Bob the Worm
@bobtheworm.bsky.social
I'm not a real doctor but I am a real worm
The attempts to pin any of this on Starmer are just plain stupid. But I suppose that's what our politics (and political journalism) are like these days
February 8, 2026 at 10:35 AM
The attempts to pin any of this on Starmer are just plain stupid. But I suppose that's what our politics (and political journalism) are like these days
This is a daft way of selling it. ALL the unitary proposals leave residents with one council to call. Nobody will live in more than one of the councils.
February 6, 2026 at 8:27 PM
This is a daft way of selling it. ALL the unitary proposals leave residents with one council to call. Nobody will live in more than one of the councils.
obvious question: if it works well for SODC and VOWH, why on earth would other councils need MORE bins, increasing the likelihood of wrong-thing-wrong-bin contamination
February 4, 2026 at 10:54 PM
obvious question: if it works well for SODC and VOWH, why on earth would other councils need MORE bins, increasing the likelihood of wrong-thing-wrong-bin contamination
there always used to be a much shorter max time at any one location
February 3, 2026 at 8:22 PM
there always used to be a much shorter max time at any one location
what odds could I get on a bet that by Saturday they say "oh, it doesn't fit... it'll be another year"?
February 2, 2026 at 7:16 PM
what odds could I get on a bet that by Saturday they say "oh, it doesn't fit... it'll be another year"?
Also, it wasn't just "a councillor". It was the cabinet member responsible for travel. Any confusion between the two schemes in Oxford is entirely self-inflicted.
February 2, 2026 at 6:19 PM
Also, it wasn't just "a councillor". It was the cabinet member responsible for travel. Any confusion between the two schemes in Oxford is entirely self-inflicted.
The point I am trying to make is the conflation of the two in Oxford is one of the things that's made it so easy for conspiracy theorists to seize upon. Yes, everyone would love more services within a 15 minute walk. But that's not what anyone is getting in Oxford.
February 2, 2026 at 5:32 PM
The point I am trying to make is the conflation of the two in Oxford is one of the things that's made it so easy for conspiracy theorists to seize upon. Yes, everyone would love more services within a 15 minute walk. But that's not what anyone is getting in Oxford.
4 & 5. Water Eaton and Peartree, also both outside the ring road, but also suffer from the fact there are no cameras in N Oxford, so Banbury & Woodstock Rds have suffered immensely from extra traffic.
February 2, 2026 at 5:29 PM
4 & 5. Water Eaton and Peartree, also both outside the ring road, but also suffer from the fact there are no cameras in N Oxford, so Banbury & Woodstock Rds have suffered immensely from extra traffic.
3. Thornhill benefits from a camera on St Clements, except this is outweighed by the extra traffic between the P&R and ring-road, and the fact that Headington was the main bottleneck all along anyway, now worse because of displaced hospital traffic.
February 2, 2026 at 5:28 PM
3. Thornhill benefits from a camera on St Clements, except this is outweighed by the extra traffic between the P&R and ring-road, and the fact that Headington was the main bottleneck all along anyway, now worse because of displaced hospital traffic.
2. Seacourt is also within the ring road, but you can't get into the centre of town from it (without getting off and walking) because the railway bridge has been closed for 3 years.
February 2, 2026 at 5:27 PM
2. Seacourt is also within the ring road, but you can't get into the centre of town from it (without getting off and walking) because the railway bridge has been closed for 3 years.
It's complicated... there isn't actually a congestion zone like there is in London. It's effectively 6 toll roads.
1. Redbridge is within the ring road, and benefits because you can't get into the centre from there without going past a camera. The P&R from here is much quicker.
1. Redbridge is within the ring road, and benefits because you can't get into the centre from there without going past a camera. The P&R from here is much quicker.
February 2, 2026 at 5:25 PM
It's complicated... there isn't actually a congestion zone like there is in London. It's effectively 6 toll roads.
1. Redbridge is within the ring road, and benefits because you can't get into the centre from there without going past a camera. The P&R from here is much quicker.
1. Redbridge is within the ring road, and benefits because you can't get into the centre from there without going past a camera. The P&R from here is much quicker.
They do. One of them has been massively helped by the new congestion charge. One of them hasn't been able to get buses into town for 3 years due to the railway bridge works. The other 3 have been badly affected by the congestion charge.
February 2, 2026 at 8:53 AM
They do. One of them has been massively helped by the new congestion charge. One of them hasn't been able to get buses into town for 3 years due to the railway bridge works. The other 3 have been badly affected by the congestion charge.
but the main thing that has changed is the election of a Lib Dem county council with an anti-car ideology (although something of a blind spot for more dangerous, more polluting HGVs)
February 2, 2026 at 12:17 AM
but the main thing that has changed is the election of a Lib Dem county council with an anti-car ideology (although something of a blind spot for more dangerous, more polluting HGVs)
12 years ago? So before they:
- rebuilt the Westgate
- massively increased the cost of parking everywhere else
- closed Botley Rd for 3 years
- installed LTNs across east Oxford
... think your experience is a bit out of date.
- rebuilt the Westgate
- massively increased the cost of parking everywhere else
- closed Botley Rd for 3 years
- installed LTNs across east Oxford
... think your experience is a bit out of date.
February 2, 2026 at 12:03 AM
12 years ago? So before they:
- rebuilt the Westgate
- massively increased the cost of parking everywhere else
- closed Botley Rd for 3 years
- installed LTNs across east Oxford
... think your experience is a bit out of date.
- rebuilt the Westgate
- massively increased the cost of parking everywhere else
- closed Botley Rd for 3 years
- installed LTNs across east Oxford
... think your experience is a bit out of date.
do you actually know anything at all about what's happening on Oxford? or are you not interested?
February 1, 2026 at 8:20 PM
do you actually know anything at all about what's happening on Oxford? or are you not interested?
read the other comments and tell me where I am doing that
February 1, 2026 at 8:12 PM
read the other comments and tell me where I am doing that
While the Telegraph article is clearly nonsense, there is much in what you have said about Oxford that's simply not true, or very selective with the truth. See replies to individual messages, and please consider writing a correction.
February 1, 2026 at 2:39 PM
While the Telegraph article is clearly nonsense, there is much in what you have said about Oxford that's simply not true, or very selective with the truth. See replies to individual messages, and please consider writing a correction.
Not true. It is currently not possible to drive to either the station or the main shopping centre without going past a congestion charge camera
February 1, 2026 at 2:37 PM
Not true. It is currently not possible to drive to either the station or the main shopping centre without going past a congestion charge camera
But you omit to mention that a substantial number of these roads were closed to through traffic with the introduction of LTNS. Getting around the city within the ring road is at best complicated, at worst impossible. So people are being forced to make longer, slower journeys - climate crisis anyone?
February 1, 2026 at 2:36 PM
But you omit to mention that a substantial number of these roads were closed to through traffic with the introduction of LTNS. Getting around the city within the ring road is at best complicated, at worst impossible. So people are being forced to make longer, slower journeys - climate crisis anyone?
Of course, most people don't know or care about the difference between the city and county council, which exacerbates the confusion. And we have the ridiculous situation where the county councl have brought in a scheme against the wishes of the city council mycouncil.oxford.gov.uk/ieDecisionDe...
Decision - Oppose the County Council Congestion Charge Scheme (Proposed by Councillor James Taylor, Seconded by Councillor Asima Qayyum) | Oxford City Council
mycouncil.oxford.gov.uk
February 1, 2026 at 2:33 PM
Of course, most people don't know or care about the difference between the city and county council, which exacerbates the confusion. And we have the ridiculous situation where the county councl have brought in a scheme against the wishes of the city council mycouncil.oxford.gov.uk/ieDecisionDe...
There is a great deal in your description of what's happening in Oxford that is untrue or over-simplified. Firstly, the county council DID use "15 minute city" in relation to the traffic filters. www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/2307399...
Traffic filters will divide city into six "15 minute" neighbourhoods
Traffic filters will divide city into six "15 minute" neighbourhoods, said the county's highways councillor.
www.oxfordmail.co.uk
February 1, 2026 at 2:29 PM
There is a great deal in your description of what's happening in Oxford that is untrue or over-simplified. Firstly, the county council DID use "15 minute city" in relation to the traffic filters. www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/2307399...
if only this could have somehow been predicted. That 100 passes allow you to drive to the Westgate every Saturday and Sunday all year.
January 31, 2026 at 6:57 PM
if only this could have somehow been predicted. That 100 passes allow you to drive to the Westgate every Saturday and Sunday all year.
Horspath: the village that doesn't count as Oxford when you are alive (voting, traffic passes), but does when you are dead ("Oxford Burial Meadow")
January 30, 2026 at 12:51 PM
Horspath: the village that doesn't count as Oxford when you are alive (voting, traffic passes), but does when you are dead ("Oxford Burial Meadow")
How do you know they were driving dangerously?
January 29, 2026 at 10:20 PM
How do you know they were driving dangerously?
it happened more than 25 years ago
January 28, 2026 at 7:10 AM
it happened more than 25 years ago