Rafe Smyth

Carbon capture set to be less useful in tackling climate change, scientists warn CO₂ stored underground will be at risk of leaking back into the atmosphere, study finds

First offsetting was found wanting, now CCS. What will they come up with next to avoid cleaning up emissions?

Carbon Capture & Storage has less than 4% of the potential previously assumed says new study. on.ft.com/4nigq4Z

Washington, DC under military occupation in last August 2025, with banners proclaiming the absolute power of the primus inter pares

This is a real photograph of Washington, DC this week, where the United States president has ordered military occupation in peacetime, and ordered the display of colossal portraits of himself.

www.wsj.com/politics/pol...

Insightful & important reporting by @carltonreid.com

Surely begs another question: whether sharing footage of what are now decriminalised traffic & parking contraventions is lawful? These are now enforced by councils rathern than the police.

A number of politicians, "news" outlets and social media influencers have been actively trying to promote violent protest and an assault on law and order.

We shouldn't be complacent - they'll keep pouring petrol & lighting matches - but so far they have singularly failed.

That's a good news story.

Effects of timetable related service quality on rail demand This paper is concerned with the suitability of and component weightings within the composite index Generalised Journey Time (GJT). GJT is used to mod…

Also worth remembering the UK's concept of "Generalised Journey Time". This includes train frequency, so supporting your argument. www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Still wonder though if an unexpected consequence of "delay repay" is timetable padding to reduce risk of payments.

It is very hard to see how the UK government can sign this statement, which makes it absolutely clear that it recognises that Israel is committing - as a matter of state policy - deliberate and systematic war crimes, without at a minimum cutting all military cooperation with Israel.

Occupied Palestinian Territories: joint statement, 21 July 2025 The UK and 25 international partners gave a joint statement on the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

Good statement that makes clear Israel is deliberately massacring starving civilians.

"We condemn the drip feeding of aid and the inhumane killing of civilians, including children, seeking to meet their most basic needs of water and food. "

www.gov.uk/government/n...

“If the world is to be healed through human efforts, I am convinced it will be by ordinary people, people whose love for this life is even greater than their fear.”

RIP, Joanna R. Macy (May 2, 1929 – July 19, 2025)

Schedule 8 on key route networks.

Can't remember ever seeing a bill where so much of the key content is buried at the back.

Photo of English mayors taking selfie of themselves

High occupancy vehicle lane sign with cars and buses around it

Another 1990s revival! In the depths of today's Devolution Bill, Mayors in England are to be given a duty to consider setting traffic reduction targets for key routes.

This is resuscitates the Road Traffic Reduction Act 1997: its congestion & climate aims are surely more relevant than ever.

If this embedded enshittification has become the new normal, it does beg the question how policy, campaigning, influencing etc. all need to evolve.

Shrewsbury relief road work put on hold All work on Shrewsbury's North West Relief Road has stopped to allow talks about its cancellation.

It's a random mix of schemes that were already in construction/completed, those that were paused and some that we thought had hit the buffers, like this one in Shrewsbury:
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Well you can't say England won't fund rail electrification. Today's DfT announcement lists the "electrification of the Midland Main Line between Kettering and Wigston".

Except that went live a year ago ⚡🚄😳
www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk/news/power-l...
As bad as Tory Network North debacle?

Text from TDP says "Commitment We will drive decarbonisation and transport improvements at a local level by making quantifiable carbon reductions a fundamental part of local transport planning and funding" illustrated with photo of person standing over electric freight cycle with fields in Calderdale in background.

Or indeed the commitment in DfT's 2021 Transport Decarbonisation Plan to make carbon outcomes a "fundamental" requirement.

Still waiting for that guidance though...

Screenshot from strategy showing graphic of person cycling past playground with text pledging a national exercise campaign. And graphic of people walking in park with text saying a refresh of air quality ambition.

Also promised is a national exercise campaign and, don't hold your breath, an update to PM2.5 pollution limits "in the medium term".

Coming after *five* years of waiting for a response to consultation on a pavement parking ban, anyone else wondering how long that might take?

Chapter intro page showing text "from sickness to prevention" and image of two people walking, one with sticks, from https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/10-year-health-plan-for-england-fit-for-the-future

With obesity now costing the UK £126bn a year, how ambitious is the new 10 year health plan on physical activity?

- an annual city of physical activity competition, modelled on UK city of culture
- "identify simple changes" to boost active travel that can be shared as best practice

And that's it?

Working together to create a national walking, wheeling and cycling network Active Travel England and 12 mayors of England's combined local authorities' statement on creating a national walking, wheeling and cycling network.

Coming same day as figures showing obesity now has £126 billion annual cost to UK economy, this statement by mayors (inc one from Reform) on physically active travel is hugely positive.
www.gov.uk/government/p...
Hope to see more details and funding soon.

Screenshot from today's Standard story about Glastonbury criticism. Words opposition leader highlighted.

"Opposition leader Keir Starmer"

Freudian slip in today's Standard, as time runs out for PM after welfare vote debacle?

Critics decry Berlin's 'behind-the-times' transport policy – DW – 02/06/2024 Berlin's bike lane initiative has stalled, roads have been de-pedestrianized, and higher SUV parking fees have been ruled out. Why is the German capital now more car-friendly while other cities are de...

This story is incorrect: it would be a public referendum rather than the city parliament voting.

Not least as city authorities unlikely to say yes, as currently under control of pro-motorist right-wingers:
www.dw.com/en/critics-d...

Referring here to the existing Liv-Manc railways, i.e. to west not south of GM.

Justification for HS2 phase 2b's long tunnel from south of Manchester was weak even before the rest of 2b was cancelled. Adding few trains from Liverpool won't right it. Bigger rethink, inc HSR through station needed.

Is there any analysis of why a new Liv-Manc high speed line makes sense instead of upgrades?

Existing lines have as few as 3 trains an hour with 4-6 coaches, so lots of scope to increase capacity on existing infrastructure.

Western link to Manc airport, new WCML sections to Scot surely priority?

How though? He's just signed off plans for 95% of London's streets (the borough ones) to 2028, while refusing to expand road pricing or transform central London beyond Oxford Street.

I'm struggling to see what effective levers are left for scale of change needed.

Fantastic effort cutting through that waffle Caroline!
Seems obvious that the new business plan cannot deliver, what is needed is a stronger Mayor's Transport Strategy

Screen grab of text from Oxford Street consultation report, starting at 4.2 Statement of reasons - MDC establishment, viewable at https://www.london.gov.uk/programmes-strategies/shaping-local-spaces/high-streets/oxford-street-transformation

Now it's official.

Absolutely no need to establish a Mayoral Development Corporation (MDC) to pedestrianise Oxford Street.

In fact the Mayor is unable to deny his proposed MDC would have zero traffic powers. The CONsultation was a farce.

While a great idea in theory, let's not lose sight of fact that the mayor still has no credible plan on how to deliver this in practice.

Westminster council has elections in May 2026, so relying on its consent (rather than GLA Act 1999 powers) is at best a risky move.

Recommendations 17 and 18 from Second National Infrastructure Assessment to commit £22bn for major urban transport projects, conditional on introduction of demand management schemes. Full text still viewable here https://web.archive.org/web/20250227062738/https://nic.org.uk/studies-reports/national-infrastructure-assessment/second-nia/#tab-appendixb

The £15.6bn announced today to fund urban transport in England for five years is significant, even if more detail needed.

In particular, will the government follow its infrastructure advisors' recommendation to make funding conditional on demand management schemes?
www.gov.uk/government/n...

The 2018 Mayor's Transport Strategy set a target to cut deaths and serious injuries by 70% by 2030. Yet last year saw a drop of less than 0.4%, not even statistically significant.

How can you describe that as "encouraging"? The current strategy and pace of delivery are clearly utterly inadequate.

Screenshot of paragraphs 121-125 of the judgment contained in the link, explaining about a 53 page submission that Lambeth failed to take into account.

Unexpected yes but unlikely to set a wider precedent on LTNs since only one of the campaigners' arguments succeeded. That was about a failure to consider a 53 page doc.

Even in this instance, Lambeth Council could make a fresh and lawful decision to approve same LTN.
www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWH...

TAN appeal against cycling and walking funding cuts Campaign group Transport Action Network (TAN) is appealing against the government’s decision to cut funding for cycling and walking schemes across England.

Campaign group Transport Action Network is appealing against the government’s decision to cut funding for cycling and walking schemes in England.

Leigh Day's Rowan Smith will argue at the Court of Appeal that the decision 'could set a dangerous precedent'.

leighdaylaw.info/436KHw6

Court of Appeal - Civil Division - Court 75

Court of Appeal is hearing @transportaction.bsky.social legal challenge against Department for Transport cuts to funding for walking and cycling. And you can watch it live or on catch up!
www.youtube.com/channel/UCsh...