It's Simon, yeah?
@coldwarcliff.bsky.social
Drinking beer, riding bikes and fixing stuff.
Post about active travel, music and a bit of tech and politics. And riding bikes. And drinking beer.
Post about active travel, music and a bit of tech and politics. And riding bikes. And drinking beer.
Read the history of Dulwich Square if you think the issue is just not engaging early or often enough.
skyview.social?url=https%3A...
skyview.social?url=https%3A...
A BlueSky thread by It's Simon, yeah? on Skyview
The long saga of a cycle route through Dulwich Village has finally reached it’s ‘season finale’ as the new square is revealed.
It’s a great new public space and a key enabler of cycling in the area....
skyview.social
January 20, 2026 at 6:20 PM
Read the history of Dulwich Square if you think the issue is just not engaging early or often enough.
skyview.social?url=https%3A...
skyview.social?url=https%3A...
Engagement not consultation. Sure - though it in no way stops the same old complaints that “we weren’t asked/we don’t like it” and people will answer the questions in as disruptive way as possible.
Dates slip a bit but the final consultation closes in January 2024.
One Dulwich, as always, just advise their supporters to respond ‘no to everything’ and 450 of them flood the consultation with comments about wider traffic issues in the Dulwich area.
One Dulwich, as always, just advise their supporters to respond ‘no to everything’ and 450 of them flood the consultation with comments about wider traffic issues in the Dulwich area.
January 20, 2026 at 6:16 PM
Engagement not consultation. Sure - though it in no way stops the same old complaints that “we weren’t asked/we don’t like it” and people will answer the questions in as disruptive way as possible.
We're a representative democracy - If people are unhappy with the overall direction of change then we have elections at which they can express their view.
We don’t ‘negotiate’ with inexpert people how best to design sewers or the electricity grid, we shouldn't for transport and safety.
We don’t ‘negotiate’ with inexpert people how best to design sewers or the electricity grid, we shouldn't for transport and safety.
January 20, 2026 at 6:08 PM
And here’s the (very) long (and still ongoing) saga of a London scheme that did wave after wave of consultation while the minority opposed continued to claim they weren’t consulted
The long saga of a cycle route through Dulwich Village has finally reached it’s ‘season finale’ as the new square is revealed.
It’s a great new public space and a key enabler of cycling in the area... and a case study on why consultation is a waste of time and money.
It’s a great new public space and a key enabler of cycling in the area... and a case study on why consultation is a waste of time and money.
Exciting to see the transformation of Dulwich Square as construction wraps up! What was once a car-dominated area has now become a vibrant, safer space for people to travel through and spend time.
A big shout-out to @lb-southwark.bsky.social for making this happen! #StreetsForPeople
A big shout-out to @lb-southwark.bsky.social for making this happen! #StreetsForPeople
January 20, 2026 at 6:01 PM
And here’s the (very) long (and still ongoing) saga of a London scheme that did wave after wave of consultation while the minority opposed continued to claim they weren’t consulted
When you consult on the most banal safety schemes - installing zebra crossings outside a school - it will generate angry and noisy opposition. Why would anyone write to support this - it would be madness NOT to have crossings outside a school. Only the angry drivers are going to respond
January 20, 2026 at 3:58 PM
You can’t “ask everyone” and even if you did you wouldn’t be able to get consensus on anything - you can’t take everyone’s opinion into account and achieve anything.
bsky.app/profile/cold...
bsky.app/profile/cold...
Consultation (as almost everywhere does it) is a waste of time, money and officer effort.
Transport authorities/councils should do a LOT LESS engagement and consultation. It’s expensive, time consuming & counter-productive - it creates more anger/fear/oppostion than it does to engage & gain support
Transport authorities/councils should do a LOT LESS engagement and consultation. It’s expensive, time consuming & counter-productive - it creates more anger/fear/oppostion than it does to engage & gain support
January 20, 2026 at 3:56 PM
You can’t “ask everyone” and even if you did you wouldn’t be able to get consensus on anything - you can’t take everyone’s opinion into account and achieve anything.
bsky.app/profile/cold...
bsky.app/profile/cold...
Then getting a price almost 50% lower for same ticket on one TGV via Rail Europe.
January 20, 2026 at 1:04 PM
Then getting a price almost 50% lower for same ticket on one TGV via Rail Europe.
I’d have nearly all filters as physical barriers and not allow bin trucks through. They’ve repeatedly driven over the planting in one Lambeth filter.
January 19, 2026 at 6:27 PM
I’d have nearly all filters as physical barriers and not allow bin trucks through. They’ve repeatedly driven over the planting in one Lambeth filter.
Lovely that Ellson’s rigorous standards didn’t extend to getting johns surname correct
January 19, 2026 at 4:36 PM
Lovely that Ellson’s rigorous standards didn’t extend to getting johns surname correct
I’m pretty certain OneLambeth (which pretty much became SEJ) lobbied FOR bin trucks to be allowed though filters. No receipts handy. But then they’ve a long history of opposing the things they say they would support.
January 19, 2026 at 4:19 PM
I’m pretty certain OneLambeth (which pretty much became SEJ) lobbied FOR bin trucks to be allowed though filters. No receipts handy. But then they’ve a long history of opposing the things they say they would support.
Reposted by It's Simon, yeah?
The FT's Janan Ganesh on Brexit:
"In essence, the nation staked its future on trade at the exact historical moment that it fell out of favour as an idea. It is the geostrategic equivalent of investing one’s life savings in a DVD manufacturer circa 2009."
www.ft.com/content/8f22...
"In essence, the nation staked its future on trade at the exact historical moment that it fell out of favour as an idea. It is the geostrategic equivalent of investing one’s life savings in a DVD manufacturer circa 2009."
www.ft.com/content/8f22...
The Tories’ disastrous misunderstanding of America
On trade, the right of British politics couldn’t see that the US is a foreign land
www.ft.com
January 18, 2026 at 8:39 AM
The FT's Janan Ganesh on Brexit:
"In essence, the nation staked its future on trade at the exact historical moment that it fell out of favour as an idea. It is the geostrategic equivalent of investing one’s life savings in a DVD manufacturer circa 2009."
www.ft.com/content/8f22...
"In essence, the nation staked its future on trade at the exact historical moment that it fell out of favour as an idea. It is the geostrategic equivalent of investing one’s life savings in a DVD manufacturer circa 2009."
www.ft.com/content/8f22...
Portrait of Kate bush though…
January 15, 2026 at 2:43 PM
Portrait of Kate bush though…
Even the books have beige covers.
January 15, 2026 at 2:40 PM
Even the books have beige covers.
That's always been my issue with our bread maker. Delicious the day you make it when it's still warm. Good 6 hours later, but the next day it's for toast only.
To be fair, that's true of French bread in general - I think we're just used to stuff thats full of preservatives.
To be fair, that's true of French bread in general - I think we're just used to stuff thats full of preservatives.
January 13, 2026 at 7:42 PM
That's always been my issue with our bread maker. Delicious the day you make it when it's still warm. Good 6 hours later, but the next day it's for toast only.
To be fair, that's true of French bread in general - I think we're just used to stuff thats full of preservatives.
To be fair, that's true of French bread in general - I think we're just used to stuff thats full of preservatives.
Not *that* standardised - TfL current signage / royal parks different colour because RP / LCN era in London
January 13, 2026 at 12:03 PM
Not *that* standardised - TfL current signage / royal parks different colour because RP / LCN era in London
Were you using milk powder before? IIRC all the Panasonic recipes had some in. Must start using it again (or get a new one, bits are broken).
January 13, 2026 at 11:59 AM
Were you using milk powder before? IIRC all the Panasonic recipes had some in. Must start using it again (or get a new one, bits are broken).
Not just Europe - Cardiff has been pedestrianised for decades. An area about the same size as soho. Queen Street = Oxford Circus to Bond Street
January 11, 2026 at 8:12 PM
There’s got to be more to that. I don’t believe a private developer is demolishing a shop and building a public park with just a couple of restaurants- where’s their return? Is there some big residential tower as well?
January 11, 2026 at 8:01 PM
There’s got to be more to that. I don’t believe a private developer is demolishing a shop and building a public park with just a couple of restaurants- where’s their return? Is there some big residential tower as well?