty
Somebody sent out a survey to all bengeo residents about this some years ago. The trouble was it was fundamentally flawed. They only sent one survey per household.
Reply ID 5926
what about a Nothern Relief Road - linking North Road with the B158 North of Bengeo
Reply ID 5931
Actually Nelson Street isn't the only way in - Byde Street is the problem. My friends living in Nottingham town centre were having a rat run problem and the residents solved it by paying to put up a bar code activated barrier half way in. Only the resident cars had bar code keys on their windscreens, and the barrier was dropped during rush hour. The Park is a privately owned estate though, so I guess that's why they could do it. May be all Bengeo residents should get together to buy Bengeo off HCC. (Brings up all sorts of other options - it could be a tax free state for example! Remember passport to Pimlico?)
Reply ID 5951
The only problem with the `rat run` is the cars park along the road,sort out the parking and we can all boot it along that stretch [well 30mph]
Reply ID 5952
Yes, its absolutly appauling that people should even consider parking their cars outside their house!!
Reply ID 5953
Well they should get shot of there gardens and use them as drives!
Reply ID 5955
Have you applied to the council for drop curbing recently?? + none of the houses on Nelson Street have large enough front garden to take a car.
Reply ID 5956
Dam,that plan is out of the window then.
Reply ID 5959
quote:That would just push all of the traffic trying to get through Bengeo Elsewhere
Originally posted by nora batty
My friends living in Nottingham town centre were having a rat run problem and the residents solved it by paying to put up a bar code activated barrier half way in. Only the resident cars had bar code keys on their windscreens, and the barrier was dropped during rush hour.
Reply ID 5968
Fine - as long as it's pushed on to bigger roads that are designed to take two-way traffic and have proper pedestrian crossings.
Reply ID 5969
Jez has a good point here. The rat-run is not an isolated problem - any action needs to be considered in the wider context as the traffic will just be shunted onto other, already congested roads. For example, I can't see how any road closure/one way system could be introduced in Bengeo without at least sorting out the mess at Old Cross (ever noticed how much better Bengeo is when the lights are down?) Other things include looking at ways to reduce school run traffic (again, Bengeo can be blissful in the school holidays.)
Reply ID 6072
I love this old chestnut. As a Byde Streeter, it used to get me really hot under the collar. Now, I just accept it. The solution is actually already in place - the area is no entry except for access - but it's impossible to police it. In the same way that nobody bothers to police the illegal parking, which is seen as the natural way to slow down the traffic, even though it blocks the pavements for the pedestrians etc. I've come to the conclusion that the best thing we can do is put cameras at the bottom of Byde Street and then again at the Farquhar/Fanshawe junction and charge vehicles for entering the Byde Street zone. I think I would call this a "Congestion Charge" and make it about £5, payable on the day, but increasing dramatically if not paid by midnight. If it appears to be working i.e. not necessarily reducing the flow of traffic but making bundles of money, I'll increase it to £8 or so in a couple of years time. In return for the extra revenue for the council, residents of Byde Street get a rebate on their Council Tax bills.
Reply ID 6074
this site just needed 1 more post to become a hot topic, or burning issue, so here it is! And I think the idea of a congestion charge for Bengeo is brilliant.
Reply ID 6075
Maybe the "Congestion Charge" could be used to pay for extra policing on Friday / Saturday nights? I'm assuming that anyone living in Bengeo would be exempt from the charge.
Reply ID 6092
quote:Well ok. Anyone in the "Access Only" zone to the west of Bengeo Street can be exempt - or pay a reduced charge. And yes - extra police on Fridays and Saturdays so that I can stagger back home without being kicked to within an inch of my life by a bunch of mindless yobs seems a reasonable use of the money. In fact, it might raise enough money annually to employ one or two dedicated officers for this job. Perhaps including one who has been on a waiting list for over a year. Does anyone know of such a person who has been waiting to get into the force for over a year and might want to second this scheme.
Originally posted by JohnSmith
Maybe the "Congestion Charge" could be used to pay for extra policing on Friday / Saturday nights? I'm assuming that anyone living in Bengeo would be exempt from the charge.
Reply ID 6101
But if I want "access" to the other side of Bengeo from Hertford North Station, it is a pain having to drive all the way to Old Cross then come back on yourself to get to Port Hill.
Reply ID 6107
quote:Not as much of a pain as getting stuck at the top of Nelson Street for twenty minutes between a white van, a taxi, 2 4x4s and 10 mums on the school run, all of whom are too pig-headed/stupid/arrogant (delete as appropriate) to accept that at least one of them is going to have to, wait for it, reverse a little (*gasp*) to let someone else through. Always used to make me wonder what went on in someone's head who, on arriving at the bottom of Nelson Street and seeing a blockage at the top, decides "hey, I'll just drive on up anyway and make it worse."
Originally posted by jez_p
But if I want "access" to the other side of Bengeo from Hertford North Station, it is a pain having to drive all the way to Old Cross then come back on yourself to get to Port Hill.
Reply ID 6127
quote:Althernative solution: A friend of mine who lives in Boundary Road - the other side of Bengeo - walks to/from the station. It's probably as quick, taking into account the waiting time in the Nelson/Wellington car park. Or, you can pay the C Charge and know that it's going to a good cause - policing our town! That's why I love this old chestnut. Nobody can agree on anything, everyone finds something about a particular proposed plan that is "unfair" i.e. disadvantages them, and in the end, nothing workable can be found. And so, ever more people use my street as a rat-run, knowing they will get away with it, despite the access only, despite the moans and groans, despite the road-rage, despite the odd scratch and bump. I used to have to find somewhere to go and get very drunk but can't be bothered about it now. My main worry these days is the parking on the pavements. It's the pedestrians - parents with buggies especially - that suffer. What is needed is resident off street parking. Or - two for the price of one solution - ban cars altogether.
Originally posted by jez_p
But if I want "access" to the other side of Bengeo from Hertford North Station, it is a pain having to drive all the way to Old Cross then come back on yourself to get to Port Hill.
Reply ID 6141
Maybe it's me but surely we are all aware of these issues if we choose to buy in these areas. The property prices in these places are hiked up due to Commuter belt and close proximity to the Station. Surley if you live in the Wellington Street or Currie Street area part of the idea of living there was to be close to town and walk to the Station's - as I said maybe it's me. I agree that we need to stop pavement parking, etc. I don't think that those little warden chaps go that far afield, too many to capture in Town. [B)]
Reply ID 6789
Hello there Bengeo dwellers, Mr Trimble and I only occasionally drive through Bengeo when visiting friends and would never have dreamt of using it as a short cut although I do appreciate it is a very clever idea. I must admit avoiding Hertford town centre would have been a very pleasant experience if only it had not been for all those parked cars. I am sure some sensible person suggested Residents' Parking permits for those people who have cars but no off street parking - perhaps £250 per annum would be a reasonable sum -less than £1 per day.[:D] After all Nelson Street and Byde Street are public thoroughfares and not car parks.[:0] Surely it would be dangerous to block them off permanently and inconvenient for all the nice people of Bengeo who might want to collect relatives from the station with lots of luggage. [8)] Terri Trimble
Reply ID 7201
Hi, My name is Carl Brown, I'm a reporter for the East Herts Herald newspaper and I'm trying to find out about the latest petition re the rat run. If anyone wants to chat about the rat run give me a call on 01279 624 371 or email me at [email protected] Cheers primal