Thank you!
Transport & social inclusion | Climate policy | Public engagement Live in Bristol š¬š§, raised in Norfolk. Views my own. There will be typos.
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Thank you!
First (half) day at school for the oldest today and first settling session at nursery for the youngest too. Feeling emotionally underprepared for this development.
I am SO EXCITED about this! Many folks want to take personal action on climate change, but many resources treat people like monoliths. Enter SHIFT -- a collaboration between Dr. Kim Nicholas and Project Drawdown -- that tailors advice for YOU, using your climate superpowers. jointheshift.earth
Somewhat sensationalist headline here obscures some really interesting research - which tallies with other available tracking data - on shifting attitudes to climate in the UK. Below are a few quick thoughts on how to understand this, in my view š t.co/gDqlQgQBHn
Burning ban on deep peat comes into force at the end of the month. Piece by Helena Horton. www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
Fancy joining the Transport for All team? Weāre hiring! Senior Casework Officer Senior Engagement Officer (London) Interested? Find out more here: www.transportforall.org.uk/about-us/wor...
Dockless bicycles become the āwinnersā of Londonās Tube strike on.ft.com/3V5Cp31
There are good reasons for seeing geoengineering - large scale interventions in the planetary environment to restrict climate change - as a dodgy idea We can add, for Arctic interventions, they don't work They're not a get-out-of-jail-free card for fossil industries www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Sounds very useful, will follow the research findings with interest!
Whilst many local leaders look for ways to nudge people towards smaller vehicles, or make the shift to public transport & active travel, that 12 of the 37 models currently eligible for UK gov discounts are SUVs isā¦ bonkers.
Final page/slide of that report includes a (very) high level framework for the kind of policy shifts needed to fairly accelerate climate action
And, although we donāt use the word sufficiency, the concept informed my approach to this researchš
If youāve not seen it, I found this an interesting read from @neweconomics.bsky.social last year. Applies the ideas of sufficiency & universal basic service to mobility/access
Agree with every word of this from @solveschoolrun.bsky.social āPublic, accessible and transparent data on how children are getting to schoolā¦ would enable public awareness of the issues to grow and provide the scrutiny needed to hold authorities to account and drive progress.ā
In the transport sector, sufficiency would surely lead to a drastic reduction in aviation demand, banning SUVs and large private cars, and a big decrease in leisure travel? Q: how do we ensure sufficiency without carbon rationing and individual budgets? Equity demands it, surely?
Perhaps not quite the amazing butterfly summer many of us experienced. I know @savebutterflies.bsky.social adjust data for an early flight season but I wonder if some low numbers are because species eg Meadow Brown had been and gone before the Big Butterfly Count? www.theguardian.com/environment/...
"Noticing nature this summer and celebrating its success is another instance of hope. The noticing is significant. Awareness can lead to action." Calls to mind Mary Oliver's "Instructions for living a life: Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell about it."
Thank you Jo, thatās really appreciated. If youāre ever in Bristol do drop me a line! Thereāll be the occasional posts but Iāve already got hooked on a good book (the first fiction story that wasnāt for 4yr olds that Iāve read in a while) and wonāt be spending much time on social media for a while
I just backed it too, at least in part as I had making a map like this on my long list of possible projects and Iām delighted someone has beat me to it! More on the plans for the map in this BBC News story.
It is amazing what theyāve done with an old bowling green!
This place is so obviously loved, cared for and invested in it is making me both inspired & not a little angry that it isnāt how I feel going to most other green spaces in Bristol
Today old when I discovered the Ardagh Community Trustās gardens, plant nursery, cafe & community centre in north Bristol. Beautiful, great fun with the kids and an excellent example of whatās possible when the community takes the lead in managing local assets. More about it: theardagh.com
"The projection of unequal outcomes across scenarios... is a matter of serious concern, especially when scenario results are directly used as inputs for #climate policy... we need to move towards model &scenario building techniques where questions of equity &climate justice come to the foreground"
Beautiful day for it! ā¤ļø autumn mornings. Weāre off to Horfield Common with the kids to enjoy the sun!
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āWe know there are no safe levels of air pollution. These early findings linking high PM2.5 levels to heart failure add to a growing body of evidence that poor air quality is damaging to our hearts.. Going further to reduce air pollution could help the UK to prevent premature cardiovascular diseaseā
If you live in England + want to see where National Highways' road runoff outfalls are near you, this information is on our Watershed Pollution Map. Unfortunately info is not publicly available on outfalls in Scotland, Wales or NI, nor for outfalls on smaller roads. share.google/uuXGmrkUO5GZ...
Lead, mercury, tyre crumb, plastics, PAHs - a toxic sludge of chemicals surges off roads, into rivers, unfiltered, inundating fish + wildlife, every time it rains @stormwater-jo.bsky.social warms MPs. It's not monitored + little is done to prevent it. www.theguardian.com/environment/...
When @seriverstrust.bsky.social found efforts to restore trout to the River Wandle kept failing they identified road runoff pollution as a possible issue & installed 1 filter at a critical point - after that, after 90 years away, trout began returning. www.southeastriverstrust.org?s=Wandle+roa...
Teasel seedheads #seedheads #wildflowerhour #Yorkshire #sunset
That was probably because I responded to a comment to the post earlier today
Thanks! Some of those are favourites familiar but Jez Alborough is new to me, will check him out. Not entirely sure thereās a proper definition of chapter books but itās used to describe a lot of the slightly longer books (ie ones with multiple chapters) for early readers.
Heās not started reading on the spot but he loves the first dogman book and laughs a lot having it read to him. Thank you again for the recommendation. Itās his first comic book and will keep watch for it impacting on his levels of troublemakingā¦
Consultation survey is open until 30th October: www.bristol.gov.uk/ask/find-con... Drop-in sessions are listed here: www.bristol.gov.uk/ask/projects...
Great to see these proposals starting to take shape. Just completed the consultation to say that it would indeed be a good idea if streets were a bit safer for my kids to get about on, there were a few more street trees and residential streets werenāt being treated as car parks.
Am I back in Copenhagen? Or is this the parking situation at a Chorlton birthday party? Two Terns as well as mine, a B-twin and a radwagon, plus loads of standard bikes with kid seats and kidsā bikes that didnāt even fit in here. Love to see it.
Happy to share our new research on UK climate politics šØ We found Members of Parliament (MPs) use the language of climate "pragmatism" to avoid rapid change. It risks becoming a new discourse of delay. More detail below and in š§µ 1/ theconversation.com/politicians-...
Public service announcement: Westonās splash & play park is free at the moment. Our under 5s loved it and it wasnāt too busy.
Study the article is based onš āThe standard house builders just think about where cars go and theyāve got a set way of doing things which is not to see the street as a play spaceā¦ā
āCompared to their parentsā generation, the amount of time todayās children play outside has declined by 50%. But this downward trend doesnāt have to be inevitable. Thoughtful planning, which listens to the voices of children and young people, can produceā¦ environments where children can developā
What's the _____ing? I've had enough of saying "walking, running, wheeling and cycling" all the time - and "active travel" doesn't cut it. What's the word - old or new - we can use that includes all these self-powered ways of getting around? buildstories.slowways.org/active-trave... #SlowWays
New research demonstrating a shift in online climate misinformation Rather than denying climate science, this 'new denial' comprises "attacks that seek to undermine and cast doubt on proposed climate solutions and those who support them." resolve.cambridge.org/core/journal...
Thank you Alison! Iāve learnt so much from your posts & work. There will still be a few posts from me on here but Iāll be spending more of my time reading books than the news & reports!
Very much my pleasure to support your important work in any way I can! There will still be the occasional post but none involving reading any reports for a whileā¦
The evidence of the negative impact of air pollution keeps growing. We can do something about it. āBy lowering our collective exposure to air pollution, we can potentially reduce the risk of developing these devastating neurodegenerative conditions on a population-wide scale.ā
š§µCars parked on the pavement, pavement cracks, street obstacles like bin bags, overhanging branches, and electric bikes and e-scooters. There are an increasing number of obstacles which can stop blind and partially sighted people from walking around safely and confidently. 1/3
Thank you. There'll still be the occasional post but I'm planning on doing a lot more reading of fiction books than transport reports over the coming weeks!
Some personal news. After 5yrs @ippr.org, today is my last day and I'm heading off on a career break to rest, enjoy some family time and think about next steps. Shared a few more words about this on LinkedIn.
Things you don't want on a Tuesday morning: calls with the subsidence division of your insurer. Looks like we're joining the growing list of households making insurance claims after the hot spring and summer as climate change increases the risks of subsidence in the UK.
Welcome news: the govt has confirmed Ā£104m for local authorities to improve transport in towns and rural areas, where journeys are often difficult. With 70% of trips under 5 miles, properly resourced local authorities are vital to improving transport. www.gov.uk/government/n...
š§š | NEW BLOG: Oil & gas jobs are disappearing. Clean energy jobs are growing. Workers need a real route between them. In this new blog, @joshemden.bsky.social outlines how the government can deliver a fair transition for workers. Read here: www.ippr.org/articles/ski...
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Hottest on record SO FAR
Back to school: Some of the best bikes and equipment we have tested for carrying kids as a new term begins: www.cyclingelectric.com/buyers-guide...
Key point via @m--ferguson.bsky.social: āNeed to take proactive steps to encourage outdoor activities and ensure children lead healthy and active lives." We can design play-friendly neighbourhoods and safer urban environments back in. www.theguardian.com/society/2025... HT @sfrost.bsky.social
Interesting new analysis of posts on Twitter/X āā¦ new cycling infrastructure is generally well-received... Criticism tends to focus on poorly designed or unsafe infrastructureā āā¦ while some opposition exists, the public are generally positive about new cycle lanes and Low Traffic Neighbourhoodsā¦ā
Farewell to the Lewes Pound, the UKās last local currency. "I donāt think any of us thought it would change the world, but it was just something everybody got behind,ā said Miles Jenner, head brewer at Harveys Brewery. Story š www.thetimes.com/business-mon...
One week left to apply - are you passionate about #AirPollution and #SchoolStreets? Come and work with our small, friendly team and be our next Schools Lead! More details at the link - deadline 7th September. www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/42...
A few days ago, Berlin opened a new stretch of urban motorway, with the stated aim to reduce congestion. Today, the stretch was temporarily closed because of too much congestion.
Lovely story for a Sunday morning.
Misleading: BBC website users reading this headline would worry that the UK's native woods were under threat. In fact the Spruce Bark Beetle feeds on different kinds of Spruce, as the name suggests. There are no native species of Spruce in the UK. Headline should read UK's spruce plantations.
Interesting paper on mobility injustice based on a case study neighbourhood in Munich. Describes 1) unequal distribution of street space for cycling, 2) dominance of car-centric infrastructure, 3) unaffordable & inflexible fares & 4) physical + other barriers to accessing public transport.
Every day the government delays banning the sale of peat compost means more carbon lost to the atmosphere from this appalling practice www.wildlifetrusts.org/news/vast-ar...
This is awesome...Scientists breathe new life into climate website after shutdown under Trump
As wildfires burn at home in šµš¹ and here in CA, we have a new paper that finds: exposure to fires doesnāt necessarily predict greater support for climate change mitigation. But people closest to the 2021-2022 fires do prioritize personal adaptive action. link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Thought about this as I noticed Iām on track to reach my running distance goal for the first time in 4yrs. Parenting, health (mine & others), work etc have made fitting in running tricky but grateful to be feeling the benefits of getting out regularly at the moment. Braced for something going wrongā¦
Possible causes of your problems. Itās a diagram that (sadly) still seems relevant in 2025, so reposting a year and a bit on.
The biggest lake in the UK is being steadily poisoned The rescue plan demanded by residents & fishermen, whose lives are being blighted, is being blocked by a powerful farming lobby www.theguardian.com/environment/...
On the one hand, we have research which shows children need safe, welcoming streets for play - and on the other, research which shows the deadly risk posed to children by SUVs. Politicians and policymakers need to join the dots. bsky.app/profile/alis...
Latest report from me below, and here's the Guardian's coverage (thanks to the environment team for covering it). Current policy won't deliver the emissions reductions from transport needed by 2030 and risks widening inequality. Prioritising fairness is the key to unlocking faster climate action.
Foulshaw's father, fisher and fighter. Born 2008 in Cumbria and England's first Osprey nest in 150 years, he's fed and protected 32 fledged chicks and his partner of 12 years. Plus guests! Fettling the nest for next year, he'll fly south soon. Stay safe you legend. @cumbriawildlife.bsky.social
As I argue in this piece for the Lane newsletter, āthe truly best streets arenāt just for passing through ā they are for living in.ā Let me know what you think:
Can we have a shout out for hoverflies? These unsung heroes may not be as flamboyant as butterflies or as cute as bumblebees, but theyāre important pollinators that also help control pests like aphids. How to help them: bit.ly/4ae2zG1
Why even small-scale local levies could make a big difference to local areas, for the MJ Visitor levies, business rate supplements and land value capture - give places the tools they need www.themj.co.uk/getting-fisc...
#CommunityRail is all about promoting fun sustainable adventures across Britain š Scenic Rail Britain's latest blog with Good Journey is packed with inspiration for car-free days out, from castles and gardens to museums and afternoon teas š° #DaysOutByRail scenicrailbritain.com/blog/great-d...
š āThe National Lottery-funded programme, Meithrin Natur, has launched across Wales with Ā£10 million to support projects that help children under five and their families connect with the outdoorsā
āWe are lucky in Bradford to have many beautiful parks and green spaces, but these findings show that the local streets in which we live are just as important a space for children, and we need to make sure they are safe and welcoming spaces, free from traffic and pollution.ā
How Britain is adapting to a ānew normalā of hot and dry summers Shutters, tall grasses and painted railways are among the solutions being tested to cope with future heatwaves and adapt to climate change Story š www.thetimes.com/uk/environme...
Hereās @olord.bsky.social with more on why this matters and what can be done about itš
Iāve been thinking about how a safe streets revolution should be centered about kids getting to/from school. The #SolveTheSchoolRun group mentioned in the article has an amazing website. Focused on London schools but must be replicated everywhere. www.solvetheschoolrun.org/schooltravel...
*Our new LTN paper out today* Do 'boundary road' junctions with minor roads get safer when minor roads are filtered (i.e. closed to through-traffic)? We tested this using police-reported casualty data (2012ā24) from 113 London Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs) introduced between 2015ā24. 1/
Thanks for sharing Jo!
We need to reduce car dependency and free up road space for more affordable, efficient and healthier transport modes.ā Transport equity makes sense for us all, whether from a health perspective or reducing carbon emissions. Excellent report by @sfrost.bsky.social
NEW: UK taxpayers are losing Ā£22 billion every year from losses at the Bank of England - the same as the entire Home Office annual budget. This is the result of a flawed implementation of the BoE's quantitative easing programme. We propose two steps to fix this leak. (1/4)
I wrote to the then Worcester MP, Robin Walker, about this in 2023 after the Wimbledon Primary School crash. I got a written response that engaged with the issue, and he passed it on to the Department of Transport as well. It remains an issue we need to tackle.
Heatwaves, wildfires and the hot summers that could change how we holiday #Climate
Alsoš
Local and national governments should act to stop the spread of these oversized cars. As Anna Goodman says: āThis has important implications for congestion, public space and road safety. The evidence is clear that SUVs increase road danger for people walking and cycling, particularly for childrenā
My pleasure
Long promised technical guidance on quantifying carbon emissions from local transport has quietly been released today by DfT. It is designed to provide ālocal authorities with an evidence-based approach to transport planning and the pursuit of local decarbonisation goalsā.
Parks and playgrounds are integral to places, allowing people to relax, children to play and more. Hard to imagine NYC without Central Park, or Ilkley without its moor! This builds on a historic legacy of Victorian era council developing them for the good of their communities. Short š§µ 1/3
This is not good news. We can't wait for a convenient moment before taking climate action. The time is now. "the tipping point that makes an Amoc shutdown inevitable is likely to be passed within a few decades" www.theguardian.com/environment/...
The UK's richest are expected to emit 22 times more than the poorest by 2035, largely due to excessive air travel āļø š«„ 1/4 www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Walking rates are up, according to today's National Travel Survey data - but the government is failing to meet the target of 55% primary school children walking to school. The problem? Streets are not safe for walking.
In the next decade the richest people in the UK are set to emit 13 times more carbon emissions from transport than the poorest. š¤Æ Instead of causing climate chaos by expanding airports, the government should introduce an ultra-frequent flyers levy. Moreš www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Cheers for sharing Richard!
This is good from @sfrost.bsky.social & IPPR on how a fairer approach to transport decarbonisation can also be faster: www.ippr.org/articles/fai...
Latest report from me below, and here's the Guardian's coverage (thanks to the environment team for covering it). Current policy won't deliver the emissions reductions from transport needed by 2030 and risks widening inequality. Prioritising fairness is the key to unlocking faster climate action.
National Travel Survey findings for 2024 are released by DfT today. So much in there (as always) but my favourite stat is: > Average walking distance travelled was the highest on record since 2002 with 230 miles per person in 2024. This was an increase of 12% compared to 2019 (205 miles per person)
The articleās authors conclude: āFuture measures to reduce barriers to mobility should focus more closely on the specific needs of these residents. Public transport should be more affordable and accessible, with simplified route networks and clearer lines and pricing schemesā