Luc Vincent says it is true that much of the traffic is local, but he insists it has become a very attractive service: "People use it to preview the restaurant they want to go to, or choose a vacation spot or search for real estate, " he told me.
Cyclists are disputing TfL's claims that they make up 6% of traffic, arguing that the true figure given by the body's own 24-hour counts in 2010 was 16%.
America's rail advantages again began to shine compared with the nationally regulated carriers of Europe, where freight plays a secondary role to passenger traffic (the reverse is true in America, where passenger rail is still a poorly served and money-losing industry).