Reposted by Adam Balkham
We can’t afford to do what every other country did years ago for our railways, but people need to drive their kids to school in a tank
Govt scraps all electrification investment. Midland Main Line to stay forever diesel Leicester Nottingham Derby Sheffield. Hugely embarrassing and inexplicable
www.ft.com/content/5ecd...
www.ft.com/content/5ecd...
UK transport secretary says full electrification of railways ‘not affordable right now’
Heidi Alexander says focus will be on other projects such as HS2
www.ft.com
November 9, 2025 at 8:05 AM
We can’t afford to do what every other country did years ago for our railways, but people need to drive their kids to school in a tank
Reposted by Adam Balkham
Keep this in mind when people claim cars mean business — closing Central Madrid to cars over holidays resulted in a 9.5% boost in retail spending on its main shopping street: STUDY.
There was also a 71% drop in air pollution.
Via @carltonreid.com in @forbes.com. #citymakingmath #citiesforpeople
There was also a 71% drop in air pollution.
Via @carltonreid.com in @forbes.com. #citymakingmath #citiesforpeople
Closing Central Madrid To Cars Resulted In 9.5% Boost To Retail Spending, Finds Bank Analysis
City of Madrid significantly boosted the takings of its shops and restaurants last Christmas by banning cars from the CBD, finds an analysis by Spain's second largest bank.
www.forbes.com
October 24, 2025 at 12:36 PM
Keep this in mind when people claim cars mean business — closing Central Madrid to cars over holidays resulted in a 9.5% boost in retail spending on its main shopping street: STUDY.
There was also a 71% drop in air pollution.
Via @carltonreid.com in @forbes.com. #citymakingmath #citiesforpeople
There was also a 71% drop in air pollution.
Via @carltonreid.com in @forbes.com. #citymakingmath #citiesforpeople
Reposted by Adam Balkham
An article in the Financial Times argued that Britain should “fall in love with cars again” and invest in more motorways.
Here’s why the economic argument is flawed and why we should not.
open.substack.com/pub/pinecono...
Here’s why the economic argument is flawed and why we should not.
open.substack.com/pub/pinecono...
Should Britain Fall Back in Love with Cars?
A response to Tim Leunig's call for Britain to fall back in love with cars
open.substack.com
October 24, 2025 at 8:22 PM
An article in the Financial Times argued that Britain should “fall in love with cars again” and invest in more motorways.
Here’s why the economic argument is flawed and why we should not.
open.substack.com/pub/pinecono...
Here’s why the economic argument is flawed and why we should not.
open.substack.com/pub/pinecono...
Reposted by Adam Balkham
October 1, 2025 at 1:20 AM
Reposted by Adam Balkham
It’s been 416 days since Birmingham City Council declared a road safety emergency.
September 20, 2025 at 7:00 AM
It’s been 416 days since Birmingham City Council declared a road safety emergency.
If your downtown still has many wide and fast one-way streets, then your priority is to move cars as fast as possible thru a weak downtown. It’s NOT to create a vibrant downtown, help downtown retailers, keep people safe, support walkability and accessibility, reduce pollution, etc. #TrafficSewers
September 9, 2025 at 5:56 AM
Reposted by Adam Balkham
Don’t forget, for many years #Uber insisted loudly that it would reduce traffic in cities. Instead, Uber drivers cruise without passengers 40% of the time. Uber and Lyft no longer claim they reduce traffic. They now admit they increase congestion.
So much for “making cities better…”
Via @wsj.com
So much for “making cities better…”
Via @wsj.com
The Ride-Hail Utopia That Got Stuck in Traffic
Uber and Lyft said they would ease congestion. Instead they made it worse.
www.wsj.com
September 3, 2025 at 7:02 PM
Reposted by Adam Balkham
As news breaks that a serious collision on Monday has now sadly turned fatal, this means that the second year of the road safety emergency has seen 5 fatalities - or 20% of typical annual fatalities - in just one month.
Any suggestion that road safety is improving is detached from reality.
Any suggestion that road safety is improving is detached from reality.
August 27, 2025 at 6:47 AM
As news breaks that a serious collision on Monday has now sadly turned fatal, this means that the second year of the road safety emergency has seen 5 fatalities - or 20% of typical annual fatalities - in just one month.
Any suggestion that road safety is improving is detached from reality.
Any suggestion that road safety is improving is detached from reality.
Reposted by Adam Balkham
If your mayor, or some other leader, is talking about ripping out safe, protected bike-lanes, please read and share this thread.
This is important.
Years ago, while I was advising the City of Sydney Australia on various things, there was an INFAMOUS day where a particularly bad state-level minister of roads was stuck in traffic and saw bike riders zooming by his limousine in a well-used, safe, protected bike-lane.
Well…
1/
Years ago, while I was advising the City of Sydney Australia on various things, there was an INFAMOUS day where a particularly bad state-level minister of roads was stuck in traffic and saw bike riders zooming by his limousine in a well-used, safe, protected bike-lane.
Well…
1/
August 26, 2025 at 2:32 AM
If your mayor, or some other leader, is talking about ripping out safe, protected bike-lanes, please read and share this thread.
SYDNEY: “Since 2007 we have delivered 25km of safe, separated cycleways including pop-up cycleways, 60km of shared paths & 40km of other bike infrastructure so now more than 7K people safely ride to work in the city centre – the equivalent of 7 full trains or 116 full buses.”
And still going.
end/
And still going.
end/
August 26, 2025 at 5:15 AM
Reposted by Adam Balkham
Riding bikes is 10X more important than electric cars for reaching net-zero cities. And that’s just the climate emissions. Doesn’t include the massive public & personal cost difference, the air & noise pollution difference, the massive space difference, etc, etc. Via @theconversation.bsky.social
Cycling is ten times more important than electric cars for reaching net-zero cities
Active travel can help tackle the climate crisis earlier than electric vehicles – even if you swap the car for a bike for just one trip a day.
theconversation.com
August 19, 2025 at 11:18 PM
Riding bikes is 10X more important than electric cars for reaching net-zero cities. And that’s just the climate emissions. Doesn’t include the massive public & personal cost difference, the air & noise pollution difference, the massive space difference, etc, etc. Via @theconversation.bsky.social
Reposted by Adam Balkham
My controversial opinion today is that we should stop knowingly killing 30,000 people annually and sabotaging our economy to the tune of £27bn per year.
And that we should listen to doctors when they tell us this.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
And that we should listen to doctors when they tell us this.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
UK air pollution killing more than 500 people a week, doctors say
Royal College of Physicians also says poor air quality costs country more than £500m a week
www.theguardian.com
June 19, 2025 at 8:10 AM
My controversial opinion today is that we should stop knowingly killing 30,000 people annually and sabotaging our economy to the tune of £27bn per year.
And that we should listen to doctors when they tell us this.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
And that we should listen to doctors when they tell us this.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Well this is BIG NEWS: Oxford to possibly introduce a congestion charge - and use the funds to improve public transport. Will be discussed at Cabinet on the 17th. More to follow...
(link to Cabinet paper in next post)
(link to Cabinet paper in next post)
June 9, 2025 at 4:58 PM
Reposted by Adam Balkham
Another kid taken out by yet another hit-and-run driver. Anyone else in birmingham tired of this happening all the time?
"Ladypool Road is currently cordoned off...." Get in some concrete barriers right now and make that permanent.
"Ladypool Road is currently cordoned off...." Get in some concrete barriers right now and make that permanent.
Ladypool Road sealed off after teenager seriously injured in collision
A teenager has suffered 'potentially serious' injuries following a collision on Ladypool Road
www.birminghammail.co.uk
May 19, 2025 at 4:08 PM
Another kid taken out by yet another hit-and-run driver. Anyone else in birmingham tired of this happening all the time?
"Ladypool Road is currently cordoned off...." Get in some concrete barriers right now and make that permanent.
"Ladypool Road is currently cordoned off...." Get in some concrete barriers right now and make that permanent.
“A startling statistic emerged in Paris last month: during the morning and evening rush hours, on representative main thoroughfares crisscrossing the French capital, there are now more bicycles than cars – almost half as many again, in fact.”
And it has kept growing from there.
Leadership. #Paris
And it has kept growing from there.
Leadership. #Paris
Bollards and ‘superblocks’: how Europe’s cities are turning on the car
In Paris, Barcelona and Brussels, authorities are adopting varied approaches to the task of reducing congestion and pollution
www.theguardian.com
May 20, 2025 at 8:18 AM
Reposted by Adam Balkham
Speed cameras save lives but many local authorities can’t afford to operate them because 100% of fines go straight to the Treasury.
Local authorities should at least be able to retain enough of the revenue to cover the overheads of running schemes.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Local authorities should at least be able to retain enough of the revenue to cover the overheads of running schemes.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
West Midlands' 'most successful' road safety scheme in £1.8m loss
Average speed cameras have cut crashes by more than 30%, councillors hear, but come at a cost.
www.bbc.co.uk
May 9, 2025 at 6:21 PM
Speed cameras save lives but many local authorities can’t afford to operate them because 100% of fines go straight to the Treasury.
Local authorities should at least be able to retain enough of the revenue to cover the overheads of running schemes.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Local authorities should at least be able to retain enough of the revenue to cover the overheads of running schemes.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Reposted by Adam Balkham
It’s been 279 days since Birmingham City Council declared a road safety emergency.
May 6, 2025 at 7:00 AM
It’s been 279 days since Birmingham City Council declared a road safety emergency.
Reposted by Adam Balkham
Look what can be achieved to change human behaviour. Imagine if governments put the same leadership, effort and commitment into preventing inactivity, obesity and road collisions that kill millions every year and cost the NHS and society £Billions.
Once widespread, smoking is now uncommon in Great Britain 🧵
April 22, 2025 at 7:27 AM
Look what can be achieved to change human behaviour. Imagine if governments put the same leadership, effort and commitment into preventing inactivity, obesity and road collisions that kill millions every year and cost the NHS and society £Billions.
Reposted by Adam Balkham
It’s been 258 days since Birmingham City Council declared a road safety emergency.
April 15, 2025 at 7:00 AM
It’s been 258 days since Birmingham City Council declared a road safety emergency.
Reposted by Adam Balkham
Air pollution has dropped significantly in #Paris in the last 15 years as a result of a deliberate strategy. Mayor @annehidalgo.bsky.social’s leadership has traded car space for green space, safe bike space, kid space.. and traded pollution for people.
Good trade.
Good trade.
April 10, 2025 at 12:17 AM
Air pollution has dropped significantly in #Paris in the last 15 years as a result of a deliberate strategy. Mayor @annehidalgo.bsky.social’s leadership has traded car space for green space, safe bike space, kid space.. and traded pollution for people.
Good trade.
Good trade.
Spotted by Dudley Port Station which means something good exists in the West Midlands. Even the biker gang on go slow.
April 12, 2025 at 1:28 PM
Spotted by Dudley Port Station which means something good exists in the West Midlands. Even the biker gang on go slow.
Reposted by Adam Balkham
This is tomorrow! 🚲 🐂
👇🏼
👇🏼
Two weeks from today: Birmingham's first @betterstreetsforbirmingham.org "Circle the City" cycle ride.
It'll be fun, inclusive, and make the point that you don't have to own a car to get around our city.
6PM, Victoria Square. See you April 4th!
It'll be fun, inclusive, and make the point that you don't have to own a car to get around our city.
6PM, Victoria Square. See you April 4th!
Birmingham by Bike - BSfB's Circle the City Route
YouTube video by John Munro - University of Birmingham
www.youtube.com
April 3, 2025 at 5:12 PM
This is tomorrow! 🚲 🐂
👇🏼
👇🏼
Reposted by Adam Balkham
@larry-turner.bsky.social Here’s the planned car park I’ve been on about. It would increase pressure on the fairly young bypass which has already been pushed to capacity with the adjacent shopping car park and McDonald’s. Appreciate it’s just over into @alcarns.bsky.social constituency.
Should be an #AprilFool but isn't 👇
A thread🧵
The NHS and @unibirmingham.bsky.social is building a "Health Innovation Campus" and once completed it will have what? That's right a multi storey car park with THREE THOUSAND spaces 🤔 🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗
So let's look at the plans...
A thread🧵
The NHS and @unibirmingham.bsky.social is building a "Health Innovation Campus" and once completed it will have what? That's right a multi storey car park with THREE THOUSAND spaces 🤔 🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗
So let's look at the plans...
April 1, 2025 at 5:58 PM
@larry-turner.bsky.social Here’s the planned car park I’ve been on about. It would increase pressure on the fairly young bypass which has already been pushed to capacity with the adjacent shopping car park and McDonald’s. Appreciate it’s just over into @alcarns.bsky.social constituency.
Reposted by Adam Balkham
We’re changing the way we travel, street by street, city by city. Great video on the Ghent transformation. youtu.be/VSN1BR6es6E?...
Ghent Kicked Out the Cars So You Can Walk, Bike, Live & Thrive in the City (Velo-City 2024)
YouTube video by Streetfilms®
youtu.be
March 29, 2025 at 7:06 AM
We’re changing the way we travel, street by street, city by city. Great video on the Ghent transformation. youtu.be/VSN1BR6es6E?...
Reposted by Adam Balkham
Has KS seen the cost of public transport?
What is his govt doing to support them?
And walking and cycling too?
This laser focus on driving whilst largely ignoring alternatives is so tired.
Better alternatives make driving a choice, not a necessity.
What is his govt doing to support them?
And walking and cycling too?
This laser focus on driving whilst largely ignoring alternatives is so tired.
Better alternatives make driving a choice, not a necessity.
It is “extremely hard” to be a motorist “on a modest income”, Sir Keir Starmer has said, as he pledged to “bear down” on costs for drivers
Hard to be motorist on ‘modest income’, says Starmer
It is “extremely hard” to be a motorist “on a modest income”, Sir Keir Starmer has said, as he pledged to “bear down” on costs for drivers. The Prime Minister told The Sun that “we need to drive down ...
nation.cymru
March 25, 2025 at 1:44 PM
Has KS seen the cost of public transport?
What is his govt doing to support them?
And walking and cycling too?
This laser focus on driving whilst largely ignoring alternatives is so tired.
Better alternatives make driving a choice, not a necessity.
What is his govt doing to support them?
And walking and cycling too?
This laser focus on driving whilst largely ignoring alternatives is so tired.
Better alternatives make driving a choice, not a necessity.