| Author | Post |
|---|
matt lucas
Member
| Joined: | Tue Feb 26th, 2008 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 120 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Mon Jul 12th, 2010 09:48 am |
|
..........before the nonsense of allowing cars to use Eymet Square 24/7 is brought to a halt?
Out for a walk last night and decided to pop into the bar for my usual Sunday evening lime juice. (Couldn`t actually get in..it was full of adults and children with orange hair, orange t-shirts and blowing long orange trumpets. Most odd.)
However, in the few minutes I was there I saw two near-death experiences for a couple of children who were part of a group playing around the fountain and then decided to emerge between parked cars, just as another car roared into the square from the `bridge` access road.
So, can anyone come up with any logical reason why, on summer evenings, the square cannot be closed to traffic?
I also personally can`t see the case for having the square full of cars on summer weekends either. Why not close it from 6pm Fridays until Midnight Sundays? This would have the added bonus of allowing the eating/drinking establishments to put tables and umbrellas out on the square itself and cater for even more customers.
I do realise this means that if people are planning to eat/shop there, a trek of at least 2 minutes from one of the ample nearby car-parks will be required...but is that really too much of an inconvenience to avoid a serious accident waiting to happen?
Plus it would return the square to being a nice peaceful, safe (and quiet!) place to enjoy.
Just like Monpazier and many others in the region who are not slaves to the vehicle.
How nice would that be?
|
Francophil
Member
| Joined: | Mon Feb 15th, 2010 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 42 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Mon Jul 12th, 2010 02:24 pm |
|
Excellent idea, Matt Lucas.
I'll be the first to sign your petition - for closure of the square to traffic ALL THE TIME.
Mind you, it would help if there were fewer Louis 'Amilton's around.
|
Donthepen
Member
| Joined: | Wed Sep 3rd, 2008 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 37 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Mon Jul 12th, 2010 07:39 pm |
|
I have live here for 8 years and lost count how meany times this has come up
Don
|
La Cerisaie
Member
| Joined: | Mon Nov 9th, 2009 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 2 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Mon Jul 12th, 2010 08:19 pm |
|
Yes, yes, yes! I cannot believe that a few minutes walk would be a hindrance. People who live round the square and anyone who is not mobile could have a badge.
My only reservation is... a vociferous mob in a café, whether orange dutch or british would be most unwelcome.
|
Lady Lamb
Member
| Joined: | Thu May 6th, 2010 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 13 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Mon Jul 12th, 2010 09:17 pm |
|
| Has anyone asked the Mairie or the local French people(shop owners ,restaurant owners,residents) if they want to close the square off to cars? it is after all, their town.Though I do agree that Eymet Square would be much safer,& look better without the cars, be they British, Foreign or French!
|
jo_bd
Member
| Joined: | Fri Jun 8th, 2007 |
| Location: | France |
| Posts: | 255 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Tue Jul 13th, 2010 07:50 am |
|
Lady Lamb wrote: Has anyone asked the Mairie or the local French people(shop owners ,restaurant owners,residents) if they want to close the square off to cars? it is after all, their town.
I think all residents and tax payers are entitled to a view. As a non-resident of Eymet I do drive to the square and park there occasionally. It's one of the pleasures of the town on a balmy evening.
I think the main problem is in the speed of the few, and from my limited observation when there is less traffic the more badly the few behave. Traffic calming methods and/or partial closure would help. What they have done in Miramont works well. There is the issue of deliveries as well - and if you close off the square you effectively close off the one way streets leading into the square. I'm sure the local commerces would object.
The main 'rat run' seems to be from the bridge past Tortoni's - close that (during the Summer months only?) and you effectively make all access to the square subject to a 90 degree slowing down turn. My two penn'uth.
|
Steven
Member
| Joined: | Fri Dec 24th, 2004 |
| Location: | Roumagne, France |
| Posts: | 934 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Tue Jul 13th, 2010 07:51 am |
|
This has been raised by residents and the council more times that you can shake a stick at it. Whilst most residents (french included) think the happy medium would be something like July/August square closed 6pm Friday to midnight Sunday the traders simply do not.
The traders/shop keepers on the square will argue that some will miss the stop and grab people (tabac, boulangerie) others may have disabled access problems from vehicles to them (restaurants/cafes) and obviously the vet needs emergency access - add this to the fact the units on the square are the most expensive to buy or rent and you can begin to see their point.
Personally I like the idea of the square closed at weekends (with the proviso if not of a neck height wire for noisy mopeds!) - surely the way to do it would be to convince the traders to trial it for a couple of weekends and see if they do suffer or not?
Steve
|
BABSB
Member
| Joined: | Mon Apr 7th, 2008 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 7 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Tue Jul 13th, 2010 09:40 am |
|
| I coulldn't agree more. I can't believe that people don't know that they have run out of bread etc. The fountain is beautiful but the view is spoilt with parked cars and and people tearing around on smelly mopeds. Last edited on Tue Jul 13th, 2010 09:41 am by BABSB
|
Francophil
Member
| Joined: | Mon Feb 15th, 2010 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 42 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Tue Jul 13th, 2010 02:08 pm |
|
Steven likes the idea of closing the square to traffic at weekends.
Fine ...... then the child dies during the week......
Who are these traders who want traffic in the square - let them declare themselves and justify their view. Also ... are we, as Eymet taxpayers, entitled to see the minutes of the council discussions? Let's see why nothing has been done over the years.
I was shocked to read (Lady Lamb) ".... it is after all (the French's) their town". It ain't THEIR town, it's OUR town. We live here, pay taxes and have a perfectly legitimate view.
Did any of the Caribbean/ Asian/whatever people, now elected and appointed to high office in England say "It's their (the English's) town/country .. so we won't bother..." No, they had a view and persued a goal. Quite right.
Don't forget - tomorrow is the anniversary of the day when smugness got its comeuppance.
|
Francophil
Member
| Joined: | Mon Feb 15th, 2010 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 42 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Tue Jul 13th, 2010 02:08 pm |
|
Steven likes the idea of closing the square to traffic at weekends.
Fine ...... then the child dies during the week......
Who are these traders who want traffic in the square - let them declare themselves and justify their view. Also ... are we, as Eymet taxpayers, entitled to see the minutes of the council discussions? Let's see why nothing has been done over the years.
I was shocked to read (Lady Lamb) ".... it is after all (the French's) their town". It ain't THEIR town, it's OUR town. We live here, pay taxes and have a perfectly legitimate view.
Did any of the Caribbean/ Asian/whatever people, now elected and appointed to high office in England say "It's their (the English's) town/country .. so we won't bother..." No, they had a view and persued a goal. Quite right.
Don't forget - tomorrow is the anniversary of the day when smugness got its comeuppance.
|
Katisha
Member
| Joined: | Mon Feb 8th, 2010 |
| Location: | Lauzun |
| Posts: | 50 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Tue Jul 13th, 2010 03:39 pm |
|
Surely traffic is a hazard to children everywhere - you can't ban it altogether. Just as fenced/alarmed pools are supposed to prevent children drowning ( a nonsense in my view - we are near a lake and a river - unfenced of course) there is no substitute for parental supervision. And on the roads, careful driving. Children shouldn't be running about between cars and traffic.
Traffic calming helps of course and, as has been stated, there are alternatives to total closure.
|
Steven
Member
| Joined: | Fri Dec 24th, 2004 |
| Location: | Roumagne, France |
| Posts: | 934 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Tue Jul 13th, 2010 03:49 pm |
|
Those traders in the square who want to keep it open are in the majority - it is they who pay taxes and rates to be there so it is they who have paid and are paying a premium who should have the say so NOT people who happen to live in Eymet......................however as I stated before I think that a trial should be run to assuage their doubts (or not) - I also think that a) the speed limit in the square and all cobbled areas should be 5 kph and that should be humps on all entrances and exits - this of course costs money - your money.
In 2008 no parking signs were put all along the outside perimeter of the square - no one takes any notice (including the gendarmes). If new measures were introduced they would have to be policed properly.
The council are (I believe) in favour of closing the square in season at weekends but cant enforce what the traders dont want. To go the route of say Monpazier is daft - its beautiful yes but have you been there in Spring, Winter or Autumn - its dead because it has no heart or centre.
If you (including me) all feel so strongly get a petition together, visit the Mairie, speak to a councillor????
Steve
|
Francophil
Member
| Joined: | Mon Feb 15th, 2010 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 42 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Tue Jul 13th, 2010 04:06 pm |
|
With respect Steven that's B****Ks.
Everyone who lives in Eymet and pays taxes has a say in how the town is run.
The question - can we see the documents where decisions have been made - remains unanswered.
|
Steven
Member
| Joined: | Fri Dec 24th, 2004 |
| Location: | Roumagne, France |
| Posts: | 934 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Tue Jul 13th, 2010 04:12 pm |
|
No it doesnt - Im not on the council - as stated - ask your councillor, go the the Mairie etc.
And by the way it isnt b*****S its straight forward sense - if the square dies, Eymet dies, no one lives there, no one pays taxes.
Put your other hat on as a trader for a second.
By the way did I not say I was in favour??!!
Steve
|
Coustarrasses
Member
| Joined: | Fri Jun 29th, 2007 |
| Location: | Eymet |
| Posts: | 540 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Wed Jul 14th, 2010 10:05 am |
|
Minutes are available on the Eymet website see http://www.eymet-dordogne.fr/fr/information/19466/compte-rendu-reunions for 2010. Others are available at the Mairie. Not sure how they go back but you can't blame this Council if the previous ones didn't make them available.
It surprises me that people get so worked up about issues on this Forum including swearing (with asterisks) without directing their grievances to the appropriate quarters (elected officials)- apologies if you have!
It's reported that about 800 Brits live in the Eymet Commune and yet only about 40 registered to vote in the last municipal elections so there is hardly a groundswell of public opinion ready to storm the Eymet Bastille on this or any other issue. I realise some of the contributors to this thread may not have been here to register for the last elections but that doesn't mean your views can't be heard. You never know, you may get the Councillors to reconsider or even explain the reasons why they are reluctant to implement such a policy.
Yes, all the people who live in the commune have the right to an opinion but I do understand the traders who fear a drop in income if the square is closed to traffic. People are generally lazy and will be more likely to use shops with direct acces if the square is closed to traffic. It may not be reasonable but it's true nonethless.
|
Current time is 03:34 pm | Page: 1 2 3 4 5   |
|
