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Alison Hill

@dralisonhill.bsky.social

540 followers 690 following 150 posts

Retired cycling public health doctor living in #Oxford. MBE for services to cycling. Posts on #cycling #activetravel #climatecrisis #publichealth #gardening

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Alison Hill @dralisonhill.bsky.social · Nov 27

The blancmange! I was hoping that 4 years into the latest #OxfordshireCountyCouncil administration we would no longer be seeing active travel schemes turning into a sticky puddle. But there are still too many poor bits of cycling infrastructure being implemented 😰

A picture of a blancmange gradually collapsing, as a metaphor for cycling infrastructure as it goes from vision, through planning and design to delivery.

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Alison Hill @dralisonhill.bsky.social · 3h

Wonderful! Another little step towards reducing motor traffic in Oxford.

Oxford Clarion @oxfordclarion.bsky.social · 5d

A freight interchange between delivery trucks and cargo bikes is planned for Oxford Parkway car park. Shipments will be delivered to the “micro consolidation hub” every morning, then taken into Oxford and Kidlington by electric cargo bike.

The underused cycle parking at Oxford Parkway proposed for conversion to a bike freight hub – Google Street View

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Reposted by Alison Hill

Kit Yates @kityates.bsky.social · 3d

Bit niche I think, but apparently this parking spot is reserved for female rock climbers.

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Alison Hill @dralisonhill.bsky.social · 3d

Just what the congestion charge and traffic filters are meant to achieve hurray👏

Oxford Clarion @oxfordclarion.bsky.social · 4d

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.

Oxford Bus Company 300 stops off for a quick half at the Wetherspoons

Alison Hill @dralisonhill.bsky.social · 4d

A great use of the funds raised through the congestion charge 👏 www.oxfordbus.co.uk/free-bus-tra...

Free bus travel via Park & Ride network among raft of major improvements

Bus travel via the Park & Ride network has been made free among a raft of major improvements

www.oxfordbus.co.uk

Reposted by Alison Hill

Rebecca Fernandez O'Shea @rebeccafernandez.bsky.social · Aug 25

I mean, come on! Why are we accepting this as ok??!
(pic from @urbancyclinginstitute.org )

A picture of a toddler standing in front of a parked SUV. The toddler doesn't even get close to being visible above the bumper.

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Reposted by Alison Hill

Dr_Aust_PhD @draustphd.bsky.social · 16d

Yup. It's been a long slog, though - as with all new therapies. I worked in a gene therapy lab back in 1997-8. The kinds of viral gene delivery systems the Huntington's work used were in development back then. So this stuff has been decades (of basic research - hence why you need it!) in the making.

Grant Jacobs BioinfoTools/NotJustDNA 🔬🧬🖥️✍️📚 @notjustdna.bsky.social · 17d

Wow, treating Huntington’s now, slowing it by 75% using gene therapy.

It feels like every month there is something new and amazing coming out of gene therapy.

Nice article in the BBC –
www.bbc.com/news/article...

Huntington's disease successfully treated for first time

One of the most devastating diseases finally has a treatment that can slow its progression and transform lives, tearful doctors tell BBC.

www.bbc.com

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Alison Hill @dralisonhill.bsky.social · 19d

What a way to celebrate #WorldCarFreeDay! Well done all who participated in the biggest ever #KidicalMassOxford and @cycloxoxford.bsky.social for organising it 👏🚲👏🚲

Oxford Clarion @oxfordclarion.bsky.social · 20d

Kids reclaimed the streets of Oxford in Kidical Mass, a family bike ride, around the city centre earlier today. Our special report and photo gallery 👇

oxfordclarion.uk/kids-claim-t...

Kids claim the streets of Oxford

The latest Kidical Mass family bike ride attracted a record turnout, according to organisers Cyclox. More than 200 cyclists of all ages converged in Oxford ringing bells as they circled the city centr...

oxfordclarion.uk

Reposted by Alison Hill

Cyclox @cycloxoxford.bsky.social · Sep 11

Oxford congestion charge, clean air, less noise, faster bus journeys...what's not to like? www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Oxford congestion charge 'insulting', say critics

Oxfordshire County Council voted on Wednesday to introduce the temporary £5 charge by 10 November.

www.bbc.co.uk

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Reposted by Alison Hill

Cllr Emily Kerr 💚 @emilykerr36.bsky.social · Sep 10

Oxford's Congestion Charge approved at Cabinet today!

I think this is the first UK one for 20 years - London and Durham being the other two cities with them. Looking forward to faster buses and more bus routes, fewer private cars and therefore being able to re-do crossings to favour pedestrians!

Oxford Clarion @oxfordclarion.bsky.social · Sep 10

Oxford is to get a congestion charge of £5 per car per day, starting this autumn. Charges will be levied for driving past one of six camera sites. The decision, intended to accelerate bus services and encourage cycling/walking, was taken at an Oxfordshire County Council cabinet meeting this morning.

Buses on the High Street, Oxford. Photo by Roger Close.

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Alison Hill @dralisonhill.bsky.social · Sep 10

Congestion charge approved by Oxfordshire County Council Cabinet today 🙌
Hoping queues like this one on the Marston Ferry Road at evening rush hour will be a thing of the past 🚘❌
Congratulations to all who worked so tirelessly to get this approved 👏 news.oxfordshire.gov.uk/oxford-tempo...

Traffic jam on Marston Ferry Road 10th September 5pm.

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Reposted by Alison Hill

Cyclox @cycloxoxford.bsky.social · Sep 2

We're recruiting for an Operations and Infrastructure lead.
This could be you if you're the kind of person who cares about sustainable travel (and particularly cycling) in Oxford and is keen to support the running of Cyclox so we can be even more effective.
www.cyclox.org/index.php/wo...

Large group of adults and children stationery under Oxford's bridge of sighs waiting to set off on their bikes.

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Reposted by Alison Hill

Jan Rosenow @janrosenow.bsky.social · Aug 30

There’s a persistent myth that new solar farms don’t really help tackle climate change because panels are “made with coal” and “never pay back” their carbon debt.

This is simply false.

- UN: solar ~8x cleaner than gas, ~19x than coal per kWh
- panels repay CO2 in 4 months; save 57x over life

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Alison Hill @dralisonhill.bsky.social · Aug 31

Intriguing. ‘The Path’ in Toronto - a 30 kilometer network of pedestrian tunnels www.worksinprogress.news/p/torontos-u...

Toronto's underground labyrinth

How Canada's largest city developed a 30 kilometer network of pedestrian tunnels

www.worksinprogress.news

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Alison Hill @dralisonhill.bsky.social · Aug 31

Who’s given it a go? So much better than the narrow tunnel even if you do have to push your bike for now.

Oxford Clarion @oxfordclarion.bsky.social · Aug 31

The new railway bridge walkway on the north side of Botley Road has opened, just hitting the “end of August” deadline. The route will eventually be a 4m-wide path with space for pedestrians and cyclists, but for now cyclists are still being asked to dismount.

The new path by the station. We're not entirely convinced this is 4m wide but we'll have to return with a tape measure to find out…

Reposted by Alison Hill

Cathy Tuttle @cathytuttle.bsky.social · Aug 16

While Bluesky may not have the user base of Twitter or FB (611M & 3.07B), it does have a healthy 38 million registered users.

Bluesky reaches people who tend to be kind, solutions-focused & future-oriented, compared to the big corporate social media channels.

I consider that a feature, not a bug.

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Alison Hill @dralisonhill.bsky.social · Aug 13

By @carltonreid.com “A U.K. court ruling has upheld the public’s right to submit dashcam and helmet-cam footage to police.”
Hurray - but phew as it would have been disastrous if the ruling had gone the other way.
t.co/w1oIviqLT8

https://www.forbes.com/sites/carltonreid/2025/08/13/uk-judge-affirms-legality-of-public-submitted-road-crime-footage-in-landmark-ruling/

t.co

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Alison Hill @dralisonhill.bsky.social · Aug 13

From IPPR Everyday Concerns: What People Want From Transport.
Two standouts for me:
People consistently underestimate the level of support for policies aimed at reducing car use.
And…
The behaviour of car drivers is seen as a key safety issue.
ippr-org.files.svdcdn.com/production/D...

ippr-org.files.svdcdn.com

Alison Hill @dralisonhill.bsky.social · Aug 13

How to create cycling cities. “Changing streets is important but changing minds is essential.”
www.ox.ac.uk/news/feature...

Cities for cycling: what is needed beyond good will and cycle paths?

www.ox.ac.uk

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Alison Hill @dralisonhill.bsky.social · Aug 11

Research from @lshtm.bsky.social finds pedestrians ‘twice as likely’ to be hit by an electric or hybrid-electric car. "The silent nature of electric cars may pose a new challenge for road safety." www.lshtm.ac.uk/newsevents/n...

Pedestrians ‘twice as likely’ to be hit by an electric or hybrid-electric car |

Pedestrians are twice as likely to be hit by an electric or hybrid-electric car than a petrol or diesel car, according to an analysis of data on collisions in Great Britain.The study, carried out by

www.lshtm.ac.uk

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Reposted by Alison Hill

Cyclox @cycloxoxford.bsky.social · Aug 8

This is quite simply, not fair.
"We design for the smooth flow of motor vehicles, then ask everyone else to stay alert, wear bright clothes, take the long way round, or simply stay home."
www.eta.co.uk/news/why-we-...

Why we tolerate motor-traffic danger and pollution | ETA

We treat road danger as normal. This piece maps the ethics - equal freedom, motornormativity, Vision Zero - and shows how Safe System design can replace blame with shared responsibility and safer stre...

www.eta.co.uk

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Cllr Emma Garnett @greenpartyemma.bsky.social · Jul 18

A very fun third and final @cycloxoxford.bsky.social bike bus of the year at St Frideswide’s primary!

See you all again in September.

Bike marshalls and children ready to begin the bike bus outside Flo's cafe

Six bike bus volunteers outside the primary school wearing bright pink and yellow bibs

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Alison Hill @dralisonhill.bsky.social · Aug 2

Helsinki has just gone a full year without a road traffic death! It is possible with visionary leadership. We can do it in #Oxford too but it needs courageous action #VisionZero #NoMoreRoadDeaths www.politico.eu/article/hels...

Helsinki just went a full year without a single traffic death

The capital city is Finnish’ed with car-related fatalities.

www.politico.eu

Alison Hill @dralisonhill.bsky.social · Jul 24

The Woodstock Road ‘improvements’ now complete. Some good things but a shadow of the original design consulted on in 2022. And new white lines on the pavement are a travesty of a cycle lane.
news.oxfordshire.gov.uk/32m-woodstoc...

£3.2m Woodstock Road improvements now complete

Residents and visitors along Woodstock Road in Oxford can enjoy enhanced public spaces and better conditions for cycling, walking and wheeling as £3.2 million of road safety and active travel improvem...

news.oxfordshire.gov.uk

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Alison Hill @dralisonhill.bsky.social · Jul 19

Wow! This is wonderful 👏🤩 And……

“Local residents and businesses strongly encouraged the experimental measure”.

Looking forward to the day when local businesses in Oxford recognise the value of going car-free.

Melissa & Chris Bruntlett @modacitylife.com · Jul 18

This week, the City of Rotterdam began a car-free pilot along a section of Meent—the busy shopping and nightlife street—which will be closed to all motorised traffic for the rest of the summer. Only emergency services, cyclists, mopeds, delivery vehicles before 10:30, and pedestrians can access it.🧵

People walk, cycle, sit, and dine along a temporarily car-free stretch of Meent in Rotterdam, which is lined with retail shopfronts, planter boxes filled with trees and flowers, terraces, bike parking, and benches.

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Reposted by Alison Hill

Oxford Clarion @oxfordclarion.bsky.social · Jul 4

Leaders of multiple transport modes gathered today to sign a letter supporting the proposed Temporary Congestion Charge. The letter calls on the County Council to proceed with the Charge 'to unblock our city'.
cohsat.org.uk/transport-mo...

Signatories of the letter stand in front of two buses and a taxi. Pedestrians, scooterists and cyclists are seen in the image

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