Why Are Motorways Bad?

[kayleigh_b]

I have to write a letter for an English assignment arguing why a motorway shouldn't be built. I've got about noise pollution and how it could cause car crashes/injuries but I would like a third reason. It's due Monday so some quick answers would be appreciated.

[Baldric]

How on earth can a Motorway or any other road for that matter cause a crash? crashes are caused in the main by human error!

[EcclesCake]

You may want to verify your claim that motorways cause more crashes/injuries before starting your assignment.

[jno]

encourages waste of limited fossil fuel resources. Plus pollution (not just noise, carbon monoxide).

Also, does it merely duplicate exisiting transport links, eg rail or air routes?

[jno]

more motorways = more cars = more crashes.

[DTCwordfan]

Motorways account for

[Prudie]

I'd say the same as divebuddy, environmental damage is the most often worry of Mway protesters.

[mushroom25]

with segregated carriageways carrying traffic in only one direction and no at-grade intersections, motorways are generally the safest roads to be on - so your second "reason" doesn't stack up.

[Baldric]

Treehuggers = Luddites

[tonyav]

You could use some similar arguments against the H2 railway.

[DTCwordfan]

Motorways account for

[Baldric]

There's an echo in here!

[Old_Geezer]

As I understand it motorways are rated safer than other roads. Granted more speed tends to result in more noise, but there again the traffic is there for a shorter time; and they don't tend to go through residential areas. I'd have difficulty thinking of why they could be bad. I guess before being built the route can be controversial. I think they are bad because the speed limit is set too low, there's not always enough lanes. Sometimes some fool has got rid of the hard shoulder. Or some bigger one has put a bus lane in. They can be inadequately lit at junctions, or fail to have sufficient cat's eyes. But none of this is that helpful to you, I know. I guess you need to concentrate on risk to wildlife / plantlife maybe. But these things can be worked around. I think sometimes one can be handed a dodgy assignment. Maybe it's a test of whether you can convince someone left is right and up is down.

[mushroom25]

//You could use some similar arguments against the H2 railway.//

living near HS2 will likely blight the value of your house. living near a motorway junction doesn't have the same effect because the potential increased mobility will enhance the value.

[Peaspeculiars]

Hi Kayleigh,
You could mention the people who are forced out of their life-long family homes due to compulsory purchase orders when motorway routes are planned, and how it affects them? See link for a family that decided not to move...
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/9696468/Chinese-home-with-easy-motorway-access-and-ample-driveway.html

[Tilly2]

Just an aside, kayleigh. Well done for not leaving your homework until Sunday night

[mikey4444]

For a start Motorways are the safest form of roads in Britain. They provide high quality, fast communication and we would be totally lost without them.
I would find another topic to write about if I were you.

[boxtops]

Noise is one reason, but your car crash reason is rubbish - OK, accidents tend to be more spectacular, but traffic is all going in the same direction on each lane and they are much safer that normal town or country roads.

Bad things - people have to move out if homes or farmland are compulsorily purchased; embankments and cuttings have to be dug out or built, spoiling the view - interchanges are massive constructions; wildlife suffers (find a bunch of rare snails or rare voles, or orchids, who will die if it's built); light pollution as well as noise, from motorway lights, especially at interchanges (when did you last see the stars, without artificial light affecting it somewhere?). your argument needs to be about the environment, not safety. Do the public want it, find out the reason it's being proposed, and argue against those reasons.