Chris Barnes
@leodensian.bsky.social
Does data stuff at DVSA, lives in Leeds, likes transport. Posts usually some combination of the above.
Very weird alt text
August 5, 2025 at 6:25 PM
Very weird alt text
Is there a good Parkway station. Because, lads, Bristol Parkway ain't it...
July 1, 2025 at 9:49 AM
Is there a good Parkway station. Because, lads, Bristol Parkway ain't it...
London, where there is zero investment in infrastructure. Nothing new ever gets built. All the money going to the provinces, again...
June 23, 2025 at 2:21 PM
London, where there is zero investment in infrastructure. Nothing new ever gets built. All the money going to the provinces, again...
Me, ranting at clouds: "Just put a tram down the A65 all the way to Guiseley, you cowards!"
Leeds getting a tram is still, despite the announcements, very much in my "I'll believe it when I see it" bucket. It's only been my entire life waiting. Only have to wait till 2028 to get spades in the ground. Absolutely no chance of it all going wrong before then.
No this project will simply never happen it’s just a metaphor.
June 4, 2025 at 7:44 AM
Me, ranting at clouds: "Just put a tram down the A65 all the way to Guiseley, you cowards!"
Leeds getting a tram is still, despite the announcements, very much in my "I'll believe it when I see it" bucket. It's only been my entire life waiting. Only have to wait till 2028 to get spades in the ground. Absolutely no chance of it all going wrong before then.
No this project will simply never happen it’s just a metaphor.
June 4, 2025 at 7:39 AM
Leeds getting a tram is still, despite the announcements, very much in my "I'll believe it when I see it" bucket. It's only been my entire life waiting. Only have to wait till 2028 to get spades in the ground. Absolutely no chance of it all going wrong before then.
Restating my "National Highways should just do all roads" opinion as local highways works are, by necessity, way down the list for a lot of LAs (and will only become more pronounced).
Most councils are, or will shortly become social care providers who happen to have a weird sideline in bins.
June 2, 2025 at 12:48 PM
Restating my "National Highways should just do all roads" opinion as local highways works are, by necessity, way down the list for a lot of LAs (and will only become more pronounced).
I joke, but if anyone on here is going to the data Community Connect North session in Manchester on Monday, give me a shout. Would be ace to meet some fellow northerners in similar roles.
Looking forward to getting out and about next week, for the first time in ages.
Manchester, Nottingham, Coventry! The excitement knows no bounds...
What joys do TransPennine, Northern and CrossCountry have in store for me? I am, almost, too excited for words. #CivilServiceLife
Manchester, Nottingham, Coventry! The excitement knows no bounds...
What joys do TransPennine, Northern and CrossCountry have in store for me? I am, almost, too excited for words. #CivilServiceLife
May 30, 2025 at 6:34 PM
I joke, but if anyone on here is going to the data Community Connect North session in Manchester on Monday, give me a shout. Would be ace to meet some fellow northerners in similar roles.
Looking forward to getting out and about next week, for the first time in ages.
Manchester, Nottingham, Coventry! The excitement knows no bounds...
What joys do TransPennine, Northern and CrossCountry have in store for me? I am, almost, too excited for words. #CivilServiceLife
Manchester, Nottingham, Coventry! The excitement knows no bounds...
What joys do TransPennine, Northern and CrossCountry have in store for me? I am, almost, too excited for words. #CivilServiceLife
May 30, 2025 at 6:32 PM
Looking forward to getting out and about next week, for the first time in ages.
Manchester, Nottingham, Coventry! The excitement knows no bounds...
What joys do TransPennine, Northern and CrossCountry have in store for me? I am, almost, too excited for words. #CivilServiceLife
Manchester, Nottingham, Coventry! The excitement knows no bounds...
What joys do TransPennine, Northern and CrossCountry have in store for me? I am, almost, too excited for words. #CivilServiceLife
Reposted by Chris Barnes
Anonymised MOT tests and results www.data.gov.uk/dataset/c63f... annual release of a big useful dataset from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (Great Britain)
Data for earlier years from DfT www.data.gov.uk/dataset/e393...
#transportdata #opendata
Data for earlier years from DfT www.data.gov.uk/dataset/e393...
#transportdata #opendata
May 23, 2025 at 9:35 PM
Anonymised MOT tests and results www.data.gov.uk/dataset/c63f... annual release of a big useful dataset from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (Great Britain)
Data for earlier years from DfT www.data.gov.uk/dataset/e393...
#transportdata #opendata
Data for earlier years from DfT www.data.gov.uk/dataset/e393...
#transportdata #opendata
Reposted by Chris Barnes
In this piece, I actually reveal some of the intriguing political shenanigans that happened behind the scenes when the new government came in, which might of interest to political people.
But of course I framed the piece around the MUCH MORE EXCITING car park data platform.
But of course I framed the piece around the MUCH MORE EXCITING car park data platform.
The National Parking Platform is a big, exciting deal and you should know about it (FREE TO READ!)
takes.jamesomalley.co.uk/p/national-p...
takes.jamesomalley.co.uk/p/national-p...
The National Parking Platform is a big, exciting deal and you should know about it
How the government nearly squandered an enormous opportunity
takes.jamesomalley.co.uk
May 22, 2025 at 11:46 AM
In this piece, I actually reveal some of the intriguing political shenanigans that happened behind the scenes when the new government came in, which might of interest to political people.
But of course I framed the piece around the MUCH MORE EXCITING car park data platform.
But of course I framed the piece around the MUCH MORE EXCITING car park data platform.
Reposted by Chris Barnes
We're getting used to cyber attacks that cause massive service outages, assuming every unknown number is a scam, not being able to tell what's real from a deep fake. We're walking through a digital junkyard in which nothing really does what it's meant to do, but sure, AI can make Jesus ride a prawn
May 21, 2025 at 5:40 AM
We're getting used to cyber attacks that cause massive service outages, assuming every unknown number is a scam, not being able to tell what's real from a deep fake. We're walking through a digital junkyard in which nothing really does what it's meant to do, but sure, AI can make Jesus ride a prawn
Very interesting point. Safety, obviously. As long as they are demonstrably safer than today.
Another q: What level of safety are we prepared to accept from AVs? How many fatalities will cause the end of the experiment? Probably very few. When we accept ~1600 deaths a year on the roads?
Another q: What level of safety are we prepared to accept from AVs? How many fatalities will cause the end of the experiment? Probably very few. When we accept ~1600 deaths a year on the roads?
Five minutes of chat on BBC R4 Today programme this morning on how autonomous vehicles are coming by 2027... lots of chat about how to make them publicly acceptable, but no question about *why* we supposedly need them. What problem is this meant to solve, and is it worth all the investment?
May 19, 2025 at 9:27 AM
Very interesting point. Safety, obviously. As long as they are demonstrably safer than today.
Another q: What level of safety are we prepared to accept from AVs? How many fatalities will cause the end of the experiment? Probably very few. When we accept ~1600 deaths a year on the roads?
Another q: What level of safety are we prepared to accept from AVs? How many fatalities will cause the end of the experiment? Probably very few. When we accept ~1600 deaths a year on the roads?
Exhibit 106 in the series "Dutch cannot possibly be a real language"
Sidenote: Warra language.
March 25, 2025 at 3:37 PM
Exhibit 106 in the series "Dutch cannot possibly be a real language"
Urgh, the mobile version of Teams is the worst. Get a notification of a message so open the app...
Hey, Teams, where's my chat?
Teams: Lol, no chat for you.
Hey, Teams, where's my chat?
Teams: Lol, no chat for you.
March 18, 2025 at 9:27 AM
Urgh, the mobile version of Teams is the worst. Get a notification of a message so open the app...
Hey, Teams, where's my chat?
Teams: Lol, no chat for you.
Hey, Teams, where's my chat?
Teams: Lol, no chat for you.
Reposted by Chris Barnes
NEW: Peter Kyle has had his ChatGPT prompts released under FOI. An unprecedented move, secured by @stokel.bsky.social.
What does it mean?
Google searches next - and some sweaty palms in Whitehall…
My analysis of a rare FOI win:
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
What does it mean?
Google searches next - and some sweaty palms in Whitehall…
My analysis of a rare FOI win:
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Release of technology secretary’s use of ChatGPT will have Whitehall sweating
Use of Freedom of Information Act to reveal Peter Kyle’s ChatGPT queries has shocked experts and left journalists wondering what to request next
www.theguardian.com
March 13, 2025 at 7:52 PM
NEW: Peter Kyle has had his ChatGPT prompts released under FOI. An unprecedented move, secured by @stokel.bsky.social.
What does it mean?
Google searches next - and some sweaty palms in Whitehall…
My analysis of a rare FOI win:
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
What does it mean?
Google searches next - and some sweaty palms in Whitehall…
My analysis of a rare FOI win:
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Haha, this is brilliant.
I mean, why wouldn't they be releasable? But also, yikes!
I mean, why wouldn't they be releasable? But also, yikes!
🚨 @newscientist.com SCOOP: I've exclusively obtained Peter Kyle's interactions with ChatGPT using FOI laws - in what I believe may be a world-first transparency release. The chatbot said "Lack of Government or Institutional Support" slowed UK AI adoption www.newscientist.com/article/2472...
Revealed: How the UK tech secretary uses ChatGPT for policy advice
New Scientist has used freedom of information laws to obtain the ChatGPT records of Peter Kyle, the UK's technology secretary, in what is believed to be a world-first use of such legislation
www.newscientist.com
March 13, 2025 at 9:05 PM
Haha, this is brilliant.
I mean, why wouldn't they be releasable? But also, yikes!
I mean, why wouldn't they be releasable? But also, yikes!
My train from New Street is delayed by 32 minutes meaning I've been on the platform for almost 45. My life expectancy is now two years shorter from all the fumes.
March 12, 2025 at 3:33 PM
My train from New Street is delayed by 32 minutes meaning I've been on the platform for almost 45. My life expectancy is now two years shorter from all the fumes.
I've often suspected these fesses are fake, and this confirms it. Why would anyone willingly take a train via Castleford (full stop), especially when there are other Northern trains that are, at least, 25 minutes quicker?
I sometimes catch the train that goes between Leeds and Sheffield, it stops at Castleford. For the past year I've been guessing who will get off at Castleford, so far I've been accurate 98% of the time, I have an Excel for guesses.
March 10, 2025 at 12:28 PM
I've often suspected these fesses are fake, and this confirms it. Why would anyone willingly take a train via Castleford (full stop), especially when there are other Northern trains that are, at least, 25 minutes quicker?
Nationalise Spoons!
See below for most of my platform when I run against Nigel Farage in 2029 😂
Plus Jaywick potholes, terrible landlords, and getting more seating capacity in 'Spoons 👌🏻
Plus Jaywick potholes, terrible landlords, and getting more seating capacity in 'Spoons 👌🏻
Agree in principle. If there's any factor that's stopping seaside towns improving it's Greater Anglia and greed. Should be an easy, feasible commute. I can't afford to live in London and bring up a child there. Thanks to Liz Truss fucking my mortgage and train fares I can't do it here either.
March 2, 2025 at 4:30 PM
Nationalise Spoons!
"including the £4.1m cost of hiring and then dismissing former sporting director Dan Ashworth within five months."
Yikes. That is mental.
Yikes. That is mental.
February 19, 2025 at 7:51 PM
"including the £4.1m cost of hiring and then dismissing former sporting director Dan Ashworth within five months."
Yikes. That is mental.
Yikes. That is mental.
Huh? Still a bit of time before GenAI makes us all redundant...
February 14, 2025 at 9:08 PM
Huh? Still a bit of time before GenAI makes us all redundant...
Very "Lionel Hutz" feel to this Northern notice...
February 12, 2025 at 8:33 AM
Very "Lionel Hutz" feel to this Northern notice...
100%
I could save you a fortune - stop wasting money buying companies and contractors to deliver poorly specified services with no plan for handover or upskilling, let civil servants who know what they are doing build and maintain this stuff themselves, guaranteed to be cheaper!
Civil servants could face sack for not saving money
February 6, 2025 at 10:16 AM
100%
Reposted by Chris Barnes
This should be released for free as open data.
The Ordnance Survey map app is currently half price – £17.50 for a full year, giving you access to every map, at every level of detail, plus nifty route planning tools. You can also download maps to use offline. Way better for walking than Google Maps.
shop.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/maps/os-maps...
shop.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/maps/os-maps...
January 28, 2025 at 12:49 PM
This should be released for free as open data.
I can believe this. Same with wages chat. I get lots of responses to job adverts which often fall down at the offer stage.
Loads of interesting stats in this just-published State of digital government review. Not least that 50% of digital and data recruitment campaigns failed in 2024.
What matters now are crunchy actions to follow the crunchy analysis.
www.gov.uk/government/p...
What matters now are crunchy actions to follow the crunchy analysis.
www.gov.uk/government/p...
State of digital government review
www.gov.uk
January 21, 2025 at 2:54 PM
I can believe this. Same with wages chat. I get lots of responses to job adverts which often fall down at the offer stage.