This could easily be solved by giving Alaska to Canada.

Pleased the government have finally published their response to the 2020 Pavement Parking Consultation. However, it's disappointingly backwards facing. Rather than a blanket ban and allow Local Authorities to apply for exceptions in specific circumstances, Cont. www.gov.uk/government/c...

24h average NO2 readings for Tue 6th Jan 2026 Gosforth: 27.63µg/m³ Coast Road: 48µg/m³ Tyne Bridge: 35.45µg/m³ https://sensors.spaceforheaton.com

A fun game for you all to play, but also a useful tool in the ongoing battle to remove traffic from Blackett Street and turn it into a safe space for people.

Back to work tomorrow, but I've been putting the holidays to good use and utilised a bit of AI object detection to create a game called 'Is somebody driving illegally on Blackett St?'. Pretend you're a traffic warden see how much you earn in fines: www.sphericalsquare.net/blackett-str...

I'm interested in public attitudes towards clearing footpaths (e.g. the road in your photo is clear, the path is not!) If you or your followers have time to complete my survey I'd love to hear from you. bsky.app/profile/did:...

When there's snow on the ground it's clear to see how often people drive on the pavement.

Also, when reporters start talking about the chatbots this way, it is imperative to remind them they are basically asking a toaster for comment. They should be a lot more embarrassed about this than they currently are. “Grok told CNN…” no it didn’t. You typed stuff into an unreliable calculator.

Cramlington politicians - Tuesday: “This isn’t joined up transport planning." [rail service reduced] www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-e... Friday: “What are we doing?" [campaigning for half a billion pounds to be spent on one roundabout] www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-e...

2025 has broken historical climate records, with provisional Met Office figures showing it has been both the warmest and sunniest year on record for the UK. Find out more: www.metoffice.gov.uk/about-us/new...

Here's an idea for 2026...

Still a few days of work so continuing festivities with a pint with a view before the New Year's Day concert at the Glasshouse.

2025 was the sunniest of the last 5 years, just pipping 2022. That meant I was 48% solar powered ⚡for the year. As it was quite warm too export income was nearly 1/3 more than the gas bill, or just slightly less than the electric bill, including standing charges. Embrace the ☀️save 💷💷

No really long rides in 2025, but more 100km+ rides than ever meant a new annual distance record for me. Probably a record for train/bike trips too, but nothing records that. Also managed a full 12 months without a cycling related A&E visit for the first time in a while, which I hope to continue.

New year celebrations have started and there appears to be a chicken crossing the road. There's a message there somewhere.

I had Fridays off in August so used them to get the train and go cycling around bits of the north I don't get to often.

I think the wine labelling machine or person in M&S might have been sampling the goods. Unless it's an elaborate ploy, and the bottles really only have 75ml in.

As if the lack of daylight wasn't bad enough, today is really the longest day of the year, but we just ignore the extra 30s and sort it out later. youtu.be/nZMMuv0Ltyo?...

A handy tool if you are ever tempted to enter a Facebook comments section and cycle lanes. roaddamagecalculator.com

There's a top-class trolling opportunity here: "In the absence of people driving over Hammersmith Bridge it's not clear there's any demand for a car route"

Buses in Heaton are not where they should be due to a fire on Chillingham Road this evening. You can find where yours is at sensors.spaceforheaton.com/bustracker

If you want to get involved in the #CWIS3 consultation but don't know how, I've put together some suggestions substack.com/home/post/p-... ...and a list of paths you could refer to ...

Winter weather is very good a highlighting poor pedestrian infrastructure. Still, you can see some nice reflections, before you get covered in dirty water by passing drivers.

That time already? Social ride this Friday, Spanish City, 6:30pm. Who’s in?

A reminder that cars aren’t a technology problem. They’re a geometry problem.

Five RLF poets - Anna Woodford, Jo Clement, Christy Ducker, Harry Man & Degna Stone have created poems now on display at Longbenton Metro station. Poems on the Metro is a collaboration between the RLF and Tyne and Wear Metro and this work will be on view to enjoy until the end of the year.

"Never assume a driver has seen you."

I got a new perspective on an orchestra tonight from the behind the stage seats at the Glasshouse. The 84 person London Philharmonic Orchestra did an excellent job of capturing the drama of Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet, parts of which I could not only hear but feel through my feet!

Language matters. Asylum seekers live in appalling conditions but the buildings are described as "hotels". Members of the Royal family live a life of luxury and privilege but their homes are often called "cottage" or "lodge". Why not just describe things accurately?

33% of the benefit of the fuel duty freeze and of the hundreds of millions spent of vehicle salary sacrifice schemes is for leisure driving, but that doesn't seem to be questioned. It's not low earners who can afford to forego £500 per month from their wages for an EV while saving on tax.

Thanks to open data, it's possible to look at what the spending on the cycle to work scheme is compared to other similar schemes, say vehicle salary sacrifice. Both involve buying things before tax on wages so reducing your tax bill, giving an idea of the tax raising potential from each.

One of the South Shields trains goes directly to South Shields, the other an elaborate route via Wallsend and Tynemouth and takes an hour longer. Same for St. James - do you want the two minute or 80 minute journey? How are visitors supposed to know?

I’m selling my Riese & Muller Cruiser 2 Mixte Vario. It’s a lovely bike, I’m just not using it. Full specs in pics below. It’s 2 years old and done 2600 miles. Just been serviced. Tyneside. Niche so please share! www.facebook.com/share/1AGbtx... If you’re not on FB, can share more via DM.

Cramlington Councillor call for Moor Farm upgrade due to 14 collisions since the start of 2020. The upgrade to Silverlink gets mentioned (completed in 2019). The 15 collisions at Silverlink since the start of 2020 don't get mentioned. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

They've chosen a bangin' tune for this year's John Lewis Christmas Ad.

This is why I was so pissed off to hear Badenoch talk as though everyone in the UK was threatened by a wave of knife crime. It’s bollocks.

Any time anyone starts talking about taking us out of the ECHR, ask them two questions: 1. Which of these rights don't you believe in? 2. What exactly would you replace it with. And don't take any vague promises like Brexit benefits.

Pressed go on all the appliances at 12:00. I've never seen my smart meter display turn orange before! It feels a bit odd when I usually space everything out to use the most solar and as little grid energy as possible, but you have to do you bit to keep things stable (and earn a few pennies).

In conjunction with @northeastptug.bsky.social we recently wrote to the city council to urge it to work towards making New Bridge Street and Blackett Street match the vision that has been sold to residents. newcycling.org/2025/10/the-...

Some drivers are 🔔🔚

A wet and windy Friday night couldn't keep away a storm trooper, wizard, witch and the Joker from a Halloween Cycle ride... Cheers to @ntstreetlife.bsky.social Plus a 4 yr old who joined for his first group and night time ride! 👏👏👏

All this windy weather means we’re bringing forward the final prize on the Power Tower... TRIPLE FREE ELECTRICITY SESSION SATURDAY!!! (And we'll get back to giving away that gorgeous EV next week 👀) Yup... THREE HOURS of free extra power, 12-3pm Sat 25 Oct.

Storm Benjamin making energy cheaper on Friday evening.

We joined our friends from SPACE for Fenham and Arthur's Hill on their Glow ride last night as part of the @cyclinguk.bsky.social "My ride. Our right" campaign. Find out what is was about and see pictures from the event in the video and gallery below 👇🏻

Lights and spooky costumes at the ready for the @ntstreetlife.bsky.social Hallowe’en takeover.

There's a phone in on BBC Newcastle about roads. Apparently it took somebody an hour to get across the Tyne Bridge and along the Central Motorway last week. That's about twice as long as it actually took everybody else at busiest times. No challenge though, just 'it's bad for cars everywhere' 🙄

All this talk of self-sacrifice to save the planet makes me grind my teeth. Sustainability is cool, so let's do good things excellently. www.terrainfirma.co.uk/if-sustainab...

First newsletter published! simple.ghost.io/what-seems-t... If you like this sort of thing, sign up for more

It's been a beautiful autumnal day for a ride to Capheaton. I'm glad a managed to get out after a failed attempt yesterday.