From My Bottom Step

Paul Berton published an editorial recently about London’s pathetic green transportation ranking (”London’s green transit efforts still need work“; LFP; 2008/11/18). He makes a bit of a mention about public transit without being too critical (keep a sharp eye on this site for more news about the LTC fare increase that was just passed as soon as I receive a clarification from it’s General Manager). Mr. Berton pays lip-service to the creation of bicycle paths but fails to point out the lousy job that the city does of maintaining them or clearing them of ice and snow during the winter. And as usual, he completely ignores pedestrians.

In the meantime, here’s my response to another reader’s comment:

More people living in the core would help increase downtown pedestrian traffic, no doubt. But the core isn’t the center of the universe. Hell, it could be argued that it’s not even the center of London’s universe any more. What London really needs is for lots more people to start supporting my efforts to get Council to adopt a Pedestrian committee and a Pedestrian Master Plan and put substantially more money into things like sidewalk construction and maintenance (including snow clearing), pathway lighting, safe arterial crossings, elimination of channelized intersections, etc. And oh yes! Pressuring the London Free Press and A-News (if that’s what it’s called this week) into covering pedestrian issues better, because right now they’re incredibly inept. For decidedly better coverage of pedestrian issues, visit my website.