Jacqui B

When war pushes up oil prices, freezing fuel duty entrenches dependence, and asks non-drivers to unfairly subsidise drivers.

The Dutch used the 70s oil shocks to cut car-dependent short trips and build a more resilient, locally focused transport system.

We should learn that lesson.

People riding e-scooters in a blue painted bike lane next to a couple of red buses.

TfL has published data today showing that since the launch of the e-scooter trial, "five million trips have been taken, totalling more than 10 million km - enough to travel around the world 250 times"

This is the mobility shift needed in cities to cut congestion and move people around.

(Not AVs!)

Paris school streets are raising the global bar for children’s wellbeing More than 300 streets in the French capital have been redesigned to be traffic free. The welcome sense of calm is not going unnoticed

Wonderful article from the @financialtimes.com on how School Streets are transforming Paris.

www.ft.com/content/4451...

Are you kidding me? Fuel Duty rates have bene held steady for 16 years while costs for public transport and general ethical choices have soared.

Raising fuel duty is one of a very short list of things that this government is getting right. Very poor from the Lib Dems.

Portrait of Miguel Anxo, former mayor of Pontevedra, standing outdoors in front of blurred greenery. A large white serif quote appears on the left side of the image reading: “It’s not my duty as mayor to make sure you have a parking spot. For me, it’s the same as if you bought a cow, or a refrigerator, and then asked me where you’re going to put them.” His name and title appear below the quote.

It is not the government’s job to provide storage space for your private property. Cars are no different.

Roads exist to move people and goods, not to store private vehicles. Governments at all levels need to start calling out and enforcing that reality.

A headline from GB News stating: Motorists switch to using public transport to avoid paying £5 daily congestion charge

In shock news, motorists have switched to public transport to avoid paying the Oxford Congestion Charge.
A spokesperson* said: "This is exactly what was meant to happen, and it did."

E-bikes are transforming regional mobility and enabling longer-distance cycling.

Last week, the DCE's Chris Bruntlett explored this topic at “Metropolis of the Future” organised by Bilbao Metropoli 30 and Caminos Euskadi.

buff.ly/qt5gNxD

While it’s great if higher oil prices encourages a move to renewables, am I right in thinking it also helps Trumps oil production make more profits?

Gas prices jumped again this morning and are on track to double - a stark reminder of our exposure to fossil fuel volatility.

The real solution isn’t more drilling, but moving away from combustion: electrify, use renewable power, and boost energy efficiency.

A rather tatty sticker on the side of an e-bike battery. The sticker is half blue and half yellow, representing the Ukrainian flag, and the words on it say Fight Putin, Ride a bike, with a logo above depicting a petrol pump.

I got this sticker four years ago and it still feels very pertinent... Of course the rationale to save fuel and ride your bike gets ever stronger 😔

I appreciate the straightforward marketing.

MPs’ basic salary to rise to £110,000 by end of parliament, watchdog says Ipsa cites rising abuse and constituency workloads as reasons for above-inflation increase of 5% from April

MPs’ basic salary to rise to £110,000 by end of parliament, watchdog says.

This should be accompanied by a total ban on second jobs, which in most cases is a corporate bribe. Must end all conflict of interests.

Being a MP is a full time job. MPs must act exclusively as MPs.

Family of law student killed in Durham crash 'haunted' by loss as drink-driver jailed The family and friends of ‘ray-of-sunshine’ Abigail Eggleston have spoken of their loss after the Durham University student was killed in a…

Good.
Drunk uninsured driver who ignored a red light then mowed down and killed someone crossing the road.
Ran, tried to destroy evidence

12 years jail and an 18 year driving ban. Should be a life ban though.
www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/2590052...

West Midlands annual pedestrian deaths 'nearly double in four years' Figures show 48% of road deaths across the West Midlands last year were that of pedestrians.

The number of pedestrians killed annually on roads across the West Midlands has nearly doubled in the last four years, new data has revealed. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

I am noticing the inevitable behavioural creep of people laying EV chargers across footpaths to charge their cars. Councils need to act swiftly, decisively, and punitively to strongly discourage it becoming a norm similar to parking on the footpath. If they don’t, it will become all too common.

Rising gas prices hate this one weird urban trick.

Green space in Coventry resembles 'war zone' after car damage A once attractive green space outside homes in Coventry has been destroyed by parked cars.

Selfish drivers leave green space a "war zone".
Needs bollards and start charging drivers who do this with criminal damage.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

18 months after North Tyneside Council withdrew from plans to create safe cycling infrastructure and improve Preston Road, North Shields (and after 18 months of everyday aggression and risk for those on foot & bike), this happened - a driver had crossed the carriageway and through the “guard” rail.

Bicycle parking takes parking space away from one vehicle.

Vehicle parking takes living space from hundreds of people.

One is more controversial than the other.

Reform UK’s share of BBC and ITV coverage is ridiculous given their number of MPs & considering opposition parties that polled higher (such as Lib Dems) receive such poor coverage.

www.enhancingimpartiality.com/blog/after-w...

My exemption in The War on Cars

Riding along the Wirral coastal path. So great to have such a pleasant, traffic-free route like this to clear your head.

Sometimes the best way to remove barriers is to add some.

#UrbanTruth from our own @tomflood.bsky.social via Rovelo Creative.

Nigel Farage 'trying to rig' election rules in Trumpian 'sore loser' move Nigel Farage is accused of trying to 'rig the rules' in elections with Trumpian plans to restrict who can vote and ban postal votes after defeat at the Gorton and Denton by-election

Nigel Farage accused of 'trying to rig' election rules in Trumpian 'sore loser' move.

Who would have guessed

www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...

« I leave with peace of mind, with a sense of work accomplished, knowing that the city has taken the lead in the areas of ecology and solidarity »
Huge thanks to mayor Anne Hidalgo
👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
@annehidalgo.bsky.social

Keir Starmer criticised over stance on US-Israel strikes on Iran UK prime minister has adopted a much more ambivalent approach than other western allies

Lord Peter Ricketts, former head of the Foreign Office:

“If you’re going to attack a country you have to show it is in self-defence and that there is some kind of imminent threat. You can’t make that case here…An indifference to international law is dangerous.”

www.ft.com/content/b988...

Proximity restores health. As reported in The Lancet, walking 7,000 steps a day—about one hour—reduces major risks: cancer, cardiovascular disease, dementia, depression, and diabetes. Walkable proximity turns life into prevention, compressing morbidity and extending well-being.
(🙏 & HT A. Flahault)

American cars set for huge UK rollout including 'favourites' GMC, Chevrolet and Cadillac Three of the most popular vehicles in the United States are now available in the UK

This is awful news for anyone not in one of these hideous machines.

www.gbnews.com/lifestyle/ca...

🚘 London's streets are a hostile place for children and the school run is the most dangerous and polluted part of their day.

We want safer, healthier and more joyful streets for our kids.

🎉 Our campaign calls for every London councillor candidate to commit to our #StreetsForKids manifesto asks.

A person clearing a thick build-up of wet leaves and mud from a marked cycle lane using a shovel. Blue rubbish bags and a broom sit on the pavement beside them. The cycle lane runs alongside a residential street.

A woman standing on the now-cleared cycle lane, giving a thumbs up. The road markings for bicycles are visible again, and the pavement and residential houses line the street behind her.

We gave up waiting for the council to clear the cycle path and did it ourselves this morning - if a job’s worth doing… 🚲🍂

Thanks to Moseley Litterbusters for the bags and the inspiration!