Exeter Urbanist

www.radioexe.co.uk/news-and-fea...

Letter: Time for coherent leadership At the Great South West Conference in Exeter last week, business leaders bewailed the inability of local politicians to determine the future of…

www.midweekherald.co.uk/news/2556304...

P.S this is not SWR (private or nationalised)'s fault. A complete failure of Network Rail and the DfT/Treasury

Frustration over renationalised rail service times in Devon Commuters between Exeter St Davids to London Waterloo criticise services being reduced.

Just **ing fix it!! Spend the money to upgrade and fix the line, and while you're at it, double track it and build a couple new stations.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Two people stand on a pavement looking at passing traffic. A person is cycling in the road.

Huge thanks to Campaign supporters who did a 12hr count on Dryden Road 🌞🌧🎐counting >1500 people on foot, wheels.
We've noted some significant new info that DCC'll need to consider should they choose to think about different ways to keep Dryden Road safe for people on foot, wheels, and bike.

Public chooses name for 8,000-home new Devon town Four names were in the running for the new town which will be built on the edge of Exeter.

Now is the time to act! Safeguard land now to construct a new railway branch and stations before the homes are built on and the traffic is unbearable.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

"Inflammatory" | Exeter councillor caught up in hate hysteria - the PRSD Official complaints lodged against Conservative Exeter Councillor for breaching Council Code of Conduct over ‘inflammatory behaviour’

Councillors in Exeter have lodged a complaint with the City Council over 'intimidating and aggressive' behaviour by a Tory councillor.

"Wearing her councillor lanyard suggested she was acting on behalf of the council. We believe her actions were a breach of the councillor’s code of conduct."

Compare with the tarmac swathed local streets in the UK.

Councillors who revoke 20mph limits and LTNs risk being held liable for road deaths | Letters Letters: Robert Huxford reminds local authorities of their duty of care, while Daniel Scharf calls for a lower national speed limit, Shirley Pritchard would like more speed cameras to be installed and Andrew Morgan is a reluctant pedestrian

This letter from legal expert Robert Huxford endorses our position. Increasing a speed limit by 50% to 30mph is not a trivial change to be made at the whim of politicians to placate public opinion or win votes. Its has legal implications for the local authority, its councilors and its officers.

A group of people in a historic council chamber raise their hands during a vote. The room features ornate wooden paneling, stained glass windows, and portraits. A panel of officials, including one wearing ceremonial robes and a chain of office, sits at the front above the assembly.

Exeter City Council is asking for feedback on a bold new plan to reorganise local government. The proposal would see Exeter and nearby areas form a single unitary authority, meaning one council would handle all local services.

Take a look and have your say 👉 news.exeter.gov.uk/putting-peop...

Dear Britain, it’s now clear: 20mph zones save lives and don’t slow traffic. Implement them | Sadiq Khan There is too much bluff and bluster on this subject. Ordinary people just want safe streets for themselves and those they love, and we can achieve that, says London mayor Sadiq Khan

The evidence for more 20mph zones ⤵️

✔️ Cut deaths and serious injuries by 1/3
✔️ Protect children
✔️ Reduce crashes
✔️ Lower noise
✔️ Boost walking & cycling

England’s buses: more ambition needed to undo a decade of decline and get bums back on seats, Transport Committee tells Govt - Committees - UK Parliament A new Transport Committee report calls on the Government to reform the way local bus services are funded and to adopt a national ambition for a minimum level of public transport connectivity. Thi...

Very good report from Transport Select Committee on buses out today - lots of read across to recent @nao.org.uk work on local bus services in the findings on funding, support and guidance to the sector, and clearly communicating long-term strategic ambitions for buses
nao.org.uk/wp-content/u...

We asked for your experiences in/near the @exeter.ac.uk
They replied to our report:
"Useful to hear these perspectives.
✅St German’s Rd is within scope of our cycling/walking infra review. We’ll pick this up.
✅Streatham Dr, we plan construction of new pavement, Queen's Dr - Reed Hall"

Journey times up, deaths down: Welsh 20mph speed limit still divisive two years on Protests continue against default lower limit in urban areas that supporters say is working ‘exactly as intended’

Great news from Wales on the efficacy of the default 20mph urban speed limit, although given that it was evidence-led this should not be any surprise and besides, physics and biomechanics don't care.

Great work Wales.

1/2

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Police commissioner says sorry for 'dead bodies' remark Force clarifies only one body found in murder hunt

The PCC causing more issues than help once again...

www.radioexe.co.uk/news-and-fea...

www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk/news/pics-ne...

Photo of a main in a bright orange jacket and helmet standing in front of a railway line, pointing at the line with one hand and holding a lump of clay in the other

Crewkerne station in Somerset is closed until further notice because the ground is so dry that the railway embankments can't support trains running at normal speeds

Another example of how our infrastructure isn't resilient to climate change - adaption needed!

www.networkrail.co.uk/running-the-...

Parkinson's cycling: How it gave me my independence back Tony Deeney was diagnosed with Parkinson's 23 years ago but cycling has helped him rediscover his independence.

Would be great to see something like this back up and running again in Exeter.

BBC News - 'Parkinson's cycling club has given me back my independence'
www.bbc.com/news/article...

New cycle lane among planned traffic changes in Exeter The changes are designed to increase the numbers of people on foot and cycling in the Devon city.

A new cycle lane is among proposed changes with the aim of reducing traffic to be discussed by Exeter Highways and Traffic Orders Committee today.😀

The make-up of the committee has changed since the May elections and now includes four Reform UK councillors 😢
www.bbc.com/news/article...

Ed Miliband to tell MPs who reject net zero policies they are betraying future generations Exclusive: Energy secretary’s ‘radical truth-telling’ comes as Reform plans net zero bonfire and Tories also ditch targets

Excellent to see Ed Miliband taking the fight to Reform & the Tories over their abandonment of net zero.

Ed is right - the vast majority of the UK public support bold climate action & the extremists are those who deny the need for it

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

@richardfoordld.bsky.social

Blow as vital Devon M5 upgrade put on ‘maybe’ list Scheme to upgrade Junction 28 had been pledged funding by the Sunak government but is now under review.

This is good news actually!

The station at Cullompton is confirmed, lets make that station as worth it as possible, by encouraging everyone to not drive to Exeter. Perhaps some of the funded slated for the upgrade could be used for better buses linking the station.
www.devonlive.com/news/devon-n...

🔔 CONFIRMED: the Government is abandoning First Past the Post... for mayoral and PCC elections.

This is the first acknowledgement we’ve seen from the Government that First Past the Post is not fit for purpose in an age of multi-party politics.

Mayoral elections should be just the first step.

Holding Dawlish mainline plans 'just ridiculous', residents say Residents say holding plans to secure cliffs from Parson's Tunnel to Teignmouth

The southwest is losing the North-South debate... and now it is losing vital infrastructure funding.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

A stencilled image in the style of Banksy with a black-and-white cat being scared by a mouse and text that says "CHANGE THE RULES" (Picture source unknown)

Did you know the Exeter Cycling Campaign is run entirely by unpaid volunteers?
🧵
People who know Exeter could be lovelier & that changing it for the better will require some oomph to overcome the intertia that delivers motornormativity at every turn.

Right I'm so pissed off that we've got London MPs trying to hijack the Local Buses Bill (which is supposed to be about STUFF OUTSIDE LONDON for a change) to try to ban London / all floating bus stops (utter nonsense), that I've stayed up late writing evidence for the committee. Join me! Link ⬇️

Disabled people’s mobility – why Bus Stop Bypasses are sometimes essential briefing Wheels for Wellbeing is an award-winning charity supporting disabled people of all ages and abilities to enjoy the benefits of cycling.

The Bus Services (No.2) Bill is at committee stage
Bus stop bypasses (floating bus stops) are being discussed
Well designed bus stop bypasses are the best option in some places for pan-impairment #ActiveTravel and public transport #accessibility. Here's why:
wheelsforwellbeing.org.uk/disabled-peo...

How rural South Devon missed the bus on transport funding South Devon has missed the bus for funding support for rural transport.

Devon's stubbornness to adopt a mayor has led to us missing out on real money... we can complain about being left behind but we don't help ourselves.

www.devonairradio.com/news/torbay-...

Big Ben photographed by me from a double-decker bus.

Side road zebra crossing photographed by me.

You, a normal person: [visits Westminster to see Big Ben]

Me, a nerd: [visits Westminster to see one of the only side road zebra crossings in the UK]

Cameras will snare Devon bus gate flouters at eight locations The first site to get a camera is in Exeter

Finally... Over 1000 vehicles illegally driving through wonford road in just 5 days.

www.devonlive.com/news/devon-n...