Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Prof B (Matthew Burke) @weekendatburkys.bsky.social · 18d

Greetings everyone. A quick FYI that as of this week I am the new CEO of Bicycle Queensland, our state's largest cycling organisation. We represent our 12,000 members. Dream job for me! I get to be a full-time sustainable transport activist. 😆

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Prof B (Matthew Burke) @weekendatburkys.bsky.social · Sep 4

Wuhu Old Town, Anhui Province, China. These photos are from the middle of the day in 95 degree heat. But by night you can't move for all the people. More proof all people want places to walk, wander and promenade away from cars. #wuhu #anhui #pedestrians #walking #urbanplanning #urbanism

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Prof B (Matthew Burke) @weekendatburkys.bsky.social · Aug 23

A plea from me to add equity to any road user charge in Australia, and to ensure the legislation allows for congestion charging in future!

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

An EV road user charge is looming. Could it slam the brakes on Australia’s clean car transition?

The revenue from fuel excise is falling but it’s not only because of EVs, which make up less than 2% of cars on the roads

www.theguardian.com

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Prof B (Matthew Burke) @weekendatburkys.bsky.social · Aug 9

Thirty years of struggle coming closer to an end ...

Brisbane CBD BUG @cbdbug.bsky.social · Aug 8

The CBD BUG is pleased to report after contacting Federal Transport Minister Catherine King, the safe, protected bikelanes for Sylvan Rd (which are receiving federal funding) will be completed by 2028.
This great news!

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Brisbane CBD BUG @cbdbug.bsky.social · Aug 8

The CBD BUG is pleased to report after contacting Federal Transport Minister Catherine King, the safe, protected bikelanes for Sylvan Rd (which are receiving federal funding) will be completed by 2028.
This great news!

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Prof B (Matthew Burke) @weekendatburkys.bsky.social · Jul 30

Australians make similar mistakes en masse. Desire, created by car/SUV/pick-up advertisers, embedded in culture, then sold. Excessive #transport costs can be self inflicted.

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"More Americans are car poor as they misjudge trade-in math and pile on debt"

www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...

Column | More Americans are car poor as they misjudge trade-in math and pile on debt

More than 1 in 4 consumers owe more on their car loans than the vehicle is worth, while car payments of $1,000 have reached a record high.

www.washingtonpost.com

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Prof B (Matthew Burke) @weekendatburkys.bsky.social · Jul 29

Ah, the politics of automobility in Australia's car owning democracy. The NSW Government won't shut the Sydney Harbour Bridge for a one-off massive march. Every car is sacred.

www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...

Pro-Palestine protest group says ‘we will see them in court’ after police block Sydney Harbour Bridge march

Sydney-based group say weekend demonstration ‘must go ahead’ despite police knocking back application

www.theguardian.com

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Prof B (Matthew Burke) @weekendatburkys.bsky.social · Jul 24

Brilliant book that #urbanists will love! Now a major prize winner. Well deserved.
#booksky #urbanism www.theguardian.com/books/2025/j...

Siang Lu wins Miles Franklin award for Ghost Cities, ‘a genuine landmark in Australian literature’

Author, who takes home $60,000, says finding out he won Australia’s most esteemed literary prize left him ‘in such shock that I lost all feeling in my hands and legs’

www.theguardian.com

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Prof B (Matthew Burke) @weekendatburkys.bsky.social · Jul 22

An unnecessary swim centre for the Brisbane 2032 Olympics is now costed at AUD$1.2 Billion (US$750m). It duplicates the 2018 Commonwealth Games Aquatic Centre already at Southport.

No 2032 Olympic transport or urban legacy plan in sight, let alone works. GC airport light rail link still unfunded.

Prof B (Matthew Burke) @weekendatburkys.bsky.social · Jul 3

Huh? Light Rail would have added a new bridge over or tunnel under the Brisbane River. Metro buses were able to run on the Victoria Bridge after only minor reinforcement. That's a huge cost saving to this project. Please be truthful - this 'solution' was a much cheaper alternative.

Prof B (Matthew Burke) @weekendatburkys.bsky.social · Jun 29

Yeah, still a long way to go. But it's a day to celebrate. Politically hard to make this scale of change in Brisbane. Yes, the Northside and Westside both need a similar step-change review of their networks. Let's see how much love these Southside changes get (after a few months' implementation)...

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Prof B (Matthew Burke) @weekendatburkys.bsky.social · Jun 29

Great new bus network for Brisbane began today. Some teething problems, including the Translink online journey planner being overwhelmed in morning peak hour. (The app was working well at 9am for me so all should be ok now). We'll hear from the angry but it's a huge improvement on what was before.

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Prof B (Matthew Burke) @weekendatburkys.bsky.social · Jun 9

Australian journalist @laurentomasi.bsky.social keeping her cool when clearly and very deliberately shot by an LAPD officer with no provocation. Tough as teak!

Prof B (Matthew Burke) @weekendatburkys.bsky.social · Jun 4

The #trbam committees locked over a thousand of the rest-of-the-world's best transport experts into helping solve the USA's transport problems. A serious loss.

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Giulio Mattioli @giuliomattioli.bsky.social · Jun 3

Interesting-looking new study on people with high-carbon lifestyles doi.org/10.1016/j.er...

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Prof B (Matthew Burke) @weekendatburkys.bsky.social · May 22

Sometimes the walk to a #PedBikeTrans walking and cycling seminar is even better than the event itself. Great night last night.

Prof B (Matthew Burke) @weekendatburkys.bsky.social · May 6

So the 25-cent petrol excise cut promised by Australia's federal opposition failed to help them win outer-suburban seats. It may just have helped them lose more seats in the inner-city. The politics of automobility might just be shifting in Australia... #auspol #mobilty #transport #urbanism

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Prof B (Matthew Burke) @weekendatburkys.bsky.social · Apr 12

Ha. Hadn't seen that one...

Prof B (Matthew Burke) @weekendatburkys.bsky.social · Apr 12

They do have their fuel inefficiency standards policy to keep polluting clunkers on Australian roads too, I guess.

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Prof B (Matthew Burke) @weekendatburkys.bsky.social · Apr 12

The LNP Oz election slogan is 'Back on Track'. But they have no detailed transport policy other than their tax cut for six months on petroleum fuels, pushing up road congestion. There's no rail policy. No cycle tracks. Not even hiking trails. I'm one disappointed transport professor. #auspol

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The War on Cars @thewaroncars.bsky.social · Mar 30

"...for every 30-second increase in traffic delay per mile traveled, there was a 1% increase in visits to fast food restaurants. While that may not seem like a lot, the researchers estimate that over a year, it amounts to about 1.2 million more fast food meals in Los Angeles."

The worse traffic gets, the more fast food people eat

The longer commutes get, the more people stop and get fast food on the way home. Which means ending gridlock could have far-reaching public health implications.

www.fastcompany.com

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Prof B (Matthew Burke) @weekendatburkys.bsky.social · Mar 17

And so it begins...
japantoday.com/category/tec...

World’s first 3D-printed train station building planned by JR West

Japan is home to a wide variety of train stations, from tiny countryside sheds to sprawling urban complexes, stations with their own wineries and ones with giant ancient relics whose eyes glow. It’s g...

japantoday.com

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Santiago Mayer @santiagomayer.com · Mar 16

Someone made a Wiley E. Coyote style painted wall to see if Tesla’s autopilot would detect it and well…

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Prof B (Matthew Burke) @weekendatburkys.bsky.social · Mar 16

New podcast alert. Why are things not improving for active and public transport on the fringes of Australian cities? I spent a week living in the City of Moreton Bay recently. Some of the key infrastructure is actually in place. But policy is lacking. Hear more via the link. tinyurl.com/4uzk2pxs

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Prof B (Matthew Burke) @weekendatburkys.bsky.social · Mar 12

Oh dear...

This can't be about budget savings given the tiny sums involved.

It's not about congestion busting given space-efficiency of bikes.

Just stupid.

"U.S. DOT Orders Review of All Grants Related to Green Infrastructure, Bikes" - usa.streetsblog.org/2025/03/12/b...

U.S. DOT Orders Review of All Grants Related to Green Infrastructure, Bikes — Streetsblog USA

Now U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is coming for our bike lanes!

usa.streetsblog.org

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Prof B (Matthew Burke) @weekendatburkys.bsky.social · Mar 10

We're okay at my place. Brisbane may have averted a major flooding event. But as usual, our Bikeway infrastructure will be a mess after Tropical Cyclone Alfred.

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Phil @philmarfisi.bsky.social · Mar 8

The alt right has spent years conspiracy theorizing about the evils of walkable cities, when the oligarchs they idealize are planning in plain site to build entire cities into technofascist playgrounds where every aspect of your life is commoditized.

www.wired.com/story/startu...

‘Startup Nation’ Groups Say They’re Meeting Trump Officials to Push for Deregulated ‘Freedom Cities’

The architects of projects like Próspera are drafting legislation to create US cities that would be free from federal regulations.

www.wired.com

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Prof B (Matthew Burke) @weekendatburkys.bsky.social · Mar 6

Because rail privatisation worked so well abroad... 😜

Reuters @reuters.com · Mar 6

Billionaire Elon Musk, who is advising President Donald Trump on plans to radically shrink the US government, said that the US Postal Service and passenger railroad Amtrak should be privatized reut.rs/4iruAxY

Elon Musk says Post Office, Amtrak should be privatized

Billionaire Elon Musk, who is advising President Donald Trump on plans to radically shrink the U.S. government, said on Wednesday that the U.S. Postal Service and passenger railroad Amtrak should be privatized.

reut.rs

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Prof B (Matthew Burke) @weekendatburkys.bsky.social · Mar 6

Yes, the Cat 2 Cyclone Alfred is on path to smack Brisbane. Yes, there is still potential it will grow into a Category 3 storm.

Please don't worry too much about Alice and I. We are all prepared and our house should hold up well. Best wishes to others making preparations.

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