Category Politics

Thoughts on politics

How the Dutch got their cycle paths

Ever wondered why it is that the Netherlands came to have such great transport infrastructure? I have, so I was pleased to find this wee video which explains how the Dutch got such a cycle friendly counrty. Note that in… Continue Reading →

More on Edinburgh’s proposed 20mph speed limit

The City of Edinburgh is currently in the possess of introducing a 20mph speed limit across a large area of the south side of the town. This is something which I am very much in favour of as it will… Continue Reading →

The Sacred Driving Licence

Today saw the launch of the “Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020“. Never one to miss a photo opportunity, David Cameron had agreed to help launch the UN’s Decade of Action for Road Safety and managed to get Britain’s… Continue Reading →

Climate Change: breaking the barriers to a low-carbon Scotland

As this is Climate Week 2011, it is a good time to look at the barriers to a low-carbon Scotland and how they can be broken down. Fortunately the Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE) has just released a report into… Continue Reading →

Manifesto suggestions for active travel revisited

With the Scottish elections coming up in May, I thought I would revamp my manifesto suggestions for active travel. Active travel is a great idea as it achieves so many policy objectives: it is clean, it is green, it reduces… Continue Reading →

Fairness and liability on the roads: part 3

Having written to my MSPs about Fairness and liability on the roads and received a number of replies, mostly along the lines of “I will forward the matter to my colleague Keith Brown, Minister for Transport, for his consideration”, I… Continue Reading →

Fairness and liability on the roads: part 2

Having written to my Westminster MP about Fairness and liability on the roads and received a reply that justice is devolved to the jurisdiction of the Scottish Parliament. I decided to follow up with a similar letter to my MSPs…. Continue Reading →

Fairness and liability on the roads

As I have said before on this blog, I am in favour of the UK having a law of strict liability on the roads, so thought I should try and do something about it. This being a legal issue, I… Continue Reading →

A modest proposal

In these days of austerity and cuts I would like to make a modest proposal to save money from the public purse. I suggest that we means test parliamentary salaries. Where an MP has an income outwith parliament, this should… Continue Reading →

Time for change?

On a day when: a new report suggests that the UK is among Europe’s unhealthiest nations, another shows that 18.7% of children leaving primary school in England are obese (33.4% are overweight), and the Government wants to cut the cost… Continue Reading →

Are our streets for people?

Here is a great wee video from Living Streets. It asks the question “Are our streets for people?” and suggests how they could be in the future, if we decide to put the priority on active travel. The proposed changes… Continue Reading →

Isn’t it time to end the Taliban approach to road safety?

Warning this is not a happy post, the writer is angry: In Afghanistan it is considered dangerous for women to go out on the streets in case they are raped. The Taliban’s answer to this is to make all women… Continue Reading →

Robin Hood Tax, anyone?

What the world needs now is a Robin Hood Tax, lets face it, it wouldn’t hurt the bankers to give a wee bit back. The Robin Hood Tax is a tiny tax on banks, hedge funds and other finance institutions… Continue Reading →

A storm in a tea cup over climatic change

Listening to the Today programme radio this morning I couldn’t understand how John Humphrys could decide that the Climatic Research Unit at UEA had some how mislead us all on the basis of a reports he hadn’t even read. What… Continue Reading →

Manifesto suggestions for active travel

Active travel is a great idea as it achieves so many policy objectives: it is clean, it is green, it reduces congestion in towns and cities, and it is healthy (active people, such as regular cyclists, live longer). In addition,… Continue Reading →

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