Ban on Rush-Hour Deliveries in Downtown

[billonlogan]

Heard on the radio this morning...

Councillor Michael Walker is pushing for a ban on trucks from making rush-hour deliveries in the downtown core. That would ensure that trucks won't block lanes during the most congested periods on Toronto's streets. Those trucks that defy the ban would be fined. The restriction would include all streets bounded by Jarvis, Bloor, Spadina and the Lakeshore.

Walker's proposal is on the agenda for a 3-day city council meeting, which starts Tuesday.

I support the idea in principle, but enforcement is another issue. I know one delivery company that accepts tickets as cost of doing business downtown. Is towing a solution? Not all tow trucks are capable to tow some of those larger trucks. How about identifying the streets where the problem is most prevalent? I would include other streets outside this area such as StClair, Danforth, Eglinton.

I'm sure delivery companies are willing to make some adjustments, but a blanket restriction in such a small area does'nt make sense.

 

[TdotTrickyRicky]

I'm don't think I believe in such a proposal. A counter argument could be made that commuters should be banned from the roads during rush hour and that truck deliveries and other business oriented road usages should take priority.

 

[Ed007Toronto]

Green22 has commented on this before. He's mentioned that in New York City courier companies set up depots outside the main business areas and use bike couriers to do the deliveries. Did I get this right green?

 

[Ontarian1976]

If commuters were banned they wouldn't be rush-hours in the first place. Are you suggesting commuters should wait until after "rush-hour" to commute? If so, that would just change the time at which rush-hour occurs.

 

[Chuck100]

I think that one of the best things for rush hour traffic would be making all streetcar routes POP. As much as streetcars increase the people carrying capacity of the streets they run on, even more cars (ie people) will get through an intersection if board times are minimized. A lot of the benefit of getting people on transit is cancelled out when a streetcar shuts down an intersection for an entire green phase while boarding.

 

[Sir Novelty Fashion]

It would be, as my dear Bill O'Reilly would say, ridiculous to ban courriers before banning advertising trucks.

I know one delivery company that accepts tickets as cost of doing business downtown.

Bully for them; more revenue for us.

 

[spmarshall]

I'd love to ban any vehicles from stopping/parking in bike lanes and the Bay Street "clearway". Wait - they are already prohibited from that, but "no stopping" is not enforced, only "no parking".

 

[TdotTrickyRicky]

Ontarian,

I was not being serious about banning the commuters. But I do believe that business transport should prioritize over commuter traffic.

 

[Mislav]

Wait - they are already prohibited from that, but "no stopping" is not enforced, only "no parking".

That's because you can legally drive away while the Parking Enforcement Officer is writing you a ticket. It's not considered a ticket until it's placed on the windshield of the car hence they usually tell the driver to move his vehicule.

 

[shawnmicallef]

Banning single occupancy cars from the core would make more sense. The deliveries are needed, dude in his car can park somehwere else and take the TTC.

 

[rbtaylor]

This is a good sign that a general congestion charge might be accepted in downtown area. This is a fairly right-wing person trying to punish business -- obviously a panic solution.

Solidify the sale by bringing on the newer larger streetcars at the same time as the charge is established.

 

[Crazy Canuck07]

I think it all depends on what they are delivering and what type of truck it is. My Dad delivers materials downtown to the job site and that would hamper business if the materials were delayed. Also, what he delivers you need a truck, you can't courier this material to the site.

 

[Darkstar416]

The restriction would include all streets bounded by Jarvis, Bloor, Spadina and the Lakeshore.

Of course, well out of Walker's ward.

 

[The Burgher of TO]

i'm all for it. traffic on jarvis is retarded around rush-hour, and it's mostly because of delivery trucks. i'd go a step further tho, and ban taxis and coach buses from making curbside stops on major arterials as well. let them pull off onto a sidestreet, or into a driveway, or someplace where they're not going to back up traffic.

and

"Banning single occupancy cars from the core would make more sense."

so what am i supposed to do? i live in the core, but work all over the city (and most often, out in the suburbs). my occupation demands that i have a vehicle (i need to move tools, equipment, and materials). even so, i'm doing my part. i've got a fuel efficient car, and only use it to and from work (i moved into the core so that i'd be able to do all of my shopping and errands on foot). would we really be doing better if i was forced to move out to some far-flung "car-friendly" locale like vaughan?

 

[cacruden]

I would support a congestion charge coming into the downtown city -- similar to London -- and reinvest the proceeds into different levels of transit (parking outside).