Ben Foley
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benwheels.bsky.social
Ben Foley
@benwheels.bsky.social
330 followers 180 following 370 posts
Campaigns and Policy Lead at Wheels for Wellbeing, but views my own.
Published and promoted on behalf of Ben Foley and Luton & Bedfordshire Green Party, both at 48 Olivier Ct, Bedford, MK40 2UU
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benwheels.bsky.social
The Tories should look at my feed. I've been clear what I voted for. My successful motion commits the council to "investigate designs for Bedford station that will provide the most convincing case that ...there is no need to demolish homes."
Facts cannot lie, but Conservatives do all the time.
Screenshot of a social media post from Bedford & Kempston Conservatives. The main item is a green-coloured montage, with text "Tell your residents the truth - you voted for it!" "Green Party voted for East West Rail 'Route E' Demolishing homes and businesses." "Facts cannot lie". On it is a photo of Ben Foley and buildings that look similar to some buildings in Ashburnham Road.
November 28, 2025 at 12:15 PM
benwheels.bsky.social
#Bedford council has rejected Tory proposals on council tax support. So, Bedford & Kempston's poorest households saved from bills of £100s next yr. @greenparty.org.uk took key role w/ other opposition cllrs. Greens delivered 10,000 leaflets, successfully urging rejection of proposal in consultation.
Montage of three leaflets with titles "Castle and Newnham Green" "Kempston News" and "Greyfriars Green". While each has a different design, each of them features prominently on the front page a story about saying "no". Accompanying text visible includes "Council want to make the poorest pay" and "Overspending by the Tory-run council has left it in financial trouble. Now to balance the books they want to cut council tax support for the poorest. They're consulting on council tax support changes. These changes will mean everybody who qualifies for council tax support will pay hundreds of pounds..."
November 27, 2025 at 4:39 PM
benwheels.bsky.social
Last night's meeting of #Bedford Council included passing @greenparty.org.uk motion, committing to defend all residents whose homes are threatened w/ demolition for #EWR, investigating designs for Bedford station (& options for #railway nth of station) to make sure there's no need to demolish homes.
Photo of Bedford's four Green councillors, with at the top, a Green Party logo and at the bottom the words "Green Win" and "Bedford Council vote to oppose EWR demolitions". The four councillors are all middle aged and wearing coats with Green Party badges, three of the councillors are white. On the left, one who is masc presenting, wearing a trilby hat and specs, next one femme presenting with light coloured hair, then one masc presenting with dark hair and 'salt and pepper' facial hair, finally one femme presenting with grey hair and a handbag. They are in sunlight with autumnal trees behind them.
November 27, 2025 at 4:21 PM
benwheels.bsky.social
Result of Bedford's council tax consultation yesterday. More people gave right answer than wrong answer on question 5 😀.
But signs are it's being ignored 🤬.
So: petition calling on council to respect the outcome. *Please sign & share* actionnetwork.org/petitions/bedford-council-respect-the-decision
Photo of five white envelopes, four with the words "private and confidential", three with windows visible. One has "Overdue" printed in red on the envelope, a second "Final notice" and a third has a red exclamation mark and obscured other parts in red.
November 18, 2025 at 3:17 PM
benwheels.bsky.social
💚 Great news for Bedford! 💚

Welcome to the Greens, Cllr Caroline White (Kempston Cent&E) a hardworking former Labour cllr who’s always stood up for fairness & local people.

Bedford Borough @greenparty.org.uk Group up to 4. The politics of hope keeps growing here in Bedford.
join.greenparty.org.uk
Graphic saying "Former Labour Councillor Defects to Green Party in Bedford" with Green Party logo. Then picture of Caroline. Caroline is wearing a Green Party badge on her black coat. Caroline is white and middle aged with fairly short grey hair, and her specs are up on the top of her head. Overlaid, "Cllr Caroline White, Kempston Central and East, Bedford Borough Council". In the background, grass with trees with autumnal leaves and a brick/stone building as the backdrop.
November 4, 2025 at 8:52 AM
benwheels.bsky.social
This is quite something. An opinion poll with Greens ahead of LibDems, Conservatives AND Labour. One more to go (and fortunately at least RefUK seems to have stopped going up).

join.greenparty.org.uk
Screenshot of social media post from Election Maps UK, 30 Oct 2025. Westminster voting intention: RefUK: 32% (=) Green: 17% (+2) Con: 16% (-1) Lab: 16% (=) LibDem: 12% (=) SNP: 2% (=) Via @FindOutNowUK, 29 Oct. Changes compared with 22 Oct.
October 30, 2025 at 5:18 PM
benwheels.bsky.social
Unusually I was at work for @wheelsforwellbeing.org.uk on Sat. I was at the "Homes for Us" Summit - back in Westminster for the 2nd time in a week, but mingling with activists rather than politicians.
A productive & creative day looking at housing crisis & how it affects minoritised communities.
Selfie. In the foreground, Ben, white, masc-presenting, clean shaven, wearing a trilby hat and specs, In the background a display showing the words "...up and closing", with below them in smaller writing and largely obscured text from the live captions "have to rush for the train... ...look forward to it..." Between, a small huddle of people near the stage
October 28, 2025 at 2:24 PM
benwheels.bsky.social
Today I was delivering leaflets, urging ppl 2 respond 2 council consultation abt bunging new bills of £100s/year on the poorest in our community: people who get council tax support. Pls respond - link in thread! Are you willing & able to help out delivering leaflets, please? Plenty more to go out!
Photo of Ben on a balcony at rooftop level, with block towering above him to the right. He's holding up in front of himself a leaflet that says "Greyfriars Green, Ben and James's Issue 22 Tell them 'No'! Council want to make the poorest pay! Overspending by the Tory-run council has... [edge of photo]...financial trouble. Now to balance the books... ...cut council tax support for the poorest."
October 24, 2025 at 10:06 PM
benwheels.bsky.social
Well, that’s what I thought until I encountered this last night. #Lime @islington-council.bsky.social. That said, in the past I’ve often encountered the dropped kerbs at that junction equally blocked by motor vehicles.
Photo of Road junction. It is completely impossible for anyone to cross the side road near the junction because of the large number of Lime bikes at the junction, even sticking out into the carriageway of the ‘main’ road.
October 22, 2025 at 9:48 AM
benwheels.bsky.social
This afternoon’s workplace for @wheelsforwellbeing.org.uk comes with a fine view of the Thames. At the joint meeting launching the report “Behind the headlines: sentencing after fatal crashes”. Joint meeting of the All Party Parliamentary Groups on Transport #Safety and #Cycling / Walking.
Photo of Ben (white, masc presenting, wearing specs and a trilby hat). Behind, a window with lead glazing bar and just visible through the window, a broad river.
October 20, 2025 at 3:27 PM
benwheels.bsky.social
Easy to miss, but important. At @wheelsforwellbeing.org.uk we've been working towards this moment for years - the DfT has publicly announced that it is looking at sorting out mobility aid laws. 🎉 Our #MyCycleMyMobilityAid campaign looks like it is paying off.
Screenshot of a tweet from Simon Lightwood MP. Jul 21. "Everyone deserves safe, accessible transport. That’s why we’re extending e-scooter trials to 2028 and expanding them to new towns to learn how best to regulate them. We’re also looking at our mobility aid laws so disabled people can use the devices they need for independence." Accompanied with a photo, the alt text for which was "Hire escooters parked in a line in a designated parking area", image attribution Department for Transport.
July 31, 2025 at 11:24 AM
benwheels.bsky.social
So, my plan to take today off work for @wheelsforwellbeing didn’t survive. Representing us at the All Party Parliamentary Group on #Disability.
Photo of Ben smiling and looking down to the camera. Ben is masc presenting, wearing a straw hat, a pale sweater with a white open collar showing. Behind Ben is the Palace of Westminster, with the Elizabeth Tower (aka Big Ben) visible.
July 21, 2025 at 12:09 PM
benwheels.bsky.social
So, the photo was lost from the post: here it is now. My colleague @tandemkate got to talk to her and I’m hopeful that going forward Sarah Storey will be a good ally for us at @wheelsforwellbeing.org.uk
Photo of two people sat on stage in armchairs, talking to each other. Both Middle aged and white. To the left, masc presenting, wearing a white shirt. To the right, side view of someone femme presenting, wearing a stripy top and brown leggings. Behind them a roller banner saying “Creating safer streets” and another sign saying “Active City York 2025”
July 3, 2025 at 5:51 PM
benwheels.bsky.social
I’m at #ActiveCityYork. Great to hear Chris Whitty talk about the importance of both walking and #wheeling for #Disabled people.
White, Middle Aged man standing alone on a stage, microphone in hand. In the background a pop-up banner from Active Travel England “Transforming the school run”
July 2, 2025 at 9:18 AM
benwheels.bsky.social
I was at Parliament in a roundtable about Govt's #IntegratedTransportStrategy organised by Accessible Transport Policy Commission, giving a chance to talk to senior #DfT officials about what's needed for integrated transport for #Disabled people, including #ActiveTravel to/from nearest stop. 2/2
Selfie taken in a high ceilinged room. Closest to camera on the right, masc presenting person wearing straw hat and blue casual shirt with three white stripes, and around the neck a lanyard saying "visitor". Behind and to the left, Baroness Grey-Thompson, with short light-coloured hair, typing into a laptop. To the left, a femme presenting person with hair tied up, perhaps in her 30s, hands held out in front gesticulating while she talks. To the left, another femme presenting person wearing a dress with a Greek key pattern in black and white, she has longer hair. To the left, two further people, not easy to discern in shiloette as light streams in from the window behind them. Behind the speaker is the top of a banner saying "The Accessible Transport Policy Commission". Selfie taken outside palace of Westminster with much neo-baroque stonework in evidence. I'm masc presenting, clean shaven, wearing a straw hat and a blue polo shirt with white stripes just visible on the sleeve.
June 18, 2025 at 4:28 PM
benwheels.bsky.social
Today work for @wheelsforwellbeing.org.uk took both @tandemkate.bsky.social and I to London, so it was good to be able to meet up in person for a change (all-too-briefly). Kate was talking to City of London about bus stop bypasses, while... 1/2
Angled picture of two people, both smiling. Flat ground runs top left to bottom right in the picture. On the left, masc presenting, clean shaved person wearing straw hat and dark blue casual shirt. To the right, femme presenting person, with shoulder length brown hair, wearing sunglasses and a long blue dress with a red pattern. Partly visible between the two, a wheelchair, clearly not being sat on by either. To the right at a steep angle, red bricks of a modern building and a red London bus.
June 18, 2025 at 4:10 PM
benwheels.bsky.social
I'm at @velo-city-conference.com. I've now made all 3 presentations done, highlighting how #Disabled cyclists are impacted by issues (bikelash, cost & cycle parking, and how we relate to infrastructure). Been good to make contact with ppl working to improve #cycling for Disabled ppl elsewhere.
4 people sat on stage. All 4 wearing dark trousers. From the left, two middle aged femme presenting people, each wearing fairly informal jackets. The leftmost is looking right. 2nd is looking straight ahead, with shoulder length hair. Next, a masc presenting person looking straight ahead, one hand up towards his face. Finally, a masc person (me) right hand pointing to a screen behind, holding a microphone with their left. I'm wearing my trilby hat & brightly coloured sweatshirt. On my lap are sheets of paper, and in front of me, my wheelchair. Behind me presentation slide. Some text is unreadable in the picture. What is clearly visible is the word "Infrastructure", logos for ECF, Wheels for Wellbeing & Velo City. Slide includes four photos. Top right there's a photo of an access barrier at a park entrance. Bottom left, a chicane barrier. Bottom centre a blocked cycle lane with a "cyclists dismount" sign. Bottom right, a road with steep crossfall on pavement alongside and vegetation.
June 12, 2025 at 10:13 AM
benwheels.bsky.social
I'm really pleased to say #Ani4deputy of the #GreenParty (England and Wales). Ani is an excellent person with great judgement and commitment who has my full support.
Quote "I got to know Ani best when during a visit to Bristol on Party business, Ani walked with me through their ward, and we compared notes on representing inner-urban deprived wards./I've been impressed by Ani's level-headed response to issues and dedication to the Party and to equality" Quote is presented in white on a dark green background with massive quotation marks. On lighter green, top right the words Ani Townsend for Deputy Leader. Bottom left Ben Foley/Councillor/Bedford. Bottom right a circular picture of Ben, masc presenting, wearing a trilby hat, specs and a red and white scarf. In the background tower blocks.
June 11, 2025 at 5:44 AM
benwheels.bsky.social
I'm travelling across Europe, to speak up for #Disabled #cyclists at @velo-city-conference.com. Today, home-Berlin. Tomorrow Berlin-Gdansk (Poland). Journey is going smoothly so far. Famously tricky 25 minutes Brussles connection went OK after the Eurostar, & I've changed train at Cologne OK, too.
Selfie on a train. Outside of the window, woodland. In the foreground to the left, masc presenting person wearing trilby hat, with collar of a polo shirt visible. Selfie on a subtly different train. Outside of the window, trees mixed with buildings and a cloudy sky. In the foreground to the left, masc presenting person wearing trilby hat, with collar of a polo shirt visible. Selfie at a railway station (Cologne). Overhead, arched steel and glass roof. To the left an older-looking train, with the carriages painted with red towards the bottom, a cream colour around the windows and a grey roof. In the foreground, masc presenting person wearing trilby hat and specs, with collar of a polo shirt visible, and a dark blue sweatshirt.
June 8, 2025 at 3:33 PM
benwheels.bsky.social
I'm travelling across Europe, to speak up for #Disabled #cyclists at @velo-city-conference.com. Today, home-Berlin. Tomorrow Berlin-Gdansk (Poland). Journey is going smoothly so far. Famously tricky 25 minutes Brussles connection went OK after the Eurostar, & I've changed train at Cologne OK, too.
Selfie on a train. Outside of the window, woodland. In the foreground to the left, masc presenting person wearing trilby hat, with collar of a polo shirt visible. Selfie on a subtly different train. Outside of the window, trees mixed with buildings and a cloudy sky. In the foreground to the left, masc presenting person wearing trilby hat, with collar of a polo shirt visible. Selfie at a railway station (Cologne). Overhead, arched steel and glass roof. To the left an older-looking train, with the carriages painted with red towards the bottom, a cream colour around the windows and a grey roof. In the foreground, masc presenting person wearing trilby hat and specs, with collar of a polo shirt visible, and a dark blue sweatshirt.
June 8, 2025 at 3:32 PM
benwheels.bsky.social
I'm horrified to hear the news from Liverpool. I've been part of the crowd of football fans during a victory parade in the past. I expect I will be again.
For a celebration like that to turn into a scene of carnage is just so shocking.
My thoughts are with Liverpool fans, their families and friends.
Street scene dominated by emergency service vehicles of all sorts. In the middle, a set of traffic lights, and a Liverpool flag flying from those traffic lights.
May 26, 2025 at 7:57 PM
benwheels.bsky.social
This afternoon/evening the All Party Parliamentary Group on #Cycling and Walking are hearing evidence on eCycle #safety and the gig economy. It was good to hear @ruthcadbury.bsky.social ask #TfL about possible discriminatory effects of their ban on eCycles.
Photo of people sat around a table. To the left two masc people wearing suits. On the far side of the table four people, two masc wearing blue shirts, two femmes wearing pink tops. Those include Fabian Hamilton MP and Ruth Cadbury MP
May 13, 2025 at 4:59 PM
benwheels.bsky.social
I’m in the House of Lords (committee room) for the “round table” on bus service accessibility for #Disabled people.
April 23, 2025 at 11:36 AM
benwheels.bsky.social
I'm at the @londoncycling.bsky.social Community Skills Summit, with @charliecycling.bsky.social, both helping people learn about @wheelsforwellbeing.org.uk, once the great opening plenary (chaired by @lauralaker.bsky.social) finishes. #MyCycleMyMobilityAid #Cycling #Disability
Selfie of me, a middle aged masc presenting person with another person wearing a Wheels For Wellbeing tshirt. The other person is also middle aged and masc presenting, but a person of colour wearing specs. Behind us an audience in a lecture theatre and in the background, just about visible, the panel.
April 5, 2025 at 9:59 AM
benwheels.bsky.social
Also there were the lovely @sianberry.bsky.social MP and @ibikebrighton.bsky.social of Transport Initiatives. A pleasure to meet both again.
Sian Berry MP (right) talking to Chris Boardman (left) with Mark Strong (middle) also concentrating on what Sian was saying. Sian is side-on and pictured from slightly behind, largely silohetted against the window, with glazing bars much in evidence. Sian has long blonde hair and gesticulates towards Chris Boardman. Mark has a bald head and smiles while looking in the direction of Sian. Chris Boardman looks relaxed, with hands possibly in pockets, but also clearly paying attention to Sian.
March 18, 2025 at 9:15 AM