This book is “…above all, a story of hope”. Those of us with a cynical mindset might be put off by such optimism and the extravagant claim of the title. But don’t be: Peter Walker is more or less spot on in each chapter of a book which clearly argues for cycling as a key solution to urban transport, health, social and environmental problems. Indeed, it should be read by all professionals – as well as campaigners and the general public – with an interest in transport policy, not just those who find themselves in a “cycling” niche. Continue reading
Category Archives: Costs of motoring
REVIEW: “Urban Transport: Without the Hot Air”
As someone who has tried to demythologise beliefs held not just by the general public, but transport professionals and not a few campaigners, I welcome Steve Melia’s addition to the debunking literature. Continue reading
Are we done with dreadful drivel from the dire Dugher?
We have already criticised Labour’s current shadow Secretary of State for Transport for his car-centrism. It seems that after a particularly lacklustre performance at the recent Times debate on provision for cycling in the next Parliament, some of his advisers had a few words with him, and he was rather upbeat in his recent talk to the Campaign for Better Transport (CBT).
So would a Labour Government make things radically different and better for walking and cycling? We analyse his talk below. But first there have been some more bits of nonsense since we last posted on Dugher. Regrettably, it looks like he is still bent on an agenda which sees motorists as an oppressed minority to be pandered to with additional subsidy, soft touch and minimal law enforcement. So here’s what looks like the face of Labour’s transport shadow again.
Yes, it’s the photo from The Mirror again…
UPDATE: “Cyclists stay back” stickers and HGV safety in London
Since our last post we have had our requested information from Transport for London about their Fleet Operators Recognition Scheme (FORS) and the (ab)use of warning stickers. We assess this response and analyse the new HGVs designed to be less dangerous to pedestrians and cyclists and showcased last week. Continue reading
“Roads Were Not Built For Cars”, by Carlton Reid: A Review
It’s been a while coming, heralded by regular progress updates and advance extracts from the author, but here we are: 2014 saw the publication (in a variety of formats and eventually to be available free in extracts) of Carlton Reid’s magnum opus. Has the advance publicity by the author been justified? Continue reading
Does Labour support cycling?
Shadow Secretary of State for Transport Michael Dugher MP (Photo: Daily Mirror: 2nd December 2014)
In the last week of November 2014, the Labour shadow Minister, Michael Dugher MP, set out Labour’s “cycling vision”. I reproduce the statement from Local Transport Today with comments: Continue reading
The scandal of cheaper motoring. Yes, it HAS been getting cheaper.
RDRF has – almost alone of transport organisations – highlighted the decline in the cost of motoring . Compared to the costs of housing and other necessities, the costs of what conventional economists call “externalities”, the costs of more sustainable modes, the decline is persistent from 1980, then from the beginning of the Blair government and now through the current supposedly “austerity” one. While we have given rough estimates in the past, here are the official figures given by the Minister: Continue reading
The Tour de France is welcomed to South Yorkshire – with this “road safety” rubbish
Although the image below is a bit difficult to make out (the original is here), we reproduce it and take some time to examine its message as delivered by the “South Yorkshire Safer Roads Partnership” (SYSRP) . It is typical of why official “road safety” – as opposed to the real road safety of road danger reduction – is part of the problem of danger on the roads and discrimination against cycling and sustainable transport.
Continue reading
“A less car-dependent society would be a better society”
My latest contribution to a continuing debate in Local Transport Today (see my last letter) comes in response to letters from two (I think) extreme advocates of motorisation in issue 646 here*:
My response is in issue 647 as published below:
The scandal of Osborne’s £22.5 billion giveaway to motorists
We have discussed this giveaway before, but it appears that we underestimated the extent of this additional subsidy to motoring. What makes it worse is the justification for this policy given by the Treasury (and HMRC) this week: “Analysis of the dynamic effects of fuel duty reductions”
This policy has been appalling for the prospects of sustainable transport in Britain. I list problems with the report below: Continue reading