@j-ackley.bsky.social
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When the Manchester Guardian calls, the people of the North heed the call. And if those people are me, we inject Manchester Liberalism, even from across the Pennines, right back in to the paper of Northern record. Get your fill. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Britain’s cities are desperate for better transport. Why is Westminster derailing our plans in Leeds? | Thomas Forth
A long-promised tram network has been pushed back to the late 2030s – unless we build local, northern growth will be snuffed out, says Thomas Forth, co-founder of tech firm The Data City
www.theguardian.com
December 23, 2025 at 4:40 PM
When the Manchester Guardian calls, the people of the North heed the call. And if those people are me, we inject Manchester Liberalism, even from across the Pennines, right back in to the paper of Northern record. Get your fill. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
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If your cost-benefit model tells you it isn't worth investing in a tram or light rail system for an urban area with a population of well over 1m, like Leeds-Bradford, your model is wrong and should be thrown in the bin.
December 18, 2025 at 9:34 AM
If your cost-benefit model tells you it isn't worth investing in a tram or light rail system for an urban area with a population of well over 1m, like Leeds-Bradford, your model is wrong and should be thrown in the bin.
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I really expected them to go in one of these directions. Callback to the classic Intercity livery, in Union Jack colours. Maybe you sneak a double arrow into the lines. At the very, very least, they should have fimbriated it (put white between the red and blue sections so they don't clash)
December 9, 2025 at 7:28 AM
I really expected them to go in one of these directions. Callback to the classic Intercity livery, in Union Jack colours. Maybe you sneak a double arrow into the lines. At the very, very least, they should have fimbriated it (put white between the red and blue sections so they don't clash)
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Restaurants with menus only Instagram. I cannot see you. If you post only to Twitter. I cannot see you (but might be able to see a post from 2021 for some reason). Longform posts on Facebook? I can't read them.
December 4, 2025 at 8:12 AM
Restaurants with menus only Instagram. I cannot see you. If you post only to Twitter. I cannot see you (but might be able to see a post from 2021 for some reason). Longform posts on Facebook? I can't read them.
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The next in a series of blog posts about our work with @robertweetman.mastodon.scot.ap.brid.gy on pedestrian friendly side road junction design.
In this post, Robert takes a deeper dive into the factors which influence pedestrian friendliness.
robertweetman.wordpress.com/2025/12/02/f...
In this post, Robert takes a deeper dive into the factors which influence pedestrian friendliness.
robertweetman.wordpress.com/2025/12/02/f...
Factors in pedestrian-friendliness
A mini-manual describing the many features/factors that affect pedestrians at a side road junction.
robertweetman.wordpress.com
December 2, 2025 at 2:27 PM
The next in a series of blog posts about our work with @robertweetman.mastodon.scot.ap.brid.gy on pedestrian friendly side road junction design.
In this post, Robert takes a deeper dive into the factors which influence pedestrian friendliness.
robertweetman.wordpress.com/2025/12/02/f...
In this post, Robert takes a deeper dive into the factors which influence pedestrian friendliness.
robertweetman.wordpress.com/2025/12/02/f...
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This is why the redevelopment of the railway station has to provide a proper bus interchange.
Day 2 of the 3/3A buses serving Oxford station, and there are now DEFINITELY too many buses here.
There isn't room on their bus stop, so they fill up everywhere else instead. 🙄
There isn't room on their bus stop, so they fill up everywhere else instead. 🙄
November 10, 2025 at 1:22 PM
This is why the redevelopment of the railway station has to provide a proper bus interchange.
November 8, 2025 at 4:25 PM
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This isn't just poverty of aspiration, it is incompetence. 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 8, 2025 at 7:57 AM
This isn't just poverty of aspiration, it is incompetence. www.ft.com/content/5ecd...
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Let's have good cycle parking and a proper transport hub for Oxford Railway Station www.change.org/p/sign-for-a...
Sign the Petition
Sign for a bus hub in Oxford
www.change.org
November 3, 2025 at 11:23 AM
Let's have good cycle parking and a proper transport hub for Oxford Railway Station www.change.org/p/sign-for-a...
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My new newsletter is out, in which we use basic high-school maths to complain about street design
simple.ghost.io/lets-do-the-...
simple.ghost.io/lets-do-the-...
November 1, 2025 at 11:52 AM
My new newsletter is out, in which we use basic high-school maths to complain about street design
simple.ghost.io/lets-do-the-...
simple.ghost.io/lets-do-the-...
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Welcome to East Oxford where half of the pavement is for cars, half of the pavement is for bins, none of the pavement is for pedestrians. 👎
November 2, 2025 at 10:07 AM
Welcome to East Oxford where half of the pavement is for cars, half of the pavement is for bins, none of the pavement is for pedestrians. 👎
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Parking is a money loser. If it was public transport it would be said to be unfair to the taxpayer. Parish and district councils have few economic levers and think subsidising parking creates better places. The opposite is true.
Ever wondered what it costs to provide free parking?
Thetford Town Council have decided to keep all car parks at an increase of £10-15 per year for every council tax payer in the town.
Details below
www.edp24.co.uk/news/2558378...
Thetford Town Council have decided to keep all car parks at an increase of £10-15 per year for every council tax payer in the town.
Details below
www.edp24.co.uk/news/2558378...
Tax hikes loom as market town votes to take over car parks
Thetford Town council has taken a decisive step towards taking over its car parks, which could see locals pay more in council tax.
www.edp24.co.uk
October 31, 2025 at 10:57 AM
Parking is a money loser. If it was public transport it would be said to be unfair to the taxpayer. Parish and district councils have few economic levers and think subsidising parking creates better places. The opposite is true.
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Paris has now permanently pedestrianized hundreds of school streets.
Serious question: Is there anywhere in the UK that has even done one?
Is there not so much as one municipality in this entire country where child safety counts for as much as car owner convenience?
Not one?
Serious question: Is there anywhere in the UK that has even done one?
Is there not so much as one municipality in this entire country where child safety counts for as much as car owner convenience?
Not one?
Driver sticks their car through a Primary School fence while children are in School and NOTHING WILL HAPPEN www.edinburghlive.co.uk/news/edinbur...
October 31, 2025 at 8:09 AM
Paris has now permanently pedestrianized hundreds of school streets.
Serious question: Is there anywhere in the UK that has even done one?
Is there not so much as one municipality in this entire country where child safety counts for as much as car owner convenience?
Not one?
Serious question: Is there anywhere in the UK that has even done one?
Is there not so much as one municipality in this entire country where child safety counts for as much as car owner convenience?
Not one?
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We are a little bemused that the council containing one historic shire is “Oxford & Shires” whereas the council containing two historic shires… isn’t
October 30, 2025 at 1:32 PM
We are a little bemused that the council containing one historic shire is “Oxford & Shires” whereas the council containing two historic shires… isn’t
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None of these changes was "inevitable" or "natural." They were all the results of deliberate policy actions (or inaction, which is a policy choice too).
October 29, 2025 at 6:58 PM
None of these changes was "inevitable" or "natural." They were all the results of deliberate policy actions (or inaction, which is a policy choice too).
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I've written about the worst city in the Netherlands. It's just 3000 words. A quick read. What Lelystad teaches us about new cities, why you probably shouldn't build them, what to do if you must,... and why you might need to. ps. Lelystad is actually good. tomforth.co.uk/newcities/
The worst city in the Netherlands.
Lessons on New Cities from Almere and Lelystad.
tomforth.co.uk
October 24, 2025 at 12:30 AM
I've written about the worst city in the Netherlands. It's just 3000 words. A quick read. What Lelystad teaches us about new cities, why you probably shouldn't build them, what to do if you must,... and why you might need to. ps. Lelystad is actually good. tomforth.co.uk/newcities/
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We're preaching to the converted of course, but we really wish that those managing projects like this would come and get some advice from people who know what they are talking about.
These are not fit for purpose through their shape, fixings, being too close to each other and to the kerbs!
Fail.
These are not fit for purpose through their shape, fixings, being too close to each other and to the kerbs!
Fail.
I’m generally a pretty big champion of North Shields and happy to see new stuff happening, but there is so much that is just shoddy about the renovations on the “high street” (Bedford St) and these bike racks are the latest.
October 15, 2025 at 10:54 AM
We're preaching to the converted of course, but we really wish that those managing projects like this would come and get some advice from people who know what they are talking about.
These are not fit for purpose through their shape, fixings, being too close to each other and to the kerbs!
Fail.
These are not fit for purpose through their shape, fixings, being too close to each other and to the kerbs!
Fail.
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Rail station car parking: it seems that either Network Rail, or the regulator, has rules against reducing private car parking spaces at rail stations. In Oxford, we have a half-empty car park on prime real estate. We'd like to use it for other things. See below campaign. (1/2)
archive.ph/RKXqW
archive.ph/RKXqW
October 22, 2025 at 10:50 AM
Rail station car parking: it seems that either Network Rail, or the regulator, has rules against reducing private car parking spaces at rail stations. In Oxford, we have a half-empty car park on prime real estate. We'd like to use it for other things. See below campaign. (1/2)
archive.ph/RKXqW
archive.ph/RKXqW
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The decision to (incorrectly) remove all the bus lanes in the first place was based off the (correct) finding that just painting bus lanes on dual carriageways because space is there for them does not actually improve bus reliability.
You need targeted priority measures for buses at key points. 1/
You need targeted priority measures for buses at key points. 1/
I'm in favour of bus lanes (and I see bus lanes as bike lanes).
We should always be cautious of vox pops: One angry resident and the article balances, but it doesn't mean the view is balanced. Some parts of the north end <50% of people drive. It's not all about you.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
We should always be cautious of vox pops: One angry resident and the article balances, but it doesn't mean the view is balanced. Some parts of the north end <50% of people drive. It's not all about you.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Liverpool City Council to introduce more 'experimental' bus lanes
Liverpool scrapped most of its bus lanes in 2014 but reintroduced some of them nearly 10 years later.
www.bbc.co.uk
October 17, 2025 at 1:48 PM
The decision to (incorrectly) remove all the bus lanes in the first place was based off the (correct) finding that just painting bus lanes on dual carriageways because space is there for them does not actually improve bus reliability.
You need targeted priority measures for buses at key points. 1/
You need targeted priority measures for buses at key points. 1/
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All motorbikes are anti-socially loud and most drivers overuse their car horns. There should be legislation against excessive vehicle noise. I don’t know how we do that. I’m not in charge. I’m just here having niche, but serious, ethical stances.
Do you have any extremely niche, but serious, ethical stances?
October 17, 2025 at 10:22 AM
All motorbikes are anti-socially loud and most drivers overuse their car horns. There should be legislation against excessive vehicle noise. I don’t know how we do that. I’m not in charge. I’m just here having niche, but serious, ethical stances.
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On-the-ground work has begun on the £300m+ HIF1 road around Didcot and Clifton Hampden, including site setup and archaelogical investigation. Main construction is expected to start in the spring. news.oxfordshire.gov.uk/early-stage-...
Early-stage construction work starts on major infrastructure scheme for Didcot and surrounding areas
Early-stage construction work has started on vital transport infrastructure to reduce congestion and offer more sustainable travel options in and around Didcot and its surrounding villages.The Didcot ...
news.oxfordshire.gov.uk
October 16, 2025 at 10:41 AM
On-the-ground work has begun on the £300m+ HIF1 road around Didcot and Clifton Hampden, including site setup and archaelogical investigation. Main construction is expected to start in the spring. news.oxfordshire.gov.uk/early-stage-...
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Oxfordshire’s councils are being reorganised. Which plan makes the most sense? We crunch the numbers in an extremely geeky long read. Warning: contains cheese (and cheesy jokes) oxfordclarion.uk/oxfordshires...
Oxfordshire’s councils: slicing the cheese
Do you want an extremely geeky deep-dive into local council reorganisation? You’re a Clarion reader. Of course you do.
Your quick recap. In those days, Angela Rayner issued a decree that county and d...
oxfordclarion.uk
October 10, 2025 at 9:07 AM
Oxfordshire’s councils are being reorganised. Which plan makes the most sense? We crunch the numbers in an extremely geeky long read. Warning: contains cheese (and cheesy jokes) oxfordclarion.uk/oxfordshires...
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This is written in National Highway's own "about us" page.
They are promoting car dependent sprawl as part of their business plan.
They are promoting car dependent sprawl as part of their business plan.
For my mind, anyone saying that a new road or adding capacity to a junction will "unlock thousands of new homes" needs to be very stringently asked "how".
Linking a road scheme as necessary to unlocking land for housebuilding should be a huge red flag for the media to probe.
Linking a road scheme as necessary to unlocking land for housebuilding should be a huge red flag for the media to probe.
October 11, 2025 at 8:39 AM
This is written in National Highway's own "about us" page.
They are promoting car dependent sprawl as part of their business plan.
They are promoting car dependent sprawl as part of their business plan.
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Oxford Bus Co has announced more frequent bus services from November to coincide with the congestion charge coming into effect. The improvements mean Blackbird Leys and Cowley will have services to the city centre every 10 minutes, while Iffley Road gets a new night bus.
October 7, 2025 at 2:57 PM
Oxford Bus Co has announced more frequent bus services from November to coincide with the congestion charge coming into effect. The improvements mean Blackbird Leys and Cowley will have services to the city centre every 10 minutes, while Iffley Road gets a new night bus.
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We're pleased to report on a project that Mark has been working on with Robert Weetman for Manchester City Council.
This post sets out some ideas that developed from this work and which will hopefully start to explain what "pedestrian-friendly" is, and how we can design better side road junctions.
This post sets out some ideas that developed from this work and which will hopefully start to explain what "pedestrian-friendly" is, and how we can design better side road junctions.
What makes side road junctions pedestrian-friendly?
ForewordThis post has a companion written by Robert Weetman. We have been working collaboratively on something which we think needs to be more widely known, but we also thought it might be fun and …
cityinfinity.co.uk
October 7, 2025 at 9:30 AM
We're pleased to report on a project that Mark has been working on with Robert Weetman for Manchester City Council.
This post sets out some ideas that developed from this work and which will hopefully start to explain what "pedestrian-friendly" is, and how we can design better side road junctions.
This post sets out some ideas that developed from this work and which will hopefully start to explain what "pedestrian-friendly" is, and how we can design better side road junctions.