Reposted by Gareth Hooperthattimwalker.bsky.social @thattimwalker.bsky.social · 13/09/2026Very good point, Matthew — I remember too the fuss that was made when Obama gently suggested ahead of the EU referendum that Brexit may not be a terribly good idea and the continual commentary on our domestic affairs we are now getting from Trump. 0186
Gareth Hooper @garethhooper.bsky.social · 12/09/202611 plus assessment day in Kings Heath. King Edward VI School. An combination of: Years of failed transport policy Car drivers who don't give a toss about community, residents or the law 052
Reposted by Gareth HooperProf. Ian Walker @ianwalker.bsky.social · 13/08/2026"Many of the thousands afflicted each year by criminal driving felt that “the harm they had suffered mattered less” than that from other serious crimes" - this double-standard is exactly what we called out in our work on motonormativity. Road crime is crime www.theguardian.com/law/2026/aug...theguardian.comVictims of road crime feel ‘forgotten by system’, official review findsMany of those affected in England and Wales think offences are not treated with the seriousness they deserve, says commissioner 517169
Reposted by Gareth HooperJohn Munro @johnmunro.bsky.social · 09/08/2026Please, good people of Clacton. Please, please, please.... 0125
Gareth Hooper @garethhooper.bsky.social · 09/08/2026Combined Authorities only have one elected official. A mayor. Their role is most closely aligned to Local Authorities than other public bodies - Police, NHS - and their power is increasing. They need more local accountability otherwise they're close to becoming quangos 100
Gareth Hooper @garethhooper.bsky.social · 02/08/2026@zackpolanski.bsky.social's ability to communicate through social media has been fabulous. As a member of the Green Party, I'm beginning to worry sloppy use of social media may undo the hitherto successes he's had. Reform is dying, Greens must hold Labour to account in an erudite way 020
Reposted by Gareth HooperBrent Toderian @brenttoderian.bsky.social · 19/07/2026“Paris has embarked on a grand transformation, planting 155k trees, adding hundreds of kms of bike lanes, pedestrianising 300 school streets and banning cars from the banks of the Seine. Parking has been turned into green space…Fewer parents fear their child being run over when they walk to school.”theguardian.comHow Paris swapped cars for bikes – and transformed its streetsUnder Anne Hidalgo – mayor for 12 years until last week – the French capital added bike lanes, cut traffic and reclaimed public space, but not without resistance 201158369
Reposted by Gareth HooperTransport Action Network @transportaction.bsky.social · 20/07/2026National Highways are at it again, this time they have the intention to infill a bridge in Hertfordshire... www.change.org/p/save-bridg...change.orgSign the PetitionSave Bridge 2062 from being infilled 075
Reposted by Gareth HooperJames Ball @jamesrball.com · 20/07/2026I can't work out if this is intended as a punishment to Lisa Nandy, who clearly hates the job; or a punishment to the entire UK culture sector, which is suffering as a result of that. Maybe both? 1634948
Reposted by Gareth HooperJohn Munro @johnmunro.bsky.social · 20/07/2026None of these measures will be effective. Meanwhile, Paris has made the streets in front of 300 schools permanently car free. Not all cities value the children of their communities equally.bbc.co.ukSix Birmingham schools set for new road safety measuresRoads near the schools are set for work such as speed humps and yellow lines to boost safety. 22312
Gareth Hooper @garethhooper.bsky.social · 18/07/2026The bus experience in Birmingham Franchising doesn't stop this. Enforcement does 020
Reposted by Gareth HooperAnti-Reform @antireform.bsky.social · 18/07/2026The epitome of entitlement 314066
Gareth Hooper @garethhooper.bsky.social · 18/07/2026This is what Burnham meant by he won't "out-Green the Greens". I hope there's a huge move to active travel to try and offset this disaster 000
Gareth Hooper @garethhooper.bsky.social · 18/07/2026If true, how does Shabana make the bond markets sleep easier at night? 010
Gareth Hooper @garethhooper.bsky.social · 18/07/2026Birmingham not mentioned. But Manchester is @richardparkerwm.bsky.social West Midlands falling further and further behind.... 020
Reposted by Gareth HooperRajan Naidu 📎 Ⓥ @rajannaidu.bsky.social · 17/07/2026Brum? @bhamcitycouncil.bsky.social @brumgreens.bsky.social @birminghamlibdems.bsky.social @brumcjc.bsky.social @johnmunro.bsky.social @betterstreetsforbirmingham.org @birminghamfoe.bsky.social @brumroadsafety.bsky.social @birminghamdispatch.bsky.social @unibirmingham.bsky.social @mybcu.bsky.social 073
Reposted by Gareth HooperBetter Streets for Birmingham @betterstreetsforbirmingham.org · 17/07/2026Reminder: this is tomorrow! 🚉 11am–3pm at the Platform for Community in St Mary’s Church gardens, Moseley. Come and say hello! 064
Reposted by Gareth HooperJohn Munro @johnmunro.bsky.social · 17/07/2026Paris, 300 Birmingham, nil 072
Reposted by Gareth HooperStephen Frost @sfrost.bsky.social · 17/07/2026“So big outdoor watch parties aren’t just the fun option – they’re a boost to community spirit and a stimulus for local economies...” Like it. Would love if it was used to kick start regular neighbourhood street parties or made the idea of using street space for shared experiences a norm. 2102
Gareth Hooper @garethhooper.bsky.social · 17/07/2026If Burnham is explicitly rejecting neoliberalist, what economic policy is he adopting? 100
Reposted by Gareth HooperNew Local @wearenewlocal.bsky.social · 16/07/2026📣 We're delighted to partner with two leading thinkers and practitioners, @cormacrussell.bsky.social & @lisamcnally.bsky.social, to host their provocation paper which we hope will spark much-needed debate on a potential future for neighbourhood health approaches. www.newlocal.org.uk/publications...newlocal.org.ukPutting the Neighbourhood Back into Neighbourhood Health - New LocalNew Local is delighted to partner with two leading thinkers and practitioners, Cormac Russell and Lisa McNally, to host their provocation paper, which we hope will spark much-needed debate on […] 162
Reposted by Gareth HooperPhil Jones @phil-pja.bsky.social · 16/07/2026I gave evidence to the Transport Select Committee yesterday on Speed for its inquiry into the Road Safety Strategy. I appeared alongside Lilli Matson of TfL, Adrian Berendt of @20splenty.bsky.social and Rob Török, emergency doctor. Hope I got my points across. View: parliamentlive.tv/event/index/...parliamentlive.tvParliamentlive.tvTransport Committee 0152
Reposted by Gareth HooperJohn Paddington @padders123.bsky.social · 16/07/2026Still find it fascinating the complete mess of the city she represents isn't seen as a negative thing. It's almost as if the ongoing bin strike (and lack of household recycling for over a year) doesn't get any attention. Just imagine if what is happening in Birmingham was in London. 0139
Reposted by Gareth HooperZach Elsbury @zachelsbury.eurosky.social · 15/07/2026So the one minister with Treasury experience is a no-go because he‘ll spook the markets, while a minister with no treasury experience, who hasn’t expressed a single idea on fiscal policy, and whose main contribution to the economy will be negative won’t be? Sorry, this is just ridiculous. 1624966
Gareth Hooper @garethhooper.bsky.social · 15/07/2026Fair play to Labour, they were dangerously close to becoming reasonably popular. Dodged that bullet, again 010
Gareth Hooper @garethhooper.bsky.social · 15/07/2026Canceling West Midlands Railway trains because there's not enough staff is an outcome only of incredibly poor policy West Midlands has comparatively high unemployment and car use. Both of which are we're told are constraining productivity and are priorities for reduction 123
Gareth Hooper @garethhooper.bsky.social · 15/07/2026@richardparkerwm.bsky.social the Camp Hill trains are incredibly unreliable. I've had to stop using them. Taxi drivers doing well out of the cancellations I hear..... @birminghamdispatch.bsky.social 000
Reposted by Gareth HooperProf. Ian Walker @ianwalker.bsky.social · 10/07/2026I cycled to work the longer way today. At 5.5 miles, that's further than most UK car trips - yet it took me just 22 minutes We urgently need to unblock and enable the millions of short active trips that are being blocked every day because of our collective car dependency. Our health depends on it 1538484
Reposted by Gareth HooperLyndsey Melling @grandnarrative.bsky.social · 09/07/2026Another LTN to be made permanent, and the first in Bristol @roadcc.bsky.social @peterwalker99.bsky.social @rantyhighwayman.bsky.social @ianwalker.bsky.social @engineerlikeagirl.bsky.social www.bristol247.com/news-and-fea...bristol247.comEast Bristol Liveable Neighbourhood to be made permanentCouncillors voted 5-4 to approve the full business case 16711
Reposted by Gareth HooperJordan @jordanbhx.bsky.social · 08/07/2026Went to pick up some stuff I had framed in Stirchley and walked through this. No trees, no sense of place, too much tarmac, *plastic* cladding. This should have been 5 storey courtyard blocks with terraces overlooking the park & 5 mins from the station. A wasted opportunity. 4102
Reposted by Gareth HooperJordan @jordanbhx.bsky.social · 08/07/2026In a city that priorities health, happiness, wellbeing, sustainability and economic growth it would have looked like this. 171
Gareth Hooper @garethhooper.bsky.social · 08/07/2026Interested in why the Chancellor holds the power on this? I could search the web but much more fun to ask you lot! 000
Reposted by Gareth HooperRachel Cunliffe @rmcunliffe.bsky.social · 07/07/2026CLACTON BY-ELECTION KLAXON Now read Ruth's thread on how, even if Nigel Farage fights and wins a by-election, parliament could still continue its investigation into whether he broke the MPs' Code of Conduct 36337
Reposted by Gareth HooperAdam Bienkov @adambienkov.bsky.social · 06/07/2026The facade is cracking 4663319915
Reposted by Gareth HooperFriends of Bradford Street @bradford-street.bsky.social · 06/07/2026Been sent a link today to the Midlands Rail Hub consultation, was quick and easy to complete. If you've got a few mins, please fill in the consultation and support this great scheme! Here's the link... www.mrhalliance.co.uk/home 111
Reposted by Gareth HooperBetter Streets for Birmingham @betterstreetsforbirmingham.org · 06/07/2026Today! 022
Reposted by Gareth HooperReal Gaz on a proper bike: gazza_d@toot.bike @gazza-d.bsky.social · 06/07/2026Why does this never happen with cars? This is just another example of motornormativity at play. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...bbc.co.ukDangerously parked e-bikes seized by Westminster CouncilThe bikes will be released when the operator pays a penalty for its customers' poor parking. 2128158
Reposted by Gareth HooperCaroline Russell @carolinerussell.bsky.social · 06/07/2026So much this. And why it is so urgent to reduce miles driven and road space given over to parking, while creating conditions for buses to serve communities efficiently and for people to walk and cycle along, and cross roads safely and confidently. More space for trees and greening helps too. 47023
Gareth Hooper @garethhooper.bsky.social · 05/07/2026Corridors. Once used to connect different spaces. In the UK you can now: Expect to stand in one when travelling on a train Receive healthcare in one in a hospital Chronic underinvestment, but yeah, let's blame immigration.... 020
Gareth Hooper @garethhooper.bsky.social · 05/07/2026If @richardparkerwm.bsky.social wants to create more jobs in West Midlands, there's an acute need for staff on the trains on the Camp Hill line He made a massive song and dance about how he, not Andy Street, got it open Well, Richard, train more staff!! Win-win for transport and employment 030
Gareth Hooper @garethhooper.bsky.social · 05/07/2026Train travel in UK: First class more expensive than standard Standing same price as seated The quality of the experience of standing Vs seated significantly different (worse) to 1st Vs standard 020
Gareth Hooper @garethhooper.bsky.social · 05/07/2026Train journey from Reading to Pineapple Road: I'm going to stand all the way from Reading to Birmingham New Street All trains to Pineapple Road cancelled due to lack of staff @heidialexander.bsky.social @richardparkerwm.bsky.social 021
Reposted by Gareth HooperAdam Tranter @adamtranter.bsky.social · 03/07/2026Mature trees provide the shade and shelter required to make cities liveable during extreme heat. Given how long it takes for trees to grow enough canopy cover, cities should be urgently planting tens of thousands more of them. 📸 Thermal camera in Lisbon, showing 59.5°C ground. 15619
Reposted by Gareth HooperCoHSAT - Coalition for Healthy Streets and Active Travel (Oxon) @cohsat.bsky.social · 03/07/2026Active travel is so important for health, that the NHS is going to reward people to do it. But would it not be better for DfT and Councils to invest in pavements and cycle routes that are fit for purpose first? www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...bbc.co.ukNHS to reward people who walk 30 minutes a dayThe "marathon a month" scheme, developed with former Olympic medallist Sir Brendan Foster, will launch early next year. 25216
Reposted by Gareth HooperShivaji Shiva @shivajishivalaw.bsky.social · 30/06/2026Many of those present felt the same ... #PitchPerfect is right. 193
Reposted by Gareth HooperCaroline Russell @carolinerussell.bsky.social · 30/06/2026At the Delivering Vision Zero conference in Birmingham. Aria Rattan, active travel ambassador: “Somewhere along the way, we’ve decided that the safest place for a child is inside the back of car.” “How can we have a childhood if we can’t walk through it” #PitchPerfect 🌱 13721