🎉 Happy New Year everyone! I’ve written a short reflection on why - despite everything - I choose to spend my spare time doing this And why I still believe participation and community matter If you have ten minutes spare, you can read it here: open.substack.com/pub/cllrdrna...

Greens rejoicing about active travel protects being cancelled because they might 'cause congestion'.... No party is perfect eh www.bbc.com/news/article...

At #Christmas we tell the truth: “Whichever way you look at it, you can’t reach the potential of cycling without making it much more safe and hospitable to cycle. It all comes down to that basic fact.” @matthewbarber.co.uk 👀 www.theguardian.com/news/2025/de...

@footballcliches.bsky.social @cdeccleshare.bsky.social Watching Everton Arsenal following the Darts last night. Begs the question: Is ‘Keane Barry’ the most Everton-coded Darts player technically possible, ever?

First time I’ve seen a little egret right in Abingdon town centre, on the River Stert 🦢 These wading birds feed on small fish and insects, so it’s great to see wildlife using our river right through the heart of town!

🌲🌳 It's really nice to see the highways tree planting scheme again this season! Especially gratifying to have received positive feedback about their trees from the households who specifically asked me for some in their street when I posted this shout-out this time last year

The pain is worth the effort! (so I tell myself..) "Oxfordshire awarded active travel rating upgrade" news.oxfordshire.gov.uk/oxfordshire-...

I have learned the hard way (again) - watch out for ice during the winter! 🙈 This was by Dalton Barracks this Wednesday morning on the way to work Thanks to all the nice drivers who stopped to help, and especially George from Grove who got me (and the battered bike) home. Humanity at its best

I agree with this piece. I'd also say Labour is in denial about who votes for it these days. Hammering higher earning working age people in favour of pension benefits (who will never vote for them) will not end well for them

Not a serious country or a reliable partner

🚨 One for Abingdon Locals: The Lodge Hill junction when approaching from Hinksey Hill/Sunningwell/Bagley Wood *still* has this priority As of today they have basically agreed to make the signs larger on the approach, as shown. It is apparently now better lit as well

Facebook has a lot to answer for

I've spent a lot of my political career listening to Labour activists call me, as a Lib Dem, a 'yellow Tory'. Yet here is a Labour Government announcing a bunch of policies that are simply cruel, apparently due to political panic. Any decent Labour members left need to stop this.

🥳 Today I’m celebrating the milestone of 3000 (!) followers (on another platform!) 🎈 Celebrating than with the 300(0) Park and Ride Bus from Redbridge, where the bus is FREE and it’s £2.50 for all day parking for our family! (And now only 7 minutes to reach the city centre, which is heaving 🚌)

There isn’t louder outcry over this because the bit that normal people see (Council Tax) is always going up. So sympathy from normal people just isn’t there!

Prime example of why the contract between the public and the police is breaking down, regardless of long term crime trends. Thames Valley Police don’t even think it’s their job to investigate this. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Honestly, if this is you, fair play to you. That's principled.

Won't someone please think of the people paying £600 per night for a suite? They want their Oxford congestion charge refunding, so let's screw the bus users and chuck the whole thing in the bin. (1/2) www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/2561634...

She's sick. I have never felt so targeted!

Is there literally *nothing* she won't touch to accelerate the transfer of wealth from working age people towards pensioners?

If a self-identifying “left of centre” government with a parliamentary majority of more than a hundred seats won’t defend a vital public service institution you really have to ask why it’s in government at all.

Great we've finally had this application approved by government news.oxfordshire.gov.uk/new-scheme-t...

Absolutely nobody is suggesting that But just FYI I did both today. The only thing lacking is your imagination

Only just spotted this amazing Leopards/Faces example..... Where did you think these magical savings were going to come from? Utter charlatans

Didn’t have “AI-powered NIMBYism” on the 2025 bingo card. Aren't the machines meant to help build the future, not say no to it? www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

New consultation! Toucan crossing + bus stops on Twelve Acre Drive to improve safe walking/cycling links and keep bus options open for the future Have your say 👉 letstalk.oxfordshire.gov.uk/abingdon_twe...

The full transcript of Zohran Mamdani's acceptance speech is very much worth reading in full. Even if you don't agree with your politics, it's very beautifully put together. archive.is/8VqQJ [this is a useable link to the NYT transcript]

This map is a great tool: www.nytimes.com/interactive/... I do need to know what's cooking in some of these places though!

Real shame we couldn't get to these motions today which we had prepped for Proud of my LD and Green colleagues for successfully voting down the useless Tory windbag's motion to remove the congestion charge (Tory, Lab and Reform in cahoots...)

Yep, Labour voting with the Tories and Reform to scrap Oxford's Congestion Charge after 6 days, without bothering to wait and see any results. Given early signs indicate that the buses are speeding up (but not confirmed yet), this is directly opposing improved buses.

sorry everyone I’m just having a lot of fun with the congestion charge debate because look I live outside the ring road in a village with not great bus service and I personally think the CC is one of the best things to happen to Oxford this year

Life ambition= achieved ✅

Bit of DIY roadside buddleja removal with Cllr Greenaway today! #abingdon #oxfordshire

Still a few days left to have your say on the East St Helen Street Active Travel scheme in Abingdon... #Cycling #Walking #Cyclists #Pedestrians #ActiveTravel #Infrastructure #Abingdon #Oxfordshire

why are people on the left using "populist" in a positive way now, you shouldn't want your politicians to be populists, "populism" isn't good

Four days to go for this consultation: letstalk.oxfordshire.gov.uk/east-st-hele... If you have a few minutes to respond positively to this scheme which will make it dramatically nicer to walk, wheel, cycle, scoot in my town, I would very much appreciate it My long video included below Thank you!

The uproar from conservatives, Fox etc if Obama or Biden had unilaterally (and possibly illegally) tore down a near century old part of the White House, to replace with a ballroom, would (rightly) have been endless. Historic level vandalism.

What do you mean? Killing children isn't a winning message?? #caerphilly

Quite brilliant. Transformational. And again, changes only possible due to the reduced congestion the operator expects from the congestion charge (which the Oxford East Labour MP Anneliese Dodds is trying to prevent)

I've never met this person, but I have been subjected to his bloody awful opinions on transport policy....

🚨Government ministers are visiting Oxford this morning to announce £120m funding to reopen the Cowley Branch Line to passengers. New stations will be built at Cowley and Littlemore, with a journey time of just 7 minutes into Oxford. Full story: oxfordclarion.uk/cowley-branc...

❌ Developer’s bid to scrap A34 noise protection – rejected ❌ Vale of White Horse DC has refused DWH’s attempt to drop the promised acoustic fence & wall at Kings Gate, Abingdon A win for residents & councillors working together to hold big developers to their commitments 👏💪

This is brilliant. Unlocking historic S106 monies - hitherto tied up in bureaucracy - and showing risk aversion to do so. Pleased with my colleagues!

Great to meet the Headteacher of Fitzharrys School, Will Speke, today Lots of great discussions around 'school run' traffic and improving the situation 🙂

Punishment Ride for falling off the road bike wagon strava.app.link/ajvYAs7wsXb

This country is not well

Improvements to active travel in 'Science Vale' took a step forward as CulBUG met with @ollyglover.bsky.social & @nathanley.com at @ukaeaofficial.bsky.social Culham Campus on Friday. In particular, there were ideas for short & long term solutions for A415 Tollgate crossing and Abingdon causeway 🚴‍♀️

Thousands of miles of disused railways, canal towpaths, and green spaces lie blocked off or forgotten across the UK. @TimFarron.bsky.social explains the Lib Dem plan to reopen them, creating a national network of green routes for all.

Without one I just couldn’t balance work/kids and would have given in and bought a car. The biggest challenge for mass take-up is everyone’s buying them through regressive Cycle to Work tax dodge. So a £5k bike costs 12 x £241 monthly payments if you’re high earner or 12 x £416 if you’re in poverty.

🪏🏗️ How else would you want to spend your lunch hour?! 😉 #onsite #lodgehill #moretocome #watchthisspace