Sign in

Sarah Whitebread

@swhitebread.bsky.social
77 followers 138 following 6 posts

Mum, campaigner, cyclist, crafter living in Ely, Cambs. Trustee Camcycle, day job Cycling UK (currently on maternity leave). All views my own.

PostsRepliesMedia
Reposted by Sarah Whitebread
Cycling UK Official @cyclinguk.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Today we were outside Liverpool City Region Combined Authority as the Transport Committee met, joined by 200+ people standing against Merseyrail’s ban on non-folding e-bikes. Together, we then rode to Merseyrail HQ to hand over 100+ personal stories showing the impact of the ban.
2236
Reposted by Sarah Whitebread
Liberal Democrats @libdems.org.uk · 12/09/2026
Unlimited donations from unaccountable sources are a threat to democratic integrity. We're calling on the Government to introduce emergency legislation to cap political donations. Last week we raised this in the Commons. This week we've chased the minister again, because this cannot wait.
9301140
Reposted by Sarah Whitebread
Brent Toderian @brenttoderian.bsky.social · 29/08/2026
“Dutch people cycle an average of 2.6km each per day. If this pattern was replicated worldwide, annual carbon emissions would drop by 686 million tonnes. This mammoth figure exceeds the entire carbon footprint of most countries, including the UK, Canada, Saudi Arabia and Australia.” @euronews.com
euronews.com
Cycling like the Dutch would slash the world’s carbon footprint
If everybody cycled like the Dutch, we could offset the UK or Australia’s entire carbon footprint.
741775696
Reposted by Sarah Whitebread
Fiona Harvey @fionaharvey.bsky.social · 19/07/2026
As Andy Burnham contemplates “drill, baby, drill” for the North Sea - a little reminder of why it would be electoral madness to desert net zero, whatever Tony Blair and the Treasury might think www.theguardian.com/environment/...
theguardian.com
‘Act on the evidence outside the window’: Andy Burnham urged to stick to net zero targets if he becomes PM
Burnham is coming under pressure from some to ditch net zero targets but this could be highly damaging on many levels
712867
Reposted by Sarah Whitebread
Leo Hickman @leohickman.carbonbrief.org · 24/06/2026
++BREAKING++ Leading climate scientists in the UK have written to senior editors in broadcast media - and OFCOM and IPSO: "To express our concern about recent media coverage of extreme weather, climate change and net-zero and to urge you…to inform public audiences of the scientific links"
451588792
Reposted by Sarah Whitebread
clareskeltonmorris.bsky.social @clareskeltonmorris.bsky.social · 20/06/2026
Dream team! Brilliant to speak alongside new friends Finnish Cyclists Federation, Fietserbond Belgium, Capital Region Denmark, @swhitebread.bsky.social from @cyclinguk.bsky.social and Chris @modacitylife.com @dutchcycling.nl on cycling in the media, language choice, and positive, inclusive stories.
0122
Reposted by Sarah Whitebread
Tony Juniper @tonyjuniper.bsky.social · 20/01/2026
An across-government technical assessment published today recognises that "nature is the foundation of national security" and that "every critical ecosystem is on a pathway to collapse". A rational response to this would be to get very serious about nature recovery. www.gov.uk/government/p...
gov.uk
Nature security assessment on global biodiversity loss, ecosystem collapse and national security
This strategic assessment explores how global biodiversity loss and the collapse of critical ecosystems could affect the UK’s resilience, security and prosperity.
217892
Reposted by Sarah Whitebread
Caroline Lucas @carolinelucas.bsky.social · 20/01/2026
This is a truly horrifying account of increasingly likely collapse of essential natural systems which would bring mass food shortages, price rises & global disorder. Commissioned from UK intelligence chiefs but scandalously suppressed by Govt, & sneaked out now while attention is elsewhere 👇
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk
18638355
Reposted by Sarah Whitebread
Peter Geoghegan @petergeoghegan.bsky.social · 28/09/2025
This is *really* important. Our elections regulator isn’t independent. Reform’s Arron Banks has said the Electoral Commission should be abolished The architecture of British democracy is really weak and easily ripped out. It needs to be protected now
14239112
Reposted by Sarah Whitebread
Kevin M. Kruse @kevinmkruse.bsky.social · 09/09/2025
In the last week of the 1936 campaign, FDR reminded a massive crowd in Madison Square Garden that "organized money" was "unanimous in their hate for me--and I welcome their hatred!" And then the country rewarded him with a 523-8 landslide in the electoral college. This is, in fact, good politics.
4948681108
Reposted by Sarah Whitebread
Shaun Spiers @shaunspiers1.bsky.social · 04/09/2025
Fiona Harvey pulls no punches in this great podcast. Why do most of the media cover climate change so poorly? 1. Vested interests (follow the money). 2. Right wing papers can't now blame all thing bad on the EU: net zero is a convenient substitute. 3. Willful ignorance (hello BBC presenters!).
077
Reposted by Sarah Whitebread
Transport Action Network @transportaction.bsky.social · 08/07/2025
Why has the government failed to announce funding for Ely and Haughley junctions, a rail freight scheme that has a far superior value compared to the many roads funded today?! transportactionnetwork.org.uk/labour-splur...
transportactionnetwork.org.uk
Labour splurges taxpayers’ cash on poor value road schemes
Transport Action Network is dismayed at today’s announcement by the UK Government to fund a raft of poor value and expensive road schemes. Most of these are legacy schemes from the Conservative govern...
087
Reposted by Sarah Whitebread
Hackney Cyclist @hackneycyclist.bsky.social · 02/07/2025
In the five years leading up to the replacement of blue paint with segregated cycle tracks and floating bus stops 5 people were killed on CS2. In the ten years since they were constructed no cyclists had died and there have been no significant collisions between cycles and pedestrians at bus stops
A family cycles on CS2
223262
Reposted by Sarah Whitebread
New Economics Foundation @neweconomics.bsky.social · 02/07/2025
Improving living standards, particularly for those on the lowest incomes, should be seen as a precondition for a healthy and prosperous country, not an eventual reward for growth. 3/3
1154
Reposted by Sarah Whitebread
Tom McTague @tommctague.bsky.social · 01/07/2025
New Statesman cover this week. Online tomorrow. On newsstands Thursday.
10336108
Reposted by Sarah Whitebread
Cecilia Keating @ceciliakeating.carbonbrief.org · 30/06/2025
Not a lot of love for the press at the tipping points conference Rockström says the media is “getting it very wrong, seriously wrong” Dr Carlos Nobre points to a lack of coverage of the impacts of the degradation of topical forests, noting the "tremendous risk of epidemics and pandemics”
2157
Reposted by Sarah Whitebread
Felicity Hannah @felicityhannah.bsky.social · 09/06/2025
Really interesting and I think very insightful thread on Mumsnet about just how entirely different the intergenerational financial experience has been:
Reads:

My parents started out with nothing, not a penny from their families. My mum was a dinner lady, Dad was a secondary school teacher.

They paid off their mortgage in their 40s. As children we had a holiday abroad every year and multiple uk holidays throughout the year.

They had a lease car which would be replaced every 3 years with a new one.

They paid for mine and my sisters weddings and house deposits.

They’ve travelled all over the world in their retirement and I’ve just found out they have £200k in savings.

WTF?! DH and I have comparable careers, we run 1 old banger of a car, we have 1 uk holiday per year, we’ve stopped at 1 child, we’re on target to pay off our mortgage when we reach retirement, we have a grand total of £4k in savings. We don’t drink, don’t smoke, don’t buy expensive clothes.
2618541
Sarah Whitebread @swhitebread.bsky.social · 16/06/2025
Interesting to ponder whether the govt would have been better to leave winter fuel alone and raise fuel duty a small amount instead. They would have been hammered for either decision...but maybe easier to move on from the fuel duty one as they could freeze in subsequent years& still get the benefit.
010
Reposted by Sarah Whitebread
Stephen Frost @sfrost.bsky.social · 14/06/2025
Thoroughly depressing statement. From this open access article: ‘Effects of city design on transport mode choice and exposure to health risks during and after a crisis: a retrospective observational analysis’ www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Beyond infrastructure and design, we also acknowledge that embedded transport cultures can influence whether rapid changes in transport mode share last or not. Exploring this relationship is a direction for future research. For example, the fact that so many locations around the world experienced substantial reductions in pollution, road trauma, and associated chronic disease health risks during 2020 and 2021 appears to have been insufficient incentive for more societies to seek a more permanent transition away from transport modes that contribute to such risks. In fact, in many locations, car culture has not only been resilient to change but has strengthened, especially in locations where city design has facilitated car culture, but even in locations where strategies have been attempted to prevent car culture or at least establish benefits from alternative, active, and sustainable transport modes.
511726
Reposted by Sarah Whitebread
Doug Parr @dougparr.bsky.social · 08/06/2025
No-one, NO-ONE,should be granted a “request for near-blanket immunity for serious environmental crimes” If the potential buyers of Thames Water can’t clean up, they shouldn’t be allowed to buy www.theguardian.com/business/202...
theguardian.com
Bidders demand Thames Water granted immunity over environmental crimes
Exclusive: ‘Ransom note’ requests would leave Environment Agency unable to prosecute company or management
721691
Reposted by Sarah Whitebread
Richard Hebditch @richard.hebditch.org · 12/05/2025
Great to be at the launch of Liberals and Democrats for Nature & Climate tonight. Impressive turn out from MPs, peers and environmental NGOs inc party leader & deputy leader
Ed Davey speaks to audience including Daisy Cooper at launch event for LDNC
161
Reposted by Sarah Whitebread
Earl Russell LD @earlrussell.bsky.social · 04/05/2025
We don't want: UK Energy Security. Long tern reductions in our energy bills. The UK Green Economy which grew by 10.3% last year to drive UK economic growth & prosperity. Any new jobs or investment in our area. And lets stop investment in flood defences because we like being under water...
66818
Reposted by Sarah Whitebread
Lewis Goodall @lewisgoodall.com · 01/05/2025
In any other major city in Europe the streets of Soho would obviously be pedestrianised and businesses/visitors on a glorious day like today could enjoy al fresco dining. But thanks to Westminster Council and the way we give outsized power to absurd local complaints, not here!
661388185
Reposted by Sarah Whitebread
Luke Tryl @luketryl.bsky.social · 02/05/2025
This is why mooting 'ditching net-zero' as the solution to Labour's woes is so silly. It's a policy that is popular with their core voters, critical to progressive voters they need to woo back, and Reform voters are sceptical but it's way down their priority list.
27333123
Reposted by Sarah Whitebread
Paul @birminghamkav.bsky.social · 30/04/2025
Let's bring cars back to Carnaby Street (pedestrianised in 1973), said no-one ever.
165
Reposted by Sarah Whitebread
Alex @acannon.bsky.social · 28/04/2025
Lincoln Square Road Closure and Accompanying Comments From The Local Facebook Page (April 2025)
Picture of kids and adults gathering on Lincoln Square, playing jump rope. Text overlay saying "I will never understand the appeal of playing in a street"Picture of Chicagoans of all ages lounging on Lincoln square, enjoying a beautiful spring day. The sun is out and there is chalk art covering the ground. In the foreground a man in sunglasses sits on a yellow bench. Text from a local facebook group reads "It's really unfortunate that they feel the need to create this kind of chaos for the community, our square, and the small businesses trying to thrive here, this feels like a targeted effort."
a man blows bubbles for a group of children playing in Lincoln Square, the kids are jumping and pointing at the bubbles. many adults are circled around watching. A quote from the Lincoln Square facebook page reads "FORGET ABOUT IT. Ban kids from playing in the street."A wide shot of Lincoln Square. People are congregating in the road, lined up to patronize local businesses, or sitting on the curb watching neighbors stroll by. A truncated facebook comment states "how dare you... People like you in this community absolutely disgust me."
431243377
Reposted by Sarah Whitebread
Carla Denyer @carladenyer.bsky.social · 29/04/2025
This "debate" about who should use what toilet doesn’t benefit anyone. It doesn’t fix the underfunding of women's refuges, NHS waiting lists leaving women in terrible pain, mums skipping meals to feed their kids. How about we get on with tackling the real issues affecting women?
702191550
Reposted by Sarah Whitebread
The Guardian @theguardian.com · 18/03/2025
Ban smartphones for UK under-16s, urges Adolescence writer
theguardian.com
Ban smartphones for UK under-16s, urges Adolescence writer
Jack Thorne, whose Netflix series has shone a light on incel culture, calls for restrictions on teens’ social media access Smartphones should be treated like cigarettes and banned until the age of 16 in the UK, according to the writer of Adolescence,…
1124332
Reposted by Sarah Whitebread
James Murray @james-bg.bsky.social · 05/03/2025
This is the critical point. Somehow net zero - a scientific term about how to halt anthropogenic climate change - has become completely detached in much political and media discourse from climate change - the phenomenon the target was adopted to tackle.
1197
Reposted by Sarah Whitebread
London Cycling Campaign @londoncycling.bsky.social · 28/02/2025
Your daily reminder that Low Traffic Neighbourhoods reduce air pollution across an entire area. Maps are nitrogen dioxide levels Waltham Forest 2007 vs 2017, after installing LTNs and protected cycle lanes. 🌱 lcc.org.uk/campaigns/lo...
04212
Reposted by Sarah Whitebread
The Health Foundation @healthfoundation.bsky.social · 13/02/2025
🧵 NEW: The shift to prevention in public spending is gaining momentum, with recognition at the Autumn Budget and the NHS making it a priority in its 10-year plan. Our briefing with @demos-uk.bsky.social explores how to support this fundamental change. Read now ⬇️ buff.ly/4gAgJUN
health.org.uk
The preventative shift: how can we embed prevention and achieve long term missions
Published in collaboration with Demos, this briefing looks at how to shift the culture of public bodies to think ‘prevention first’ and target spending at activities which are value for money and…
1911
Reposted by Sarah Whitebread
Lewis Goodall @lewisgoodall.com · 11/02/2025
On LBC this morning, I spoke about why we should be far more worried the power Elon Musk is accruing, especially in light of his Open AI moves. The normalisation of his actions and activity by quite a bit of the US and even UK media is a big part of the problem. www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGnt...
youtube.com
Elon Musk's main aim is 'world domination' | Lewis Goodall on LBC
YouTube video by LBC
841141335
Reposted by Sarah Whitebread
Camcycle @camcycle.bsky.social · 11/02/2025
By the end of the week we need a list of the top 10 walking and cycling routes in Cambridgeshire that need an urgent cut back of overgrown vegetation. Please pitch your ideas now! 📷 Trumpington Road cycleway, summer 2024 (timbo, Cyclestreets photomap)
Overgrown vegetation including nettles covering the walking section of the Trumpington Road shared path.
373
Sarah Whitebread @swhitebread.bsky.social · 10/02/2025
According to this article, a UK government spokesperson actually said “We are committed to raising the healthiest generation of children ever and recognise the importance of this to our number one mission – economic growth." ... I mean, where do you even start with that?!?
030
Reposted by Sarah Whitebread
Damian Carrington @dpcarrington.bsky.social · 07/02/2025
Bradford clean air zone saves health service £360,000 in first year - Doctor visits for respiratory illnesses and heart problems were down by 25% #airpollution Story by @drgaryfuller.bsky.social www.theguardian.com/environment/...
theguardian.com
Bradford clean air zone saves NHS over £30,000 a month in first year
After one year of the zone, which is the second largest in England, GP visits for respiratory illnesses were down by a quarter
118076
Reposted by Sarah Whitebread
Sam Freedman @samfr.bsky.social · 27/01/2025
My Prospect column this month is on the increasingly feral Lobby and why Labour has little choice but to ignore them www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/politics/691...
prospectmagazine.co.uk
The press lobby is going feral—ignore it
Given the pressures of 24-hour news, lobby journalists cannot plausibly understand policy detail. Their skillset is to nose around and cause trouble
28375110
Reposted by Sarah Whitebread
Adam Tranter @adamtranter.bsky.social · 26/01/2025
Imagine if we paid farmers properly to enable sustainable transport in rural areas? It would: ✅ Provide travel choices that work on people’s own schedule, especially important considering infrequent bus services in rural areas ✅ Improve road safety on country lanes ✅ Increase access to nature
Palù dei Mori (Lago di Garda) cycle lane from above Palù dei Mori (Lago di Garda) cycle lane from above
1315942
Reposted by Sarah Whitebread
Jonathan Portes @jdportes.bsky.social · 25/01/2025
So, after Nick Timothy on "How to win an election" and David Frost on "How to do a great trade deal", the Telegraph adds another to its list of star columnists...
2551674284
Reposted by Sarah Whitebread
James Murray @james-bg.bsky.social · 25/01/2025
Since Trump’s victory there’s been near daily attacks in the UK media aimed at the government’s energy and net zero policies (there have been three in the last 24 hours). And yet there’s been barely a peep in defence from the government or its outriders.
67627
Reposted by Sarah Whitebread
Shaun Spiers @shaunspiers1.bsky.social · 23/01/2025
Please can we have a proper economic strategy, rooted in the government's wider commitments, and not the chancellor's desperate grasping after gimmicks and headlines? We've had years of performative, hard hat chancellors. They didn't grow the economy. greenallianceblog.org.uk/2025/01/23/t...
greenallianceblog.org.uk
The Heathrow decision is economically and environmentally incoherent
Well, this is depressing. Rachel Reeves, who once wanted to be Britain’s first green chancellor, now prefers to confect rows with her natural allies over new roads and runways. She briefs out her s…
1126