Smart Growth UK
@smartgrowthuk.bsky.social
Reposted by Smart Growth UK
Having spent most of my working life in transport policy, this is the essential truth that so many people - including politicians with responsibility for transport decisions - don’t or won’t get.
To reduce congestion, you reduce capacity and reduce speed. The empirical evidence is overwhelming.
To reduce congestion, you reduce capacity and reduce speed. The empirical evidence is overwhelming.
If you widen that highway
you won’t reduce emissions
or congestion.
What you WILL do
is spend a lot of public money
to induce even more cars
emitting even more GHGs and pollution
in the same or worse congestion
with people still demanding that you widen the highway.
Period.
you won’t reduce emissions
or congestion.
What you WILL do
is spend a lot of public money
to induce even more cars
emitting even more GHGs and pollution
in the same or worse congestion
with people still demanding that you widen the highway.
Period.
February 10, 2026 at 8:11 AM
Having spent most of my working life in transport policy, this is the essential truth that so many people - including politicians with responsibility for transport decisions - don’t or won’t get.
To reduce congestion, you reduce capacity and reduce speed. The empirical evidence is overwhelming.
To reduce congestion, you reduce capacity and reduce speed. The empirical evidence is overwhelming.
Meanwhile we're beating ourselves up over low growth rates at a time we need alternatives to traditional neoliberal economics.
Why is anyone still listening to those "lobbying for greed"?
tinyurl.com/2akmfmc9
Why is anyone still listening to those "lobbying for greed"?
tinyurl.com/2akmfmc9
Point of no return: a hellish ‘hothouse Earth’ getting closer, scientists say
Continued global heating could set irreversible course by triggering climate tipping points, but most people unaware
tinyurl.com
February 12, 2026 at 9:20 AM
Meanwhile we're beating ourselves up over low growth rates at a time we need alternatives to traditional neoliberal economics.
Why is anyone still listening to those "lobbying for greed"?
tinyurl.com/2akmfmc9
Why is anyone still listening to those "lobbying for greed"?
tinyurl.com/2akmfmc9
Reposted by Smart Growth UK
Has your MP joined the Parliamentary Call for a televised emergency briefing on the #climate and #nature crisis?
www.nebriefing.org/parliamentar...
If not please ask them to watch the expert briefings.
www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...
#NEB2025 #TimeToStepUp #NationalEmergencyBriefing
www.nebriefing.org/parliamentar...
If not please ask them to watch the expert briefings.
www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...
#NEB2025 #TimeToStepUp #NationalEmergencyBriefing
Check here to see if your MP has signed
For MPs and Peers to express support for briefing the nation on the threats from climate & nature breakdown to the UK’s security, food supply, health and economy.
www.nebriefing.org
February 12, 2026 at 8:23 AM
Has your MP joined the Parliamentary Call for a televised emergency briefing on the #climate and #nature crisis?
www.nebriefing.org/parliamentar...
If not please ask them to watch the expert briefings.
www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...
#NEB2025 #TimeToStepUp #NationalEmergencyBriefing
www.nebriefing.org/parliamentar...
If not please ask them to watch the expert briefings.
www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...
#NEB2025 #TimeToStepUp #NationalEmergencyBriefing
Reposted by Smart Growth UK
The definition of sustainable transport modes should not continue to include “ultra low emission vehicles”. Sustainability cannot be reduced to tailpipe emissions, as even electric cars have huge environmental and social consequences.
actionnetwork.org/letters/dema...
actionnetwork.org/letters/dema...
Demand better transport in new development!
Launched with a pledge to “go further than ever before” to meet housing targets, the Government is consulting on the biggest shake-up of planning rules since 2012. A few welcome words on transport, li...
actionnetwork.org
February 10, 2026 at 11:18 AM
The definition of sustainable transport modes should not continue to include “ultra low emission vehicles”. Sustainability cannot be reduced to tailpipe emissions, as even electric cars have huge environmental and social consequences.
actionnetwork.org/letters/dema...
actionnetwork.org/letters/dema...
BLOG The sudden collapse of Neoliberal Labour follows years of working with the Tufton St gang and its influence operations to secure more wealth for the wealthy. We need to make sure it marks a genuine turning point in government policy.
tinyurl.com/mt2zbh9d
tinyurl.com/mt2zbh9d
End of the NeolibLab Pact – Smart Growth UK
tinyurl.com
February 10, 2026 at 4:12 PM
BLOG The sudden collapse of Neoliberal Labour follows years of working with the Tufton St gang and its influence operations to secure more wealth for the wealthy. We need to make sure it marks a genuine turning point in government policy.
tinyurl.com/mt2zbh9d
tinyurl.com/mt2zbh9d
"Regulation that helps address challenges to humankind, that is timely, effective, efficient, fair and proportionate, as well as participatory, transparent and duly evidence-based. This means that evidence-based decision-making should never be foregone, and neither should democratic participation
🎲 CSOs continue to add their names to the #Democracy4Transition open letter asking the @ec.europa.eu to PLAY FAIR when it comes to revising the Better Regulation agenda.
📨 Dear @vonderleyen.ec.europa.eu, Ilze Juhansone and @marossefcovic.bsky.social, take note.
🔗 eeb.org/en/library/j...
📨 Dear @vonderleyen.ec.europa.eu, Ilze Juhansone and @marossefcovic.bsky.social, take note.
🔗 eeb.org/en/library/j...
February 9, 2026 at 8:42 PM
"Regulation that helps address challenges to humankind, that is timely, effective, efficient, fair and proportionate, as well as participatory, transparent and duly evidence-based. This means that evidence-based decision-making should never be foregone, and neither should democratic participation
A hitherto unappreciated benefit of low traffic neighbourhoods.
Creating low traffic neighborhoods protects people from cars and ICE.
Filter Blockades
Demonstrators in the Twin Cities have been experimenting with filter blockades, a means of monitoring traffic for federal agents and obstructing their activities.
crimethinc.com
February 8, 2026 at 9:28 AM
A hitherto unappreciated benefit of low traffic neighbourhoods.
Reposted by Smart Growth UK
Jane Jacobs' thinking continues to enlighten us about living cities.
She identified four critical ingredients for a vibrant urbanism:
❇️ The need for (1) density, (2) varied buildings, (3) mixed uses, and (4) short blocks.
-
Read at Southern Urbanism 💫
-
www.southernurbanism.org/p/jane-jacob...
She identified four critical ingredients for a vibrant urbanism:
❇️ The need for (1) density, (2) varied buildings, (3) mixed uses, and (4) short blocks.
-
Read at Southern Urbanism 💫
-
www.southernurbanism.org/p/jane-jacob...
Jane Jacobs: 4 Rules for Fostering Good Urbanism
In the fast-urbanizing South, Jane Jacobs’s common denominators for vibrant cities still apply | by Aaron Lubeck
www.southernurbanism.org
February 8, 2026 at 9:25 AM
Jane Jacobs' thinking continues to enlighten us about living cities.
She identified four critical ingredients for a vibrant urbanism:
❇️ The need for (1) density, (2) varied buildings, (3) mixed uses, and (4) short blocks.
-
Read at Southern Urbanism 💫
-
www.southernurbanism.org/p/jane-jacob...
She identified four critical ingredients for a vibrant urbanism:
❇️ The need for (1) density, (2) varied buildings, (3) mixed uses, and (4) short blocks.
-
Read at Southern Urbanism 💫
-
www.southernurbanism.org/p/jane-jacob...
Looks like the flood of lies about climate change and net zero, unleashed by the oil industry, especially on social media, is starting to undermine the action we urgently need.
February 7, 2026 at 9:50 AM
Looks like the flood of lies about climate change and net zero, unleashed by the oil industry, especially on social media, is starting to undermine the action we urgently need.
Reposted by Smart Growth UK
Finally the DfT has published the much delayed 16 'smart' motorway reports
These show what a colossal waste of time and money these have been and harm they've caused the economy. Justified on basis of National Highways' dodgy traffic models
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...
These show what a colossal waste of time and money these have been and harm they've caused the economy. Justified on basis of National Highways' dodgy traffic models
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...
Most of England’s smart motorways are poor value for money, official reports find
AA says long-awaited evaluations show schemes are a ‘catastrophic waste of time, money and effort’
www.theguardian.com
February 6, 2026 at 3:56 PM
Finally the DfT has published the much delayed 16 'smart' motorway reports
These show what a colossal waste of time and money these have been and harm they've caused the economy. Justified on basis of National Highways' dodgy traffic models
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...
These show what a colossal waste of time and money these have been and harm they've caused the economy. Justified on basis of National Highways' dodgy traffic models
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...
Today's reminder for conspiracy theorists - traffic restraint is quite different to the coercive social control that sinister lobbyists try to persuade you it is.
Reducing accidents, congestion & pollution + safer town centres are benefits, not threats.
tinyurl.com/2evwxaja
Reducing accidents, congestion & pollution + safer town centres are benefits, not threats.
tinyurl.com/2evwxaja
Would a congestion charge bring benefits to Edinburgh?
Plans to charge drivers entering the Capital are being brought back to the table 20 years after they were rejected
tinyurl.com
February 5, 2026 at 5:10 PM
Today's reminder for conspiracy theorists - traffic restraint is quite different to the coercive social control that sinister lobbyists try to persuade you it is.
Reducing accidents, congestion & pollution + safer town centres are benefits, not threats.
tinyurl.com/2evwxaja
Reducing accidents, congestion & pollution + safer town centres are benefits, not threats.
tinyurl.com/2evwxaja
Reposted by Smart Growth UK
Important new @annualreviews.bsky.social review on #AMOC collapse. 🌊⚠️
🔗 www.annualreviews.org/content/jour...
Here are 8 key takeaways from Dijkstra & van Westen (2026) on the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation and its risks.
👇🧵
🔗 www.annualreviews.org/content/jour...
Here are 8 key takeaways from Dijkstra & van Westen (2026) on the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation and its risks.
👇🧵
February 5, 2026 at 8:04 AM
Important new @annualreviews.bsky.social review on #AMOC collapse. 🌊⚠️
🔗 www.annualreviews.org/content/jour...
Here are 8 key takeaways from Dijkstra & van Westen (2026) on the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation and its risks.
👇🧵
🔗 www.annualreviews.org/content/jour...
Here are 8 key takeaways from Dijkstra & van Westen (2026) on the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation and its risks.
👇🧵
Reposted by Smart Growth UK
Know of a local community faced with a challenging issue to do with walking, cycling or public transport, or facing a damaging new road?
Share our latest blog post with them and encourage them to get in touch. We will do our best to help.
transportactionnetwork.org.uk/lighting-the...
Share our latest blog post with them and encourage them to get in touch. We will do our best to help.
transportactionnetwork.org.uk/lighting-the...
Lighting the touchpaper
Igniting Community Action: The Queensbury Tunnel Campaign Transport Action Network (TAN) was founded in 2019 to help local communities facing damaging road schemes or wanting better transport solution...
transportactionnetwork.org.uk
February 5, 2026 at 9:01 AM
Know of a local community faced with a challenging issue to do with walking, cycling or public transport, or facing a damaging new road?
Share our latest blog post with them and encourage them to get in touch. We will do our best to help.
transportactionnetwork.org.uk/lighting-the...
Share our latest blog post with them and encourage them to get in touch. We will do our best to help.
transportactionnetwork.org.uk/lighting-the...
Looking forward to the results.
I just spent two days brainstorming about ‘Affordable Urbanism’ with experts nationwide representing architects, development, cities and states, academics, finance and I’m happy to report: we solved it!
February 3, 2026 at 10:32 PM
Looking forward to the results.
Reposted by Smart Growth UK
How important is preserving the Green Belt to you?
4% not very important or not important at all
85% very important or quite important
(More in Common, CPRE research published today)
4% not very important or not important at all
85% very important or quite important
(More in Common, CPRE research published today)
February 3, 2026 at 2:53 PM
How important is preserving the Green Belt to you?
4% not very important or not important at all
85% very important or quite important
(More in Common, CPRE research published today)
4% not very important or not important at all
85% very important or quite important
(More in Common, CPRE research published today)
Reposted by Smart Growth UK
Year's worth of British bread lost this decade as extreme weather bites
Extreme weather so far in the 2020s has played a major role in creating a total deficit in wheat production of over 7M tonnes - enough wheat to bake over 4BN loaves of bread
eciu.net/media/press...
Extreme weather so far in the 2020s has played a major role in creating a total deficit in wheat production of over 7M tonnes - enough wheat to bake over 4BN loaves of bread
eciu.net/media/press...
February 3, 2026 at 10:16 AM
Year's worth of British bread lost this decade as extreme weather bites
Extreme weather so far in the 2020s has played a major role in creating a total deficit in wheat production of over 7M tonnes - enough wheat to bake over 4BN loaves of bread
eciu.net/media/press...
Extreme weather so far in the 2020s has played a major role in creating a total deficit in wheat production of over 7M tonnes - enough wheat to bake over 4BN loaves of bread
eciu.net/media/press...
Reposted by Smart Growth UK
To what extent would you trust the following party leaders to protect Britain’s nature and countryside? @zackpolanski.bsky.social & @eddavey.libdems.org.uk top, Starmer not so much.
From CPRE poll in www.thetimes.com/uk/environme...
From CPRE poll in www.thetimes.com/uk/environme...
February 3, 2026 at 9:28 AM
To what extent would you trust the following party leaders to protect Britain’s nature and countryside? @zackpolanski.bsky.social & @eddavey.libdems.org.uk top, Starmer not so much.
From CPRE poll in www.thetimes.com/uk/environme...
From CPRE poll in www.thetimes.com/uk/environme...
Reposted by Smart Growth UK
Ok, let’s do this🙄
We’ll start with an explainer covering:
🕒What is a 15-minute city
🏫What on Earth is going on with Oxford
👽Where the conspiracy theories have come from
And then we’ll look at the Telegraph article
🧵
1/25
We’ll start with an explainer covering:
🕒What is a 15-minute city
🏫What on Earth is going on with Oxford
👽Where the conspiracy theories have come from
And then we’ll look at the Telegraph article
🧵
1/25
February 1, 2026 at 11:13 AM
Ok, let’s do this🙄
We’ll start with an explainer covering:
🕒What is a 15-minute city
🏫What on Earth is going on with Oxford
👽Where the conspiracy theories have come from
And then we’ll look at the Telegraph article
🧵
1/25
We’ll start with an explainer covering:
🕒What is a 15-minute city
🏫What on Earth is going on with Oxford
👽Where the conspiracy theories have come from
And then we’ll look at the Telegraph article
🧵
1/25
Reposted by Smart Growth UK
"We're facing the potential of an ungovernable state unless Government takes this seriously."
We can rise to this challenge, but first we need to face it.
👉 Please ask your MP to join the Parliamentary Call for a televised emergency briefing to the nation.
www.nebriefing.org/parliamentar...
We can rise to this challenge, but first we need to face it.
👉 Please ask your MP to join the Parliamentary Call for a televised emergency briefing to the nation.
www.nebriefing.org/parliamentar...
February 1, 2026 at 10:55 AM
"We're facing the potential of an ungovernable state unless Government takes this seriously."
We can rise to this challenge, but first we need to face it.
👉 Please ask your MP to join the Parliamentary Call for a televised emergency briefing to the nation.
www.nebriefing.org/parliamentar...
We can rise to this challenge, but first we need to face it.
👉 Please ask your MP to join the Parliamentary Call for a televised emergency briefing to the nation.
www.nebriefing.org/parliamentar...
Reposted by Smart Growth UK
Good things are happening in Wales, "partly because it passed a Wellbeing Act that set goals which were not solely based on 'growth' but rather on wider societal aims such as equality and health."
An inspiring guest blog by @christianwolmar.bsky.social:
An inspiring guest blog by @christianwolmar.bsky.social:
Welsh set the example to the rest of UK’s railways
In this guest post, writer and broadcaster Christian Wolmar explains how Wales is quietly getting its transport policy right and what the rest of the UK could learn from it.
bettertransport.org.uk
January 31, 2026 at 9:15 AM
Good things are happening in Wales, "partly because it passed a Wellbeing Act that set goals which were not solely based on 'growth' but rather on wider societal aims such as equality and health."
An inspiring guest blog by @christianwolmar.bsky.social:
An inspiring guest blog by @christianwolmar.bsky.social:
BLOG Populist influencers have been busy this month, debunking climate science & trying to persuade the gullible that 15-minute cities are some bizarre, Orwellian conspiracy.
tinyurl.com/3mxx53f4
tinyurl.com/3mxx53f4
The Shadow Empire strikes hard – Smart Growth UK
tinyurl.com
January 30, 2026 at 12:49 PM
BLOG Populist influencers have been busy this month, debunking climate science & trying to persuade the gullible that 15-minute cities are some bizarre, Orwellian conspiracy.
tinyurl.com/3mxx53f4
tinyurl.com/3mxx53f4
Reposted by Smart Growth UK
How much of Scotland’s emissions plan is riding on electric vehicles?
The answer: too much.
Scottish Government's latest Draft Climate Change Plan predicates up to 95%(!) of the total transport emissions reduction on rapid EV uptake.
Read our response to the Plan:
transform.scot/2026/01/29/h...
The answer: too much.
Scottish Government's latest Draft Climate Change Plan predicates up to 95%(!) of the total transport emissions reduction on rapid EV uptake.
Read our response to the Plan:
transform.scot/2026/01/29/h...
January 29, 2026 at 12:11 PM
How much of Scotland’s emissions plan is riding on electric vehicles?
The answer: too much.
Scottish Government's latest Draft Climate Change Plan predicates up to 95%(!) of the total transport emissions reduction on rapid EV uptake.
Read our response to the Plan:
transform.scot/2026/01/29/h...
The answer: too much.
Scottish Government's latest Draft Climate Change Plan predicates up to 95%(!) of the total transport emissions reduction on rapid EV uptake.
Read our response to the Plan:
transform.scot/2026/01/29/h...
This is beyond satire.
Steve Reed: If you seek views from the largest house builders & infrastructure contractors, you will end up pursuing policies which benefit their shareholders & directors.
As you already are.
tinyurl.com/4n6th95r 1/⬇️
Steve Reed: If you seek views from the largest house builders & infrastructure contractors, you will end up pursuing policies which benefit their shareholders & directors.
As you already are.
tinyurl.com/4n6th95r 1/⬇️
Housing Secretary rallies sector at housing and infrastructure roundtables
This week the Housing Secretary and Housing Minister, along with the Chancellor and the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, convened the country’s biggest housebuilders including Vistry, Permission, Tayl...
tinyurl.com
January 29, 2026 at 9:28 AM
This is beyond satire.
Steve Reed: If you seek views from the largest house builders & infrastructure contractors, you will end up pursuing policies which benefit their shareholders & directors.
As you already are.
tinyurl.com/4n6th95r 1/⬇️
Steve Reed: If you seek views from the largest house builders & infrastructure contractors, you will end up pursuing policies which benefit their shareholders & directors.
As you already are.
tinyurl.com/4n6th95r 1/⬇️
Reposted by Smart Growth UK
The best cycle lanes are wide, beautiful and completely separate from other roads. This type of infrastructure is common here in the Netherlands. They often connect cities and offer a great alternative for driving.
January 28, 2026 at 4:00 PM
The best cycle lanes are wide, beautiful and completely separate from other roads. This type of infrastructure is common here in the Netherlands. They often connect cities and offer a great alternative for driving.
Reposted by Smart Growth UK
I am still stunned that this sort of lying calumny is not illegal.
One of the biggest disappointments of this feeble “Labour” govt is Lisa Nandy.
#Leveson2 please.
One of the biggest disappointments of this feeble “Labour” govt is Lisa Nandy.
#Leveson2 please.
In today's papers, The Sun continues to publish anti-climate content like this.
💰 Funded by ads for #Aldi, #Lidl, #O2 & #Sainsburys
💰 Funded by ads for #Aldi, #Lidl, #O2 & #Sainsburys
January 28, 2026 at 10:01 AM
I am still stunned that this sort of lying calumny is not illegal.
One of the biggest disappointments of this feeble “Labour” govt is Lisa Nandy.
#Leveson2 please.
One of the biggest disappointments of this feeble “Labour” govt is Lisa Nandy.
#Leveson2 please.