New data from @Impact_Urban reveals London’s air quality is improving! Despite being a major health threat, NO2 and PM levels have dropped by 13-25% across the city, led by @SadiqKhan and boroughs like Newham. #CleanAir #LondonHealth #AirQuality

I joined students from Britannia Village Primary School for the opening of the Silvertown Garden. What was once a dull, unattractive space has been transformed into a beautiful garden that supports the Council’s biodiversity and climate mitigation aims.

Last week, I visited the rain gardens along Romford Road with stakeholders. Cool back-story: The local Fire Brigade loved the initial phase so much they partnered with @newhamcouncil.bsky.social and @meristemdesign.bsky.social to expand it. #SustainableNewham #ActiveTravel #ClimateChange

Lower Marsh Market serves as a benchmark for successful urban regeneration, demonstrating that when local authorities prioritise pedestrian infrastructure over vehicular throughput, the result is a thriving, resilient local economy.

It’s really important that #Vancouver’s Downtown Business Association, who were originally against bike-lanes, are now among their most vigourous supporters, because of ACTUAL EVIDENCE that they’re better for downtown business than any street parking they replaced. Safe bike-lanes mean business.

Every time. Every city it's tried in. Build bike infrastructure, and seemingly out of nowhere, loads of bikes and bike riders appear.

They say, 'If you build it, they will come.' Well, New York City just proved that when you build safe infrastructure for cyclists, people actually show up. Fantastic news coming out of our sister city this morning.

The successful pedestrianisation of the Grand-Place in Brussels transformed it from a congested car park into a beautiful square. It now hosts major cultural highlights like the Flower Carpet and the Winter Wonders Christmas market. Brave decisions can transform the world!

A really good piece from #GCN here and especially the discussions at the end and the final point about needing some visions and plans - that really is the thing lacking in the UK. youtu.be/y4pO1vS0gkc?...

There was a time when Francis Road was a typical residential road. Then it was pedestrianised! Now it's known across the capital, and everyone wants their high street to be just like it.

I'm proud to announce that the London Borough of Newham is a finalist at the Decarbonising Transport Awards 2026 for our work on the West Ham Park People Friendly Streets (LTN8). 🌱 🏆 Awards where Newham is a finalist:

Heavy traffic does more than move cars. It changes how we live together. When streets become loud, fast, and dangerous, they stop being places where people meet. They become barriers. Parents hesitate to let their children cross the road. Seniors feel trapped on one side.

Already, there's concern about how the increasing number of EVs, much heavier than ICE vehicles, would have on road safety. Now this research by Clean Cities Campaign shows we have a new "carspreading" danger: a 92% rise in US-style pick-up trucks on UK roads over the last decade. 🛻⚠️

Same with the SF Embarcadero. The freeway was pulled down after the 89 Earthquake but going back would be unimaginable.

I'm sure there were people who hated turning this car park into a park. But you can't imagine tarmacking over jubilee gardens so that people can park there. Change is hard, but once it happens no one will ever want to go back.

During the pandemic, roads in Soho were closed to allow alfresco dining. Soho and London was a much more vibrant, fun place because of it.

'The X-minute city': Reshaping urban life for a more sustainable future from @carlosmorenofr.bsky.social and @irishexaminer.bsky.social www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-41...

It was great seeing the Marshgate Lane Greenway Link first-hand how this exciting project will transform the route between Pudding Mill Lane, Marshgate Lane and the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park – making it safer, greener and easier for everyone to walk, wheel and cycle.

STUDY: “Results show that for every reported professional benefit that scientists once gained from Twitter, scientists can now gain that benefit more effectively on Bluesky than on Twitter.” Follow great scientists here like @michaelemann.bsky.social @peterhotezmdphd.bsky.social @katharinehayhoe.com

I woke up this morning to the grim news regarding the collapse of housing starts. To anyone even remotely involved in development or regeneration, this wasn’t a surprise. The signs were there! However, seeing the stark data laid bare paints a truly dark picture of our national delivery capacity.

🚨 Putin is preparing for the next war 🚨 After Putin is finished in Ukraine, he will go for the rest of Eastern Europe. Unless we are prepared to stop him.

How London unwittingly killed housebuilding ft.trib.al/pxeSS8V | opinion

🚶‍♂️🚴‍♀️ Great to visit Jake Russell Walk and see the progress on the Beckton Walking and Cycling Project! It’s exciting to see how this scheme is making walking and cycling safer, easier and more enjoyable along the Beckton Corridor.

Already, there's concern about how the increasing number of EVs, much heavier than ICE vehicles, would have on road safety. Now this research by Clean Cities Campaign shows we have a new "carspreading" danger: a 92% rise in US-style pick-up trucks on UK roads over the last decade. 🛻⚠️

It has been raining a lot in the UK and it inspired me to write about how climate change is going to make the world a lot wetter. So we need to think about what are we going to do with all of this water. The answer, make our cities more porous and store it. open.substack.com/pub/plaistov...

The problem with this argument is Sanchez has been PM in Spain since 2018; Friedericksen in Denmark since 2019; Albanese in Australia since 2022 etc... And they have social media in all those countries.

As in piece, most London collisions with those cycling remain mostly about 'driver error'. To eliminate those, we need enforced 20mph & joined up network of safe cycle routes: cycle tracks, LTNs, crossings, junctions etc. That's what cuts collisions fastest, although rider behaviour also important.

New TfL data shows serious injuries for those cycling on rise. Not good. HT @rosslydall.bsky.social @standard.co.uk.web.brid.gy www.standard.co.uk/news/london/... Piece also highlights rise of ebike hirer injuries ("1% in 2017 to 17% in 2025" of all serious cycle injuries) from @willnorman.co.uk...

It was a pleasure to join @JamesAsser and @NewhamLondon officers in giving @willnorman a tour of the amazing progress that Newham has made in encouraging walking and cycling. But there's more to come, incl North to South routes and the transformational Royal Docks Corridor.

I take on the naysayers who are constantly talking Newham down. The last year has been one of the best Newham has had in a long time, with real progress in public services, safer streets, cleaner air, award-winning projects and financial stability returning. open.substack.com/pub/plaistov...

Charles I sacrificed advisers as he tried to keep power in the face of rising parliamentary scrutiny and raging disapproval. It was differences with his subjects in Scotland which precipitated the conflict that brought about his downfall.

The flipside, of course, if you are Anas Sarwar you care more about May 2026's elections than May 2029's elections.

Air pollution is one of the most damaging threats facing our communities. Across the UK, the annual health cost of air pollution is estimated to be around £15 billion, driven by increased illness and thousands of premature deaths each year. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

I went to Brussels in 2020 when they started installing bike lanes, and again in 2022 when they were fully built. Since then, cycling flows have increased year-on-year by 12%. It's the same story, "if you build it, they will come".

An estimate from one London borough found that one ZipCar can replace twenty private cars. Shared cars > Overview and benefits share.google/qoeDV5JvTOhx...

I've started a Substack! In my latest article, I summarise the results of a roundtable on the recent exit of Zipcar from the UK and the future of car clubs in London. ZipCar's highlighted a blindspot and was a pivotal learning moment for London. open.substack.com/pub/plaistov...

“I had to go in and face my colleagues who were saying, ‘Mike, what have you done?’” A glimpse inside Haringey's street space transformation, featuring @mikehakata.bsky.social and @carlafrancome.bsky.social open.substack.com/pub/lauralak...

Excellent post about excellent Cllr @mikehakata.bsky.social who has done amazing things on transport in Haringey. At its heart, this piece speaks to so much of work I do day in, day out for @londoncycling.bsky.social on 'political will'. When you don't get visible public backing from leadership...

Short 🧵from @psimonk.bsky.social and reference to piece by @lauralaker.bsky.social . The key issue is commitment by politicians to doing the right thing: if they don't really want to do the right transport things, we won't get them!

Really interesting article highlighting that highlights that traffic reduction schemes is about social justice as much as road safety. It's been my experience that those with cars are more likely fight against such schemes. www.theguardian.com/world/ng-int...

Bravo, #Newham 👇

Across Newham, we have countless historic modal filters. This one at Junction 3, where Romford Road meets Green Street and Richmond Road is being improved to make the area safer, greener and easier to navigate.

Across Newham, we have countless historic modal filters. This one at Junction 3, where Romford Road meets Green Street and Richmond Road is being improved to make the area safer, greener and easier to navigate.

Heavy traffic does more than move cars. It changes how we live together. When streets become loud, fast, and dangerous, they stop being places where people meet. They become barriers. Parents hesitate to let their children cross the road. Seniors feel trapped on one side.

I'm a big fan of 'never let perfection be the enemy of good.' But often, it's only when you ask for perfection that you get 'good.' If you have a vision, fight for it—because often the only alternative is that nothing ever changes. Or..........

Promoted by Jack Risbridger on behalf of John Morris both at The Trinity Centre, East Avenue, E12 6SG.

I’m delighted the new TfL business plan prioritises sustained investment to make TfL & borough streets safer for people walking, cycling & using public transport - so more: 🚲cycle lanes 🦓crossings 🚸school streets & LTNs 🚦safer junctions 🛍️Oxford St tfl.gov.uk/info-for/med...

I'm proud to announce that the London Borough of Newham is a finalist at the Decarbonising Transport Awards 2026 for our work on the West Ham Park People Friendly Streets (LTN8). 🌱 🏆 Awards where Newham is a finalist:

French embassy only serving water and juice to attendees until the evening's speeches are over, a misunderstanding of what Brits look for in a drinks reception of such proportions that I can only assume the declaration of war will come overnight

Physical inactivity contributes to 1 in 6 deaths in the UK, but how can physical activity be embedded across the NHS? Discover the story in a new podcast and blog: https://www.england.nhs.uk/ourwork/public-health/harnessing-the-benefits-of-physical-activity/ @nhsengland.bsky.social