Michael Dnes
@roadscholar.bsky.social
Head of transport policy at Stonehaven consulting. Ex-civil servant who used to play with roads, trains, e-scooters, parking apps and a lot of government plumbing. May have made your driving test harder, and threw some cones in your way at least once
Fortunately, there is one person who can change this – Emma Reynolds, the Defra secretary of state.
There is one last consultation, and in January she gets to decide whether or not to sign off Natural England’s plan.
She’s within her rights to say ‘try again’.
There is one last consultation, and in January she gets to decide whether or not to sign off Natural England’s plan.
She’s within her rights to say ‘try again’.
November 23, 2025 at 9:04 AM
Fortunately, there is one person who can change this – Emma Reynolds, the Defra secretary of state.
There is one last consultation, and in January she gets to decide whether or not to sign off Natural England’s plan.
She’s within her rights to say ‘try again’.
There is one last consultation, and in January she gets to decide whether or not to sign off Natural England’s plan.
She’s within her rights to say ‘try again’.
That’s right. We’re going to designate huge areas as beautiful and protected. But we will give nothing back. Even if it has a motorway in the middle of it.
Like any true romance, the M25 only grows more beautiful with age.
Like any true romance, the M25 only grows more beautiful with age.
November 23, 2025 at 9:04 AM
That’s right. We’re going to designate huge areas as beautiful and protected. But we will give nothing back. Even if it has a motorway in the middle of it.
Like any true romance, the M25 only grows more beautiful with age.
Like any true romance, the M25 only grows more beautiful with age.
But this isn’t just a local problem. It goes back to the core of the review.
Because when Natural England started out on project to reassess the natural beauty of this area they set a very important rule.
We’re going to ignore the motorways.
Because when Natural England started out on project to reassess the natural beauty of this area they set a very important rule.
We’re going to ignore the motorways.
November 23, 2025 at 9:04 AM
But this isn’t just a local problem. It goes back to the core of the review.
Because when Natural England started out on project to reassess the natural beauty of this area they set a very important rule.
We’re going to ignore the motorways.
Because when Natural England started out on project to reassess the natural beauty of this area they set a very important rule.
We’re going to ignore the motorways.
There _is_ an oblique reference in a section marked ‘marginal areas’ that accepts existing transport infrastructure “may undermine perceptions of tranquillity”.
Which, on balance, I would agree with.
Which, on balance, I would agree with.
November 23, 2025 at 9:04 AM
There _is_ an oblique reference in a section marked ‘marginal areas’ that accepts existing transport infrastructure “may undermine perceptions of tranquillity”.
Which, on balance, I would agree with.
Which, on balance, I would agree with.
This bit kind of has to be in. Because without taking a chunk of M25, the AONB cannot acquire a 7 sq mile area to the south.
So we’re going to overlook that motorway.
So we’re going to overlook that motorway.
November 23, 2025 at 9:04 AM
This bit kind of has to be in. Because without taking a chunk of M25, the AONB cannot acquire a 7 sq mile area to the south.
So we’re going to overlook that motorway.
So we’re going to overlook that motorway.
To be fair, there are already motorways in AONBs. Sizeable chunks of the M4 go through protected landscapes.
But the M25 is a bit extreme. It’s not so much that the motorway goes through the AONB; more like the AONB is retraining as a hard shoulder
But the M25 is a bit extreme. It’s not so much that the motorway goes through the AONB; more like the AONB is retraining as a hard shoulder
November 23, 2025 at 9:04 AM
To be fair, there are already motorways in AONBs. Sizeable chunks of the M4 go through protected landscapes.
But the M25 is a bit extreme. It’s not so much that the motorway goes through the AONB; more like the AONB is retraining as a hard shoulder
But the M25 is a bit extreme. It’s not so much that the motorway goes through the AONB; more like the AONB is retraining as a hard shoulder
This is the stretch in question.
It’s a winter shot, so it doesn’t really do justice. In Spring, I imagine the blossom on the trees beautifully complements the bright orange of the emergency refuge area.
It’s a winter shot, so it doesn’t really do justice. In Spring, I imagine the blossom on the trees beautifully complements the bright orange of the emergency refuge area.
November 23, 2025 at 9:04 AM
This is the stretch in question.
It’s a winter shot, so it doesn’t really do justice. In Spring, I imagine the blossom on the trees beautifully complements the bright orange of the emergency refuge area.
It’s a winter shot, so it doesn’t really do justice. In Spring, I imagine the blossom on the trees beautifully complements the bright orange of the emergency refuge area.
Not many people think of the M25 as an example of outstanding natural beauty. But actually, from junctions 3-8 it almost all AONB. See the s*b***k for why.
But there’s a gap. And this expansion fixes that.
But there’s a gap. And this expansion fixes that.
November 23, 2025 at 9:04 AM
Not many people think of the M25 as an example of outstanding natural beauty. But actually, from junctions 3-8 it almost all AONB. See the s*b***k for why.
But there’s a gap. And this expansion fixes that.
But there’s a gap. And this expansion fixes that.
You might think that this seems at odds with the policies of this government – given they wish for 1.5 million homes, and do not consider green belt to be sacred.
And you would be right. Because this policy was started in 2021, under the last government.
And you would be right. Because this policy was started in 2021, under the last government.
November 23, 2025 at 9:04 AM
You might think that this seems at odds with the policies of this government – given they wish for 1.5 million homes, and do not consider green belt to be sacred.
And you would be right. Because this policy was started in 2021, under the last government.
And you would be right. Because this policy was started in 2021, under the last government.
Take Woldingham for example – currently on the boundary of the AONB (dark green), soon to be fully encircled (light green).
The station has a train every 30 minutes to London Victoria.
The red line shows the land govt wants to unlock.
The station has a train every 30 minutes to London Victoria.
The red line shows the land govt wants to unlock.
November 23, 2025 at 9:04 AM
Take Woldingham for example – currently on the boundary of the AONB (dark green), soon to be fully encircled (light green).
The station has a train every 30 minutes to London Victoria.
The red line shows the land govt wants to unlock.
The station has a train every 30 minutes to London Victoria.
The red line shows the land govt wants to unlock.
And around London, Natural England is consulting on taking the AONB nearest to London – Surrey Hills – and expanding it.
Which means that there are quite a few train stations around London, in open fields, where development will shortly be made extremely difficult.
Which means that there are quite a few train stations around London, in open fields, where development will shortly be made extremely difficult.
November 23, 2025 at 9:04 AM
And around London, Natural England is consulting on taking the AONB nearest to London – Surrey Hills – and expanding it.
Which means that there are quite a few train stations around London, in open fields, where development will shortly be made extremely difficult.
Which means that there are quite a few train stations around London, in open fields, where development will shortly be made extremely difficult.
The government calls this a ‘default yes’. But there are things that will turn this into a default no
One of those things is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB/National Landscape). Planning policy says building here should be avoided if possible – which seems reasonable
One of those things is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB/National Landscape). Planning policy says building here should be avoided if possible – which seems reasonable
November 23, 2025 at 9:04 AM
The government calls this a ‘default yes’. But there are things that will turn this into a default no
One of those things is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB/National Landscape). Planning policy says building here should be avoided if possible – which seems reasonable
One of those things is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB/National Landscape). Planning policy says building here should be avoided if possible – which seems reasonable
This week the government announced that it wanted to ensure development next to train stations gets an automatic yes.
There’s one area near London where that won’t be happening.
And it’s home to a motorway that will soon be – by law – beautiful.
There’s one area near London where that won’t be happening.
And it’s home to a motorway that will soon be – by law – beautiful.
November 23, 2025 at 9:04 AM
This week the government announced that it wanted to ensure development next to train stations gets an automatic yes.
There’s one area near London where that won’t be happening.
And it’s home to a motorway that will soon be – by law – beautiful.
There’s one area near London where that won’t be happening.
And it’s home to a motorway that will soon be – by law – beautiful.
These things can make tangible improvements to peoples’ lives, and can demonstrate the value of progress in real terms.
Just the way other improvements in transport used to do for hundreds of years.
Just the way other improvements in transport used to do for hundreds of years.
September 14, 2025 at 8:36 AM
These things can make tangible improvements to peoples’ lives, and can demonstrate the value of progress in real terms.
Just the way other improvements in transport used to do for hundreds of years.
Just the way other improvements in transport used to do for hundreds of years.
Autonomous vehicles could spare Americans from 93 billion hours of drudgery a year.
E-bikes, with the right infrastructure, could turn summertime commutes into joy rides.
Planes that can outrun Concorde would halve the size of oceans.
E-bikes, with the right infrastructure, could turn summertime commutes into joy rides.
Planes that can outrun Concorde would halve the size of oceans.
September 14, 2025 at 8:36 AM
Autonomous vehicles could spare Americans from 93 billion hours of drudgery a year.
E-bikes, with the right infrastructure, could turn summertime commutes into joy rides.
Planes that can outrun Concorde would halve the size of oceans.
E-bikes, with the right infrastructure, could turn summertime commutes into joy rides.
Planes that can outrun Concorde would halve the size of oceans.
In his original tweet, Eli suggested that this job could be done better by autonomous buses and fast planes
FWIW, I think this will prove true (when I was the UK’s main road strategist, I had a plan for the buses). But until we prove it, there’s still a job for trains
FWIW, I think this will prove true (when I was the UK’s main road strategist, I had a plan for the buses). But until we prove it, there’s still a job for trains
September 14, 2025 at 8:36 AM
In his original tweet, Eli suggested that this job could be done better by autonomous buses and fast planes
FWIW, I think this will prove true (when I was the UK’s main road strategist, I had a plan for the buses). But until we prove it, there’s still a job for trains
FWIW, I think this will prove true (when I was the UK’s main road strategist, I had a plan for the buses). But until we prove it, there’s still a job for trains
So that leaves us with the railway. Which, for all its limitations, is a powerful people mover. 60 years on, the same area of London is served by Crossrail, which tied together two existing railways to provide it with a 32-train-per-hour rail superhighway.
September 14, 2025 at 8:36 AM
So that leaves us with the railway. Which, for all its limitations, is a powerful people mover. 60 years on, the same area of London is served by Crossrail, which tied together two existing railways to provide it with a 32-train-per-hour rail superhighway.
But they really did try.
- Add six 5-lane motorways
- Convert the whole ground level to a hexagonal road network
- Move the humans and their buildings 20ft in the air
- Dig two floors of parking underneath with 60,000 spaces
It still wasn’t enough
- Add six 5-lane motorways
- Convert the whole ground level to a hexagonal road network
- Move the humans and their buildings 20ft in the air
- Dig two floors of parking underneath with 60,000 spaces
It still wasn’t enough
September 14, 2025 at 8:36 AM
But they really did try.
- Add six 5-lane motorways
- Convert the whole ground level to a hexagonal road network
- Move the humans and their buildings 20ft in the air
- Dig two floors of parking underneath with 60,000 spaces
It still wasn’t enough
- Add six 5-lane motorways
- Convert the whole ground level to a hexagonal road network
- Move the humans and their buildings 20ft in the air
- Dig two floors of parking underneath with 60,000 spaces
It still wasn’t enough
They looked at an area of central London called Fitzrovia, and tried to work out how it would need to change to deal with the expected traffic. A rise from 3,000 vehicles/hr to 40,000.
It was immediately clear that this was impossible.
It was immediately clear that this was impossible.
September 14, 2025 at 8:36 AM
They looked at an area of central London called Fitzrovia, and tried to work out how it would need to change to deal with the expected traffic. A rise from 3,000 vehicles/hr to 40,000.
It was immediately clear that this was impossible.
It was immediately clear that this was impossible.
Well, no. There’s a really good reason abundance likes trains. But it has little to do with transport, and everything to do with cities
Abundance really, really loves cities. And in cities, transport gets weird
Abundance really, really loves cities. And in cities, transport gets weird
September 14, 2025 at 8:36 AM
Well, no. There’s a really good reason abundance likes trains. But it has little to do with transport, and everything to do with cities
Abundance really, really loves cities. And in cities, transport gets weird
Abundance really, really loves cities. And in cities, transport gets weird
All that would seem to point to 1. leveraging new tech like modern batteries, autonomous control, drone flight etc and 2. rationalising rulebooks – so billions of people save time and money.
So why is so much abundance transport chat about trains?
So why is so much abundance transport chat about trains?
September 14, 2025 at 8:36 AM
All that would seem to point to 1. leveraging new tech like modern batteries, autonomous control, drone flight etc and 2. rationalising rulebooks – so billions of people save time and money.
So why is so much abundance transport chat about trains?
So why is so much abundance transport chat about trains?
Second: transport is the area where degrowth – the arch-enemy of abundance – holds the most power.
We think it normal to e.g. limit road traffic to deliver environmental goals. There are good reasons for that, but they’re the opposite of the abundance mindset.
We think it normal to e.g. limit road traffic to deliver environmental goals. There are good reasons for that, but they’re the opposite of the abundance mindset.
September 14, 2025 at 8:36 AM
Second: transport is the area where degrowth – the arch-enemy of abundance – holds the most power.
We think it normal to e.g. limit road traffic to deliver environmental goals. There are good reasons for that, but they’re the opposite of the abundance mindset.
We think it normal to e.g. limit road traffic to deliver environmental goals. There are good reasons for that, but they’re the opposite of the abundance mindset.
Then came the omnibus, the railway, the tram, the automobile. 1m became normal. 10m stopped being incredible.
Not only that, cities and nations did things they never thought of before – national newspapers; sports leagues, etc.
A perfect demonstration of the power of abundance.
Not only that, cities and nations did things they never thought of before – national newspapers; sports leagues, etc.
A perfect demonstration of the power of abundance.
September 14, 2025 at 8:36 AM
Then came the omnibus, the railway, the tram, the automobile. 1m became normal. 10m stopped being incredible.
Not only that, cities and nations did things they never thought of before – national newspapers; sports leagues, etc.
A perfect demonstration of the power of abundance.
Not only that, cities and nations did things they never thought of before – national newspapers; sports leagues, etc.
A perfect demonstration of the power of abundance.
You should expect abundance to care about transport.
First, abundant transport transformed what cities could do: before c.1800 city size was capped at 1m people, and the distances people could walk in c. 1 hour.
First, abundant transport transformed what cities could do: before c.1800 city size was capped at 1m people, and the distances people could walk in c. 1 hour.
September 14, 2025 at 8:36 AM
You should expect abundance to care about transport.
First, abundant transport transformed what cities could do: before c.1800 city size was capped at 1m people, and the distances people could walk in c. 1 hour.
First, abundant transport transformed what cities could do: before c.1800 city size was capped at 1m people, and the distances people could walk in c. 1 hour.
Earlier this week, there was a big twitter debate started by @elidourado.com – are trains part of Abundance or not?
And that prompts a much bigger question: why is abundance so loud about trains, and so quiet about everything else?
And that prompts a much bigger question: why is abundance so loud about trains, and so quiet about everything else?
September 14, 2025 at 8:36 AM
Earlier this week, there was a big twitter debate started by @elidourado.com – are trains part of Abundance or not?
And that prompts a much bigger question: why is abundance so loud about trains, and so quiet about everything else?
And that prompts a much bigger question: why is abundance so loud about trains, and so quiet about everything else?