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1. Valerie Paynter says:

   4 April 2015 at 10:49

   Chris Todd is wrong to describe Brighton & Hove as “a modern city”. It is the fact it is a pre-automobile, pre-omnibus, pre-vehicle enclave below the railway line that is the problem.

   The centuries-old paths and lanes are now streets and ROADS expected to take artics, vans, buses, cars, bicycles…..oh, and pedestrians, as well as a level of population never dreamt of in the 17th and 18th centuries.

   Pedestrianisation is good for window shopping and the restaurant and bar trade but not for serious retail needs and it was the death of the shops providing things like white goods, beds and furniture in the centre of town (which in turn forces car use into the suburbs and is just one aspect of the many reasons why people feel they have to own one).

   Chris Todd may believe in pedestrianisation but he made not one comment about creating desirable walking to get around the city. Created pedestrianised bits is not making the city walkable.

   Walkability is the great ignored issue of the day. Trees, benches, bins and loos – all disvalued by councils, all absolutely taken-for-granted essentials in the pre-car era. Post-war baby-boomers remember when there was a pissoir on the outside wall of pubs for men to use. All gone.

   Look at a late 19th century, first quarter 20th century ordnance survey map and note where every public toilet is marked. Hundreds. People walked or rode a horse. Horse and carriage was for the rich and cross-country journeys.

   And before the late 20th c explosion in cars, most shopping was local to homes. All that infrastructure is gone.

   Until and unless lost infrastructure that catered to cycle and shanks mare living are consciously re-introduced people will own and use cars – because life without one is limiting. I know. I do not have one and there is a lot I consequently cannot do or have over and above (expensive) taxi use and being a passenger in other people’s cars.

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