Richard Mann
@transportparadise.bsky.social
Trains plus walking, cycling and buses. Car-free city centres and 20mph cities.
My default urban model: jobs and major attractors in the city centre, housing increment focused on edge-of-centre, public transport, cycling, walking (and cars restricted) to/from city centre.
Growth/spatial/transport plans are then about how you do that or cope with varying from that.
Growth/spatial/transport plans are then about how you do that or cope with varying from that.
December 4, 2025 at 9:07 AM
My default urban model: jobs and major attractors in the city centre, housing increment focused on edge-of-centre, public transport, cycling, walking (and cars restricted) to/from city centre.
Growth/spatial/transport plans are then about how you do that or cope with varying from that.
Growth/spatial/transport plans are then about how you do that or cope with varying from that.
The options for HS2 through Staffordshire are:
1) grade-separate Colwich
2) extend to Hixon
3) extend to Norton Bridge
4) extend to Whitacre
5) extend to Crewe
The more you extend, the more it costs, but the better the value-for-money.
1) grade-separate Colwich
2) extend to Hixon
3) extend to Norton Bridge
4) extend to Whitacre
5) extend to Crewe
The more you extend, the more it costs, but the better the value-for-money.
December 2, 2025 at 8:35 AM
The options for HS2 through Staffordshire are:
1) grade-separate Colwich
2) extend to Hixon
3) extend to Norton Bridge
4) extend to Whitacre
5) extend to Crewe
The more you extend, the more it costs, but the better the value-for-money.
1) grade-separate Colwich
2) extend to Hixon
3) extend to Norton Bridge
4) extend to Whitacre
5) extend to Crewe
The more you extend, the more it costs, but the better the value-for-money.
Reposted by Richard Mann
Stagecoach are introducing extra buses and extending services from today to take advantage of Oxford's temporary congestion charge. They claim faster journey times on routes from Barton, Blackbird Leys, and Kidlington, and are extending two routes to the Park & Ride at Oxford Parkway.
November 30, 2025 at 10:37 AM
Stagecoach are introducing extra buses and extending services from today to take advantage of Oxford's temporary congestion charge. They claim faster journey times on routes from Barton, Blackbird Leys, and Kidlington, and are extending two routes to the Park & Ride at Oxford Parkway.
I suspect a congestion charge would be quicker and more effective.
I go through every form of transport I can use to get to work in Leeds and explain why they suck.
1/ Trains. Never on time and always packed.
2/ Buses. Stuck in traffic and slower than walking.
3/ eBike. Amazing, but not good for many.
Then say self-driving cars might fix it.
1/ Trains. Never on time and always packed.
2/ Buses. Stuck in traffic and slower than walking.
3/ eBike. Amazing, but not good for many.
Then say self-driving cars might fix it.
November 30, 2025 at 10:42 AM
I suspect a congestion charge would be quicker and more effective.
Could we go back to focusing on unemployment perhaps?
November 27, 2025 at 4:40 PM
Could we go back to focusing on unemployment perhaps?
Given that we're now having some trouble using all the capacity we built for rail commuting into London, there is an opportunity to do a splurge of housebuilding in the London greenbelt around stations.
Not-so-good for 'growth in all parts of the country' though.
Not-so-good for 'growth in all parts of the country' though.
November 20, 2025 at 8:57 AM
Given that we're now having some trouble using all the capacity we built for rail commuting into London, there is an opportunity to do a splurge of housebuilding in the London greenbelt around stations.
Not-so-good for 'growth in all parts of the country' though.
Not-so-good for 'growth in all parts of the country' though.
Broken rail between Basingstoke and Reading. An Oxford-Milton Keynes train would have been really useful this morning.
At the moment it's a standoff between DfT who won't put in extra subsidy to operate the service with guards, and the unions who won't sign off operating it without.
At the moment it's a standoff between DfT who won't put in extra subsidy to operate the service with guards, and the unions who won't sign off operating it without.
November 20, 2025 at 8:10 AM
Broken rail between Basingstoke and Reading. An Oxford-Milton Keynes train would have been really useful this morning.
At the moment it's a standoff between DfT who won't put in extra subsidy to operate the service with guards, and the unions who won't sign off operating it without.
At the moment it's a standoff between DfT who won't put in extra subsidy to operate the service with guards, and the unions who won't sign off operating it without.
This chart by @benansell.bsky.social begs the question of how on earth the Conservatives ever built a majority. The answer is partly that these are averages, partly that the groups have moved over time (and could move again).
November 18, 2025 at 8:19 AM
This chart by @benansell.bsky.social begs the question of how on earth the Conservatives ever built a majority. The answer is partly that these are averages, partly that the groups have moved over time (and could move again).
Given where the voters are, in some ways it makes sense to have an economically-centrist, socially-conservative party.
You're not going to win a majority in that position, but hey.
You're not going to win a majority in that position, but hey.
November 17, 2025 at 5:55 PM
Given where the voters are, in some ways it makes sense to have an economically-centrist, socially-conservative party.
You're not going to win a majority in that position, but hey.
You're not going to win a majority in that position, but hey.
There is currently an outbound queue the length of Botley Road *despite* the closure at the railway bridge.
Seems to be due to the Wickes/Aldi side turning. A reminder that suburban shopping traffic is quite capable of causing congestion on its own.
Seems to be due to the Wickes/Aldi side turning. A reminder that suburban shopping traffic is quite capable of causing congestion on its own.
November 16, 2025 at 1:57 PM
There is currently an outbound queue the length of Botley Road *despite* the closure at the railway bridge.
Seems to be due to the Wickes/Aldi side turning. A reminder that suburban shopping traffic is quite capable of causing congestion on its own.
Seems to be due to the Wickes/Aldi side turning. A reminder that suburban shopping traffic is quite capable of causing congestion on its own.
Probably the most interesting question for high speed rail in Europe is whether they will get past the 3hr non-stop limit to provide international services between large cities.
Best prospect is probably Paris-Barcelona (which would be about 4.5h non-stop, infra 85% complete).
Best prospect is probably Paris-Barcelona (which would be about 4.5h non-stop, infra 85% complete).
November 16, 2025 at 12:41 PM
Probably the most interesting question for high speed rail in Europe is whether they will get past the 3hr non-stop limit to provide international services between large cities.
Best prospect is probably Paris-Barcelona (which would be about 4.5h non-stop, infra 85% complete).
Best prospect is probably Paris-Barcelona (which would be about 4.5h non-stop, infra 85% complete).
LOCATE jobs in city centres where practical
RESTRICT car commuting where there are alternatives
HOUSE people close to suburban employers by building flats
CONNECT suburban jobs to transport hubs
(in that order)
RESTRICT car commuting where there are alternatives
HOUSE people close to suburban employers by building flats
CONNECT suburban jobs to transport hubs
(in that order)
November 13, 2025 at 6:42 PM
LOCATE jobs in city centres where practical
RESTRICT car commuting where there are alternatives
HOUSE people close to suburban employers by building flats
CONNECT suburban jobs to transport hubs
(in that order)
RESTRICT car commuting where there are alternatives
HOUSE people close to suburban employers by building flats
CONNECT suburban jobs to transport hubs
(in that order)
The basic congestion problem is easy to solve: put all the jobs in the city centre, and stop people driving there.
In practice this comes up against the problem that most cities have significant concentrations of jobs in the suburbs (hospitals/universities/business parks).
/1
In practice this comes up against the problem that most cities have significant concentrations of jobs in the suburbs (hospitals/universities/business parks).
/1
November 13, 2025 at 8:32 AM
The basic congestion problem is easy to solve: put all the jobs in the city centre, and stop people driving there.
In practice this comes up against the problem that most cities have significant concentrations of jobs in the suburbs (hospitals/universities/business parks).
/1
In practice this comes up against the problem that most cities have significant concentrations of jobs in the suburbs (hospitals/universities/business parks).
/1
Rail accounts for about 3% of surface transport CO2 emissions.
Battrification of the ~75% that is produced by cars/vans is the priority.
(Battrification of local diesel trains is mostly to reduce operating costs, not to reduce CO2)
Battrification of the ~75% that is produced by cars/vans is the priority.
(Battrification of local diesel trains is mostly to reduce operating costs, not to reduce CO2)
November 10, 2025 at 8:07 PM
Rail accounts for about 3% of surface transport CO2 emissions.
Battrification of the ~75% that is produced by cars/vans is the priority.
(Battrification of local diesel trains is mostly to reduce operating costs, not to reduce CO2)
Battrification of the ~75% that is produced by cars/vans is the priority.
(Battrification of local diesel trains is mostly to reduce operating costs, not to reduce CO2)
Swan or rabbit?
November 6, 2025 at 12:21 PM
Swan or rabbit?
We're at the stage with the Oxford Congestion Charge where drivers are re-routing via the ring road to avoid paying the charge / using their quota.
This has shifted the congestion from Headington/Cowley to the ring road.
This will settle down after a bit, with some switching to bike, bus or paying
This has shifted the congestion from Headington/Cowley to the ring road.
This will settle down after a bit, with some switching to bike, bus or paying
November 6, 2025 at 8:33 AM
We're at the stage with the Oxford Congestion Charge where drivers are re-routing via the ring road to avoid paying the charge / using their quota.
This has shifted the congestion from Headington/Cowley to the ring road.
This will settle down after a bit, with some switching to bike, bus or paying
This has shifted the congestion from Headington/Cowley to the ring road.
This will settle down after a bit, with some switching to bike, bus or paying
Valencia: the third largest Spanish city, 20⁰C in November, dense walk-up apartment blocks, 1km² largely car-free city centre, big trafficky roads outside. /1
November 4, 2025 at 8:42 AM
Valencia: the third largest Spanish city, 20⁰C in November, dense walk-up apartment blocks, 1km² largely car-free city centre, big trafficky roads outside. /1
The solution to Oxford's traffic woes will be bikes (plus walking and buses) for journeys inside the city, and buses (plus park&ride and trains) from outside. Cars pretty much banned. The question is whether we collectively want that.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Could trams or air taxis help solve Oxford's traffic woes?
A congestion charge is the latest policy in Oxford to reduce traffic - but what is the alternative?
www.bbc.co.uk
November 3, 2025 at 9:14 PM
The solution to Oxford's traffic woes will be bikes (plus walking and buses) for journeys inside the city, and buses (plus park&ride and trains) from outside. Cars pretty much banned. The question is whether we collectively want that.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
(Not) an early representation of a bicycle in a tapestry in Girona
October 31, 2025 at 1:32 PM
(Not) an early representation of a bicycle in a tapestry in Girona
A very Spanish greeting
October 31, 2025 at 12:59 PM
A very Spanish greeting
*If* you remove all the cars then this can happen
October 30, 2025 at 10:23 AM
*If* you remove all the cars then this can happen
Reposted by Richard Mann
We have real-time monitoring just inside one of the charge points via @telraam.bsky.social
telraam.net/en/location/...
telraam.net/en/location/...
October 29, 2025 at 3:17 PM
We have real-time monitoring just inside one of the charge points via @telraam.bsky.social
telraam.net/en/location/...
telraam.net/en/location/...
Trams, palms and blue sky
October 30, 2025 at 8:24 AM
Trams, palms and blue sky