Paul Manzotti
@manzanotti.bsky.social
Infrastructure lead ar Better Streets for Birmingham. Write software for a living. Used to produce music and run a record label in my spare time. Love good food and exercising.
Another heads up, I will be at Grace and James in Kings Heath from 11-3 tomorrow (29th November) giving out free samples of our fabulous panettone.
If you're around, please come and say hi and try some!
If you're around, please come and say hi and try some!
November 28, 2025 at 9:40 PM
Another heads up, I will be at Grace and James in Kings Heath from 11-3 tomorrow (29th November) giving out free samples of our fabulous panettone.
If you're around, please come and say hi and try some!
If you're around, please come and say hi and try some!
Heads up, pre-orders for our fantastic panettone ends this Wednesday evening.
I will be buying extra to sell after that, but the price will go up, thanks to a brutal exchange rate.
manzotti-panettoni.co.uk
I will be buying extra to sell after that, but the price will go up, thanks to a brutal exchange rate.
manzotti-panettoni.co.uk
Manzotti Panettoni
Manzotti Panettoni
manzotti-panettoni.co.uk
November 28, 2025 at 9:39 PM
Heads up, pre-orders for our fantastic panettone ends this Wednesday evening.
I will be buying extra to sell after that, but the price will go up, thanks to a brutal exchange rate.
manzotti-panettoni.co.uk
I will be buying extra to sell after that, but the price will go up, thanks to a brutal exchange rate.
manzotti-panettoni.co.uk
What drives me mad about noisy vehicles is that these people are literally advertising that they are going to drive illegally (even discounting the illegal exhausts).
So, why aren't the police taking the easy wins being handed to them on a plate?
Seizr and crush the lot of them.
So, why aren't the police taking the easy wins being handed to them on a plate?
Seizr and crush the lot of them.
With the government saying they aren't helping councils use noise cameras to enforce loud vehicle modification, what happens when people report them to police? Answer is, we don't really know open.substack.com/pub/lauralak...
What next for noise?
My FOI reveals an evidence gap around policing noisy vehicles, while government announces it won’t support councils to tackle the problem
open.substack.com
August 21, 2025 at 11:02 AM
What drives me mad about noisy vehicles is that these people are literally advertising that they are going to drive illegally (even discounting the illegal exhausts).
So, why aren't the police taking the easy wins being handed to them on a plate?
Seizr and crush the lot of them.
So, why aren't the police taking the easy wins being handed to them on a plate?
Seizr and crush the lot of them.
Reposted by Paul Manzotti
It was awesome collaborating with @tomflood.bsky.social on this project. So cool to see this up!
August 20, 2025 at 3:23 PM
It was awesome collaborating with @tomflood.bsky.social on this project. So cool to see this up!
Reposted by Paul Manzotti
“Local stores next to the protected bike-lane have seen a 49% increase in sales, compared to an average of 3% for Manhattan as a whole.”
(Among MANY other public benefits.)
Want To Make More Money? Build A Business On A Bike Lane.
#CityMakingMath via @fastcompany.com
#BikeLanesMeanBusiness
(Among MANY other public benefits.)
Want To Make More Money? Build A Business On A Bike Lane.
#CityMakingMath via @fastcompany.com
#BikeLanesMeanBusiness
Want To Make Money? Build A Business On A Bike Lane
Research from New York City notes that newly installed protected bike lanes do more than keep bikers safe--they raise the income of the stores they are in front of.
www.fastcompany.com
August 17, 2025 at 12:05 AM
“Local stores next to the protected bike-lane have seen a 49% increase in sales, compared to an average of 3% for Manhattan as a whole.”
(Among MANY other public benefits.)
Want To Make More Money? Build A Business On A Bike Lane.
#CityMakingMath via @fastcompany.com
#BikeLanesMeanBusiness
(Among MANY other public benefits.)
Want To Make More Money? Build A Business On A Bike Lane.
#CityMakingMath via @fastcompany.com
#BikeLanesMeanBusiness
It's time for this year's flight-free family holiday!
We're upping the difficulty this year, from our previous 1 TGV trips to France; we're heading to Oslo!
To make the journey part of the holiday, rather than something to be endured, we're breaking it up.
First, a couple of nights in Cologne.
We're upping the difficulty this year, from our previous 1 TGV trips to France; we're heading to Oslo!
To make the journey part of the holiday, rather than something to be endured, we're breaking it up.
First, a couple of nights in Cologne.
August 15, 2025 at 11:18 AM
It's time for this year's flight-free family holiday!
We're upping the difficulty this year, from our previous 1 TGV trips to France; we're heading to Oslo!
To make the journey part of the holiday, rather than something to be endured, we're breaking it up.
First, a couple of nights in Cologne.
We're upping the difficulty this year, from our previous 1 TGV trips to France; we're heading to Oslo!
To make the journey part of the holiday, rather than something to be endured, we're breaking it up.
First, a couple of nights in Cologne.
Reposted by Paul Manzotti
I was completely wrong. There’s people cycling everywhere here. I’m stating to think not being Amsterdam may not be the main factor in the choice to cycle. Could it be the cycling infrastructure and considerate drivers?
We're on our way to Switzerland. No one will cycle there because it's not Amsterdam, so there'll be no photos of people cycling in breath-taking scenery or interesting cycling infrastructure. I'm sorry, but that's just the way it is.
June 14, 2025 at 6:52 PM
I was completely wrong. There’s people cycling everywhere here. I’m stating to think not being Amsterdam may not be the main factor in the choice to cycle. Could it be the cycling infrastructure and considerate drivers?
Despite pre-ordering the @garethdennis.bsky.social book, child-related time issues meant I'm only now getting a chance to read it. Though it does feel very apposite to start it as the train entered the Channel Tunnel!
May 23, 2025 at 7:17 PM
Despite pre-ordering the @garethdennis.bsky.social book, child-related time issues meant I'm only now getting a chance to read it. Though it does feel very apposite to start it as the train entered the Channel Tunnel!
Reposted by Paul Manzotti
One week to go until @betterstreetsforbirmingham.org's second "Circle the City" ride.
All welcome. Spread the word.
All welcome. Spread the word.
Circle the City - bike ride - May event
Circle the City is a group bike ride around Birmingham on the first Friday of the month. Meet at Victoria Square in the city centre for a 6pm start. All ages and abilities are welcome.
actionnetwork.org
April 25, 2025 at 12:21 PM
One week to go until @betterstreetsforbirmingham.org's second "Circle the City" ride.
All welcome. Spread the word.
All welcome. Spread the word.
I've long suspected that we are massively underestimating the scale of the damage to our health that our car-centric society causes.
Studies like this are backing up that view.
There isn't a war on motorists, cars are waging war on us.
Studies like this are backing up that view.
There isn't a war on motorists, cars are waging war on us.
Incredible findings on impact of LEZ & ULEZ
⬇️ significantly reduced PM10 & NO2 levels
⬇️ sick leave reduced by 18.5%
⬆️ improved general health
⬇️ reduced incidence of long-term health conditions and respiratory issues
⬆️ mental well-being & happiness
💷 est. savings exceeding £37 million per year
⬇️ significantly reduced PM10 & NO2 levels
⬇️ sick leave reduced by 18.5%
⬆️ improved general health
⬇️ reduced incidence of long-term health conditions and respiratory issues
⬆️ mental well-being & happiness
💷 est. savings exceeding £37 million per year
April 26, 2025 at 12:22 PM
I've long suspected that we are massively underestimating the scale of the damage to our health that our car-centric society causes.
Studies like this are backing up that view.
There isn't a war on motorists, cars are waging war on us.
Studies like this are backing up that view.
There isn't a war on motorists, cars are waging war on us.
Reposted by Paul Manzotti
So the first real policy decision on active travel or road safety by this government is a law targeting cyclists which will do nothing for road safety, briefed to a newspaper which openly hates cycling. Whatever your hopes for active travel from current ministers, perhaps calibrate these downwards.
April 25, 2025 at 6:41 AM
So the first real policy decision on active travel or road safety by this government is a law targeting cyclists which will do nothing for road safety, briefed to a newspaper which openly hates cycling. Whatever your hopes for active travel from current ministers, perhaps calibrate these downwards.
Reposted by Paul Manzotti
Perhaps we might live longer and be happier too, if certain national newspapers didn’t whip up hate every time somebody mentions cycle lanes, LTNs, or 15 minute cities.
@telegraphnews.bsky.social
@telegraphnews.bsky.social
April 24, 2025 at 6:21 AM
Perhaps we might live longer and be happier too, if certain national newspapers didn’t whip up hate every time somebody mentions cycle lanes, LTNs, or 15 minute cities.
@telegraphnews.bsky.social
@telegraphnews.bsky.social
Reposted by Paul Manzotti
Time is of the essence and we need to fight the EHRC interim guidance before it becomes statutory and Parliament make it law.
Don’t just shout about it, write to them. Also tell the media, if you can get them to care. I’ve posted this on Instagram.
Speak to your unions and staff networks at work
Don’t just shout about it, write to them. Also tell the media, if you can get them to care. I’ve posted this on Instagram.
Speak to your unions and staff networks at work
April 26, 2025 at 8:32 AM
Time is of the essence and we need to fight the EHRC interim guidance before it becomes statutory and Parliament make it law.
Don’t just shout about it, write to them. Also tell the media, if you can get them to care. I’ve posted this on Instagram.
Speak to your unions and staff networks at work
Don’t just shout about it, write to them. Also tell the media, if you can get them to care. I’ve posted this on Instagram.
Speak to your unions and staff networks at work
Reposted by Paul Manzotti
Wonderful, informative article on the relationship of Black Sabbath with Birmingham/Aston.
Black Sabbath are finally coming home this year, to play a massive Villa Park show in July. But how did industrial Birmingham shape their sound from blues to heavy metal?
Richard Franks is on the Sabbath trail in our weekend read.
Richard Franks is on the Sabbath trail in our weekend read.
How 1960s industrial Brum shaped world-conquering Black Sabbath
Heavy metal pioneers were forged in a heavy mental environment
www.birminghamdispatch.co.uk
April 26, 2025 at 9:43 AM
Wonderful, informative article on the relationship of Black Sabbath with Birmingham/Aston.
I'll be doing a Panettone pop-up at Grace and James in Kings Heath again today, from about 1pm.
Come get the best Panettone you can buy! I've also got jars of fabulous Gianduja and White Chocolate Pistachio sauces, too.
Come get the best Panettone you can buy! I've also got jars of fabulous Gianduja and White Chocolate Pistachio sauces, too.
April 19, 2025 at 11:02 AM
I'll be doing a Panettone pop-up at Grace and James in Kings Heath again today, from about 1pm.
Come get the best Panettone you can buy! I've also got jars of fabulous Gianduja and White Chocolate Pistachio sauces, too.
Come get the best Panettone you can buy! I've also got jars of fabulous Gianduja and White Chocolate Pistachio sauces, too.
Reposted by Paul Manzotti
"austerity for all except drivers"
Our Labour government is on the side of drivers.
This Easter, over a thousand miles of roadworks will be lifted to make journeys smoother, and thanks to Labour’s Plan for Change, drivers are set to be £500 better off ✅
This Easter, over a thousand miles of roadworks will be lifted to make journeys smoother, and thanks to Labour’s Plan for Change, drivers are set to be £500 better off ✅
April 18, 2025 at 10:20 AM
"austerity for all except drivers"
Easter Panettone pop-up at Grace and James in Kings Heath is go!
April 18, 2025 at 10:52 AM
Easter Panettone pop-up at Grace and James in Kings Heath is go!
Reposted by Paul Manzotti
Back as far as 1963, it was already understood that building additional road capacity brings only "temporary relief."
And yet here we are, still trying it, still generating more traffic, still wasting money, and still getting disappointed at the results.
And yet here we are, still trying it, still generating more traffic, still wasting money, and still getting disappointed at the results.
“The answer to this question is that if the by-passes could be built now they would certainly bring a measure of relief. But it would only be a temporary relief”
#TrafficInTowns
trafficintowns.uk/index.php/bo...
#TrafficInTowns
trafficintowns.uk/index.php/bo...
April 10, 2025 at 2:07 PM
Back as far as 1963, it was already understood that building additional road capacity brings only "temporary relief."
And yet here we are, still trying it, still generating more traffic, still wasting money, and still getting disappointed at the results.
And yet here we are, still trying it, still generating more traffic, still wasting money, and still getting disappointed at the results.
Reposted by Paul Manzotti
Streets are the biggest public space in cities, yet decades of car-centric thinking has relegated them to nothing more than traffic sewers.
There is a movement spreading around the world to reimagine them from places to pass through into places to pass time.
www.houseofperegrine.com/podcast/ep-055
There is a movement spreading around the world to reimagine them from places to pass through into places to pass time.
www.houseofperegrine.com/podcast/ep-055
April 11, 2025 at 4:48 PM
Streets are the biggest public space in cities, yet decades of car-centric thinking has relegated them to nothing more than traffic sewers.
There is a movement spreading around the world to reimagine them from places to pass through into places to pass time.
www.houseofperegrine.com/podcast/ep-055
There is a movement spreading around the world to reimagine them from places to pass through into places to pass time.
www.houseofperegrine.com/podcast/ep-055
Reposted by Paul Manzotti
This great video also reminded me of an interesting facet of motonormativity: people can lose 100 hours a year in traffic and never notice; but they have one late train and it's all "Never again - you can't rely on them"
"Everything you thought you knew about roads is a lie" GCN go hard on induced demand and all the other follies linked to road building www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVq7...
Everything You Thought You Knew About Roads Is A Lie
YouTube video by Global Cycling Network
www.youtube.com
April 7, 2025 at 5:35 PM
This great video also reminded me of an interesting facet of motonormativity: people can lose 100 hours a year in traffic and never notice; but they have one late train and it's all "Never again - you can't rely on them"
Reposted by Paul Manzotti
Cold hard data of widening the M25 says, "substantial increases in traffic volumes, of up to 23% two to three years after opening, but no increase in speed of travel beyond the first year." Source: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Economic benefits of road widening: Discrepancy between outturn and forecast
Cost-benefit analysis of road investments involves models that generate travel time savings as the main economic benefit. Monitoring of traffic flows …
www.sciencedirect.com
April 7, 2025 at 3:21 PM
Cold hard data of widening the M25 says, "substantial increases in traffic volumes, of up to 23% two to three years after opening, but no increase in speed of travel beyond the first year." Source: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
I've decided to try bringing over some Easter Panettone for the first time, seeing as Christmas Panettone went down so well.
Big thanks to The Early Bird Bakery for selling it online for me, which means delivery within 6 miles is available!
order.storekit.com/the-early-bi...
Big thanks to The Early Bird Bakery for selling it online for me, which means delivery within 6 miles is available!
order.storekit.com/the-early-bi...
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order.storekit.com
April 4, 2025 at 2:15 PM
I've decided to try bringing over some Easter Panettone for the first time, seeing as Christmas Panettone went down so well.
Big thanks to The Early Bird Bakery for selling it online for me, which means delivery within 6 miles is available!
order.storekit.com/the-early-bi...
Big thanks to The Early Bird Bakery for selling it online for me, which means delivery within 6 miles is available!
order.storekit.com/the-early-bi...
Cars are individual freedom, right?
March 16, 2025 at 1:39 PM
Cars are individual freedom, right?
@scott.hanselman.com Am I mis-remembering, or wasn't Nadia on your show in the last year or two?
www.theguardian.com/books/2025/f...
www.theguardian.com/books/2025/f...
‘Reading is part of my identity’: the woman taking on Goodreads owner Amazon
Software engineer and developer Nadia Odunayo created the social media readers’ platform StoryGraph and its popularity has rocketed
www.theguardian.com
February 16, 2025 at 9:50 PM
@scott.hanselman.com Am I mis-remembering, or wasn't Nadia on your show in the last year or two?
www.theguardian.com/books/2025/f...
www.theguardian.com/books/2025/f...
Reposted by Paul Manzotti
To the right-wing pundits crowing over Vance's speech: if you are really "less worried" about a dictator-state that's invaded its neighbour, killed tens of thousands of people, reduced cities to rubble & engaged in mass rape and child abduction, than you are about "wokery", then you are truly lost.
February 14, 2025 at 11:12 PM
To the right-wing pundits crowing over Vance's speech: if you are really "less worried" about a dictator-state that's invaded its neighbour, killed tens of thousands of people, reduced cities to rubble & engaged in mass rape and child abduction, than you are about "wokery", then you are truly lost.