Just sent out a free piece to expand on my article in @theatlantic.com yesterday. The signs of rot in US military and diplomatic capabilities are real and even more extensive than I could say in that article. Here are more-and a gift link to the original article. open.substack.com/pub/phillips...

How things change. 10 years ago energy poverty was getting recognition in EU policy, and a few were asking "Is there a transport equivalent?" Today at the SCF conference they gave us the (slightly) bigger room for the transport poverty breakout session.

You gave your kids a smartphone and invited the kind of people you’d never want them to associate with in real life straight into their bedroom. But I was the ‘extremist’ for advocating internet use regulation for children?

Great to see McNeill looking back to his best

I would. first time, he was forever talking us down & him up, like we owed him a favour. He screwed us over, talked about us w/o class or respect. He should'nt've been allowed anywhere near us again. Current hagiography of him knocks me sick. Don't forget, he threatened to slap a female journalist.

By 1960, 27 per cent of new council housing approvals in Birmingham were for blocks of over 15 storeys in height. My new Substack post tells how and why the city embraced high-rise construction on such a scale ((Photo credit: Phyllis Nicklin collection) municipaldreams.substack.com/p/post-war-h...

I see Jordan Pickford’s poor footwork has resulted in another fluke save.

I am devastated to learn that my dear friend, my brother in arms, Paul Conroy has gone on to the next life. He was one of the bravest men I have ever known. I can barely believe it, we only spoke yesterday. His loss will be felt profoundly by us all. Rest in peace @reflextv.bsky.social

Big electric buses increase capacity and reduce costs for busy #eBRT / eBHNS lines. This could be the next step for the @bctransit.com Blink 95 line from the BC Legislature to Langford? www.urban-transport-magazine.com/en/ile-de-fr... #yyj #bcpoli @bettertransityyj.ca

He's done it! Thierno Barry is now the top scoring Barry in Everton history 🔵⚽️ Thierno Barry 6 Gareth Barry 5 Barry Horne 3 Barry Rees 2

In off his rump!!!

He's got plenty of subs on the bench, centre mids running on fumes

*** New blog post *** It has been a while, but now it's time for another slice of traffic signal pie where I delve into the double standards of design. therantyhighwayman.blogspot.com/2026/02/traf...

Why does he insist on playing McNeill on the right - he never really had any ideas but he's deffo out of them now - let's hope he's gone in the summer

In February's edition of #HighwaysMagazine, I look at how footway parking policy continues to fail walking and wheeling, the most popular mode for short trips and the top of the hierarchy in transport planning policy. A pity we don't see that on the streets. www.highwaysmagazine.co.uk/latest-issues

🚨 New on Substack: In 1971, Birmingham City Council owned 464 tower blocks, built in the preceding twenty years. By 2001, through transfer or demolition, only 305 remained. This first of a three-part post begins that story. municipaldreams.wordpress.com/2015/05/19/s...

New bike day!!!

I really hope they give moyes his jotters

Looking at the run in, can't see us winning another game this season. #freeadamaznou

It's official. Among the official options being considered for the future of the M8 motorway in the centre of Glasgow: 1) repair 2) replace 3) removal (!) The window for that serious rethink has opened. Consultation materials on the options: www.pinpointcloud.co.uk/M8WoodsideVi...

Ukrainians are daily sacrificing themselves so the rest of us can live in safety and comfort. Today, more than any other day, we should thank them.

13 Months of Moyes Mk II — Where Could and Where Should Everton Be?: Or the working title... "The Problem with Moyes". Not only did the manager arrive with baggage from his first spell as the Blues' boss but he currently has the team over-performing expectations from the beginning of the season but…

Free piece just released. Marco Rubio called on tolerant, democratic, liberal Europe to destroy itself and embrace a Trump-like future. He received a standing ovation and we are told some people are reassured. If so, Europe will deserve everything coming its way. open.substack.com/pub/phillips...

subscriptions >>> shop.viz.co.uk/viz353bs

Suckered for a transport labelled beer!

Buying a train ticket online is impossible. I'm buying an off-peak return but the website says reservation is mandatory - it isn't. Every time i attempt to use a train in britain i wish i had a drivers license and a car.

@therobvera.bsky.social Thought you were excellent on the blueroom discussing the problems of Moyes. My view is that he putting his own ego above the long term needs of the club. I would imagine that he is working against the club strategy and that the management are not happy with his performance

All over this Tony Blair documentary Channel 4 have just advertised. Happiest few years of my life and a country that seemed to be doing well, merrily voted for him each time. I couldn’t point to Iraq on a map.

Re: last night - dyche got slaughtered for losing to Bournemouth from being in front, after Iraola made attacking subs. Moyes done exactly the same last night but with options on the bench that dyche could only dream of.

Getting all we deserve here..Moyes is Moyes, we'll stay up, he hasn't changed in 20 years though. Mid block, no pressure, no idea what to do in possession. It's dire stuff.

I came across the Newnes Path Estate at the weekend, a modest Radburn-style scheme built by Wandsworth Borough Council (presumably designed in-house) in the 1970s on what had been an allotment site for the adjacent Dover House Estate.

Two days without Morgan McSweeney and the big pothole near ours is still there.

Iwobi was great for us

The Royal Scottish Geographical Society talk with author Jen Stout Author of the book Night Train to Odesa, Jen Stout, will talk to the Royal Scottish Geographical Society (RSGS) on 18 February. When the war in Ukraine broke out, author and journalist, Jen Stout, was living in Moscow. She…

Not to downplay anyone's feelings or concerns, but surely HGVs mounting the pavement are an order of magnitude more dangerous than a cycle track at a bus stop. Odd how groups claiming to represent pedestrians and those with disabilities don't seem to be vocally exercised by this kind of thing eh?

Buddy of mine has 2 tics going spare for an Everton Legends evening at the Crowne Plaza Chester tomorrow if anyone is interested..Southall, Ratcliffe, Horne, Parkinson, Stuart listed

👍 Great work @infrasisters.bsky.social renewing #portobello #ghostbike for #StuartElliott & #HeatherStronach [Junction redesign needed asap] @edi.bike @edinreporter.bsky.social @kate-c.bsky.social @chrismurraymp.bsky.social @portyenergy.bsky.social @edfoc.bsky.social @stephenjenkinson.bsky.social

Most goal involvements for #EFC in the Premier League since the start of the 2022/23 season: Dwight McNeil - 30 (14 ⚽️ 16 🅰️) Abdoulaye Doucoure - 20 (15 ⚽️ 5 🅰️) Dominic Calvert-Lewin - 16 (12 ⚽️ 4 🅰️) Iliman Ndiaye - 15 (13 ⚽️ 2 🅰️) Beto - 14 (14 ⚽️ 0 🅰️)

Was talking about people queuing at the bar with a colleague and both of us decided it was fundamentally unpatriotic.

I actually have no idea how to get delay repay. Apparently on my last journey i could've got a refund but no idea...

Gana all over the shop here

@pidginposting.bsky.social you over here now?

Now heatpump plus has been cancelled, anyone got any recommendations for the best tarif to go on? #heatpump #ashp

Problem with this argument is fat jabs. Transfers the problem from state to individual. At ~£100 a month, that's less than the food that would've been eaten, so affordable on private prescription.

Re: banning social media for u16. I'm all for it. Franky, I'm of the opinion that we should get rid of the internet. Berners-Lee up there with Hitler as one of the worst humans ever.

We‘ve put together an explainer on floating bus stops, particularly with regard to the transformative Dundee St active travel scheme blackfordsaferoutes.co.uk/jgps-travel-...

Jake O'Brien at centre-back for Everton in the Premier League since May 🔵⚽️ Beat Southampton 2-0 Played 25 mins at CB v Palace - in that time Everton scored two, didn't concede and won 2-1 Beat Bournemouth 1-0 Beat Forest 2-0 Beat Aston Villa 1-0 15 pts. 0 goals conceded

That's now two Premier League clean sheets and two away wins with Nathan Patterson at right-back and Jake O'Brien at centre-back. Proves yet again that players in the right position and functionality is imperative.

I still can't get my head round the attitude in 99% of the transport planning industry that a tram is a "too expensive bus"

Trams are common in France, unlike in the UK. We compared Oxford, Hull & Bournemouth with 3 similar French cities which have trams, to see what benefits trams could bring. The findings were pretty exciting: bettertransport.org.uk/blog/look-at...