| Topic: | Hammersmith Bridge’s ‘autonomous pods’ | |
| Posted by: | Jeremy Parkinson | |
| Date/Time: | 23/07/26 09:36:00 |
| I had seen a lot of coverage, most of it very favourable, of the ‘autonomous pods’ which were being proposed as means of plugging the gap in public transport provision particularly for people with mobility issues. This did seem a quite visionary option to solve the problem particularly as it got round the staffing and cost issues of earlier suggestions for solutions that would require a driver. I did take a chance to look at one when it was on display at a fair recently and was struck with how it was less of a pod than a small bus. Even without passengers it would weigh a lot more than a very large car. As I understand it, while the proponents of the idea say it is within the weight limits, the council say that it isn’t. I then read the coverage of the issue by London Centric, which is doing some of the best journalism on London at the moment. It took the trouble to send someone to ride on the vehicle and they gave a mixed review of the experience. More importantly they made two key points which hadn’t really been highlighted before. Firstly this is essentially a driverless bus not a pod and TfL is not supportive of the idea. Secondly, the unions would be fiercely against autonomous buses. The idea may be a dead end but it does raise important questions. If you are saying driverless buses should be allowed on the bridge, why not driverless cars? Waygo are testing taxis on our roads as we speak. It would be far less technically challenging to allow one or two of these to cross at a time with usage restricted to blue badge holders or Barnes residents with appointments at Charing Cross hospital. As many people in genuine need would be enabled to cross the bridge with this proposals and it wouldn’t cost the taxpayer a penny. |