Finlay KM
@finkm.bsky.social
Electronics Engineer with an interest in a things sustainable transport, and also good food. Occasional ADHD advocate. Starter of many madcap projects.
We don’t help ourselves in the UK by taking so long to build things either - it gives the NIMBYs a huge amount of time to organise against everything, and the more delays there are the more cost overruns they point to as a justification for canning the whole thing.
December 16, 2025 at 12:05 PM
We don’t help ourselves in the UK by taking so long to build things either - it gives the NIMBYs a huge amount of time to organise against everything, and the more delays there are the more cost overruns they point to as a justification for canning the whole thing.
See also: Labour trying to appease the far-right. Spoiler, they’ll always hate you and accuse you of not going far enough. Eventually you just have to draw a line and say “that’s our limit, sorry.”
December 16, 2025 at 12:01 PM
See also: Labour trying to appease the far-right. Spoiler, they’ll always hate you and accuse you of not going far enough. Eventually you just have to draw a line and say “that’s our limit, sorry.”
The last one on that list seems a bit Scilly
December 11, 2025 at 4:05 PM
The last one on that list seems a bit Scilly
Yeah this seems like a somewhat sensible way of running things if you have to have private involvement. Concession-holders actually have to be competitive when it comes to renewal, and can’t take the public for a ride on ticket costs. I believe London buses are the same?
December 11, 2025 at 7:55 AM
Yeah this seems like a somewhat sensible way of running things if you have to have private involvement. Concession-holders actually have to be competitive when it comes to renewal, and can’t take the public for a ride on ticket costs. I believe London buses are the same?
I could get behind the flag design mirrored on the leading and trailing carriages with the intermediate ones connecting visually, but repeated like that looks a bit odd.
December 9, 2025 at 8:45 AM
I could get behind the flag design mirrored on the leading and trailing carriages with the intermediate ones connecting visually, but repeated like that looks a bit odd.
Yes I admit I did wonder if they’d missed the “small” part of SMRs with that design. I remember seeing other proposals for far smaller units (10s of MW) - but we shall see if those go anywhere. Also keeping one eye on what commonwealth fusion systems are up to in the states…
December 9, 2025 at 8:41 AM
Yes I admit I did wonder if they’d missed the “small” part of SMRs with that design. I remember seeing other proposals for far smaller units (10s of MW) - but we shall see if those go anywhere. Also keeping one eye on what commonwealth fusion systems are up to in the states…
True, but I’d like to think SMR’s are going to shift that conversation, and the current government do seem to be trying to tackle the absurd overheads of building, well, any infrastructure at all - but nuclear in particular.
December 8, 2025 at 9:32 AM
True, but I’d like to think SMR’s are going to shift that conversation, and the current government do seem to be trying to tackle the absurd overheads of building, well, any infrastructure at all - but nuclear in particular.
We’ll see how long the current Green Party structure lasts as well, maybe it won’t transfer well to being a more mainstream political force and will require more central directing, or maybe it will work better than other parties. One to watch at least!
December 8, 2025 at 9:30 AM
We’ll see how long the current Green Party structure lasts as well, maybe it won’t transfer well to being a more mainstream political force and will require more central directing, or maybe it will work better than other parties. One to watch at least!
Valid points - I suppose my take it that Nuclear’s a touch paper issue for the green movement, so maybe as a new leader, building a bit more political capital and shifting the consensus slowly is better than immediately starting a party civil war.
December 8, 2025 at 9:28 AM
Valid points - I suppose my take it that Nuclear’s a touch paper issue for the green movement, so maybe as a new leader, building a bit more political capital and shifting the consensus slowly is better than immediately starting a party civil war.
On another key issue - Nuclear Power - Polanski himself isn’t openly pro but has also said people should get involved and change that policy if they genuinely think it needs doing. I get the feeling he’s a lot more pragmatic about the party platform than other recent left leaders.
December 8, 2025 at 8:42 AM
On another key issue - Nuclear Power - Polanski himself isn’t openly pro but has also said people should get involved and change that policy if they genuinely think it needs doing. I get the feeling he’s a lot more pragmatic about the party platform than other recent left leaders.
Setting up effectively run legal routes that people can access abroad would be a big one. Also not constantly preaching austerity so people don't feel like any basic accommodation for asylum seekers is a slap in the face.
November 17, 2025 at 2:06 PM
Setting up effectively run legal routes that people can access abroad would be a big one. Also not constantly preaching austerity so people don't feel like any basic accommodation for asylum seekers is a slap in the face.
I saw a good take on elements of this government - they don't seem to disagree with the previous Conservative governments on a lot of core ideology, they just think the Tories were incompetent/slow at implementation. Not universally the case, but definitely true in parts.
November 17, 2025 at 1:01 PM
I saw a good take on elements of this government - they don't seem to disagree with the previous Conservative governments on a lot of core ideology, they just think the Tories were incompetent/slow at implementation. Not universally the case, but definitely true in parts.
Yup - watched "Zone of Interest" a few months back and this immediately reminded of some gut-churningly unpleasant scenes where the family and friends of the camp staff are picking through jewellery and clothing that's been taken from victims. Really grim to hear this from Labour.
November 17, 2025 at 12:55 PM
Yup - watched "Zone of Interest" a few months back and this immediately reminded of some gut-churningly unpleasant scenes where the family and friends of the camp staff are picking through jewellery and clothing that's been taken from victims. Really grim to hear this from Labour.
Look at the litany of issues we’ve had in this country with CAF produced rolling stock and it’s a wonder we still buy trains from them. Aluminium fractures and software issues abound.
November 12, 2025 at 2:25 PM
Look at the litany of issues we’ve had in this country with CAF produced rolling stock and it’s a wonder we still buy trains from them. Aluminium fractures and software issues abound.
I always think it would be fun to get into building genuinely excellent social housing in this country (the UK). We have a few great examples, but you look at the quality of projects on the continent and there’s no comparison.
October 27, 2025 at 9:58 AM
I always think it would be fun to get into building genuinely excellent social housing in this country (the UK). We have a few great examples, but you look at the quality of projects on the continent and there’s no comparison.
Or 1 in 10 is one of those anti-ram bollards that’s concreted several feet underground, but painted to look identical…
August 31, 2025 at 8:17 AM
Or 1 in 10 is one of those anti-ram bollards that’s concreted several feet underground, but painted to look identical…
This was 100% my reaction as well - how on earth did they get close enough to a military plane to chuck paint in the engines? That’s a huge security failure, and I wonder in part if that’s why the government is focussing on PA being “dangerous terrorists” so it seems like less of a screwup…
August 11, 2025 at 3:19 PM
This was 100% my reaction as well - how on earth did they get close enough to a military plane to chuck paint in the engines? That’s a huge security failure, and I wonder in part if that’s why the government is focussing on PA being “dangerous terrorists” so it seems like less of a screwup…
I hope we do actually get the giant orange ART obelisk…
July 15, 2025 at 9:25 PM
I hope we do actually get the giant orange ART obelisk…
Nice really impressed me when we visited earlier this year - so much new cycle infrastructure and pedestrianisation, and a really nice tram/metro system. And lots of new planting in the streets with tiny buses!
July 9, 2025 at 6:29 AM
Nice really impressed me when we visited earlier this year - so much new cycle infrastructure and pedestrianisation, and a really nice tram/metro system. And lots of new planting in the streets with tiny buses!
Picked up some in King’s Cross, so will be spreading them a bit further afield in Cambridge! Lovely idea!
June 25, 2025 at 8:46 AM
Picked up some in King’s Cross, so will be spreading them a bit further afield in Cambridge! Lovely idea!
You say 1970s, but it looks like there was recognition of how dangerous the stuff was in the early 20th century. Just took a long time for people to decide the costs outweighed the benefits.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asbesto...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asbesto...
Asbestos - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
June 22, 2025 at 12:04 PM
You say 1970s, but it looks like there was recognition of how dangerous the stuff was in the early 20th century. Just took a long time for people to decide the costs outweighed the benefits.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asbesto...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asbesto...
Also even without adjustment, I’d bet “we’d like to spend more on defence and public services, and fund it by small increases in borrowing and large increases on taxes for the top ~5% of society” would poll quite well.
The issue is that Labour seem allergic to any serious reform of our tax system.
The issue is that Labour seem allergic to any serious reform of our tax system.
June 3, 2025 at 12:51 PM
Also even without adjustment, I’d bet “we’d like to spend more on defence and public services, and fund it by small increases in borrowing and large increases on taxes for the top ~5% of society” would poll quite well.
The issue is that Labour seem allergic to any serious reform of our tax system.
The issue is that Labour seem allergic to any serious reform of our tax system.
This is the constant chorus from local news in Cambridge...
“Locals FURIOUS at cycle lanes”
…well yeah, like 5 of them who wrote to you, but the endless consultations show most people quite like them actually.
“Locals FURIOUS at cycle lanes”
…well yeah, like 5 of them who wrote to you, but the endless consultations show most people quite like them actually.
May 30, 2025 at 11:03 AM
This is the constant chorus from local news in Cambridge...
“Locals FURIOUS at cycle lanes”
…well yeah, like 5 of them who wrote to you, but the endless consultations show most people quite like them actually.
“Locals FURIOUS at cycle lanes”
…well yeah, like 5 of them who wrote to you, but the endless consultations show most people quite like them actually.