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Pick ‘n’ mix thoughts
This is a ‘pick ‘n’ mix’ of some of the things I’ve been reminded of and explored with bright minds over the last two days in London. They might not all take your fancy, but one or two might be really tasty. 1. Don’t let yourself get stressed over things you can’t control (which can Read more
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In the news over the last 7 days, time and time again
You may be fixating in the news at the moment on other things – and monstrous things are indeed at play – but here’s a reminder that climate change isn’t going away. And it’s not caused by DEI. During the CIHT CLIMATES initiative we’ve repeatedly prepared a slide called ‘In the news over the last Read more
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Avatar – an allegory for colonialism
I’ve just watched Avatar. It hit me hard between the eyes compared to the last time I’d watched it. Having just read a book on colonialism I now appreciate its purpose as an allegory (a story with hidden meaning). Greedy humans – corporate and military together – have found a beautiful planet years in stasis Read more
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Let’s take the covers off all the books
The epitome of not judging a book by it’s cover; or having a strong hunch that the cover spells trouble? Or sensing a wolf in sheep’s clothing? The word ‘prejudice’ conveys ‘pre-judging’. Here’s an example. My eldest daughter said to me ‘maybe people will listen more if you wear an office shirt and suit jacket Read more
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What the hell is going on?
Am I alone in finding myself at least once a day, sometimes several times, asking myself ‘What the hell is going on?’. The closer I look the more I have to squint to try and make sense of what I’m seeing, to the point that it it all blurs. This place has been a good Read more
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The Nutmeg’s Curse
The humble nutmeg precipitated a colonial atrocity in the 1600s. A massacre that forms part of the dirty rapacious history of appropriating nature as a resource for exploitation that bred capitalism and modernity and trampled over indigenous peoples. I’ve just finished reading Amitav Ghosh’s ‘The Nutmeg’s Curse – Parables for a Planet in Crisis’. It’s Read more
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Metal resistance and resilience
To my metal family out there – I’ve put together a resistance and resilience playlist. Some of the albums and tracks in the well of heavy metal that I drink from for replenishment – especially in testing times 🤘 Here’s my pick of twelve albums and tracks, plus two bonus tracks. What are some of Read more
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Looking for the light in a dark age
This is a personal post in an awful week. Today my contribution to Local Transport Today’s 2025 ‘deep thinking’ initiative is published. I’m sorry to say fellow transport planners that it is a sobering take on our problems or predicament. It’s called ‘Looking for the light in a dark age’. When I started my transport Read more
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Lighting a candle
You can listen to this video here. Or it is available via the LinkedIn Post. Dear friends and colleagues, 20 January is nearly upon us. This is a personal post in which I just wanted to reflect some brief thoughts for this particular day. When I’ve been engaged in public service in my career I Read more
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One year on – the reality of EV ownership
The journey into, and experience of, EV ownership and use. A year ago tomorrow we acquired our battery electric car. What’s it like from the inside looking out, having been on the outside looking in? In January 2024 we were experimenting with having gone down from two cars to one. The one left was a Read more
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Mum and I address the CIHT Annual Luncheon
Mum and I had the pleasure of addressing the highways and transportation sector on Friday 13 December 2024. Keywords to watch out for: climate action; equality, diversity and inclusion; professionalism; heavy metal; long hair. View the video. It was one of the most memorable moments in my career to be able to stand in front Read more
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What the Zuck?
Hey – what do you think of my Zen Diagram? There is so much to learn from billionaires these days. I can see what the problem is now. We’ve let truth get out of control. Maybe we’ve become too godly. A quick scan online of the Ten Commandments brings me to number nine which is Read more
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“The PM has decided that we need a national transport policy” says the PM’s special advisor, Sir Mark Spencer. “Yes, well, why not?” answers the Minister, Jim Fracker – sorry, Jim Hacker. It’s pointed out to him by Sir Spencer that “We need a policy”. “We did have a policy before” replies Hacker. “Did we?”…
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Anthropomorphism. One of the biggest words in my vocabulary – one I added right near the beginning of my personal journey deeper and deeper into the world of future mobility. I was delighted when Adam Hill, the Editor of ITS International Magazine asked me this summer whether I would share my thoughts on future mobility in a written…
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In the blink of an eye, 20 years have flown by. In 2002 I had just become Chair of the Transport Planning Society. I was encouraged to apply for a newly advertised professorship at the University of the West of England. UWE was looking to establish itself as a centre of excellence in transport. At the…
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Perhaps it was a slow news day on Saturday. The Times ran an article called ‘Big plans will finally ease parking squeeze’. Apparently “Ministers have supported a plan to increase the size of parking bays to keep up with the growing size of cars”. This is what facepalming on social media was made for, isn’t…
What the hell is going on? 