Richard Hebditch
@richard.hebditch.org
I'm a board member of London TravelWatch & coordinator of the Better Planning Coalition. Previously: charities streets transport heritage environment philanthropy
Up in the gods for England v China at Wembley.
November 29, 2025 at 5:23 PM
Up in the gods for England v China at Wembley.
I am interested why people all seem to strongly believe the Budget statement that fuel duty will definitely rise next year. There is more detail on how this would be done, but this would be the biggest rise in fuel duty since at least the 1980s and could easily be knocked off course by opposition.
November 28, 2025 at 2:51 PM
I am interested why people all seem to strongly believe the Budget statement that fuel duty will definitely rise next year. There is more detail on how this would be done, but this would be the biggest rise in fuel duty since at least the 1980s and could easily be knocked off course by opposition.
Reposted by Richard Hebditch
Good news Friday: A restored brick sculpture of the world-famous potter Josiah Wedgwood has been unveiled at Etruria Hall in Stoke-on-Trent, two years after it was nearly destroyed by council contractors.
‘Capo’ was created by artist Vincent Woropay (1951–2002) for the 1986 National Garden Festival.
‘Capo’ was created by artist Vincent Woropay (1951–2002) for the 1986 National Garden Festival.
November 28, 2025 at 10:51 AM
Good news Friday: A restored brick sculpture of the world-famous potter Josiah Wedgwood has been unveiled at Etruria Hall in Stoke-on-Trent, two years after it was nearly destroyed by council contractors.
‘Capo’ was created by artist Vincent Woropay (1951–2002) for the 1986 National Garden Festival.
‘Capo’ was created by artist Vincent Woropay (1951–2002) for the 1986 National Garden Festival.
Reposted by Richard Hebditch
Today’s #Budget delivered some welcome steps forward for the UK’s #EV transition.
But it also raised serious concerns about the road ahead.
EVA England CEO, Victoria Edmonds:
"This is completely the wrong time to be taxing EV drivers when they still make up only 5% of vehicles on UK roads.
1/
But it also raised serious concerns about the road ahead.
EVA England CEO, Victoria Edmonds:
"This is completely the wrong time to be taxing EV drivers when they still make up only 5% of vehicles on UK roads.
1/
November 26, 2025 at 3:04 PM
These two paragraphs are the only mentions of climate change and greenhouse gas emissions in the electric vehicle road pricing consultation. No mention of "environment" either.
It is not a policy interested in anything other than revenue and the administrative ease of running the system.
It is not a policy interested in anything other than revenue and the administrative ease of running the system.
November 26, 2025 at 3:06 PM
These two paragraphs are the only mentions of climate change and greenhouse gas emissions in the electric vehicle road pricing consultation. No mention of "environment" either.
It is not a policy interested in anything other than revenue and the administrative ease of running the system.
It is not a policy interested in anything other than revenue and the administrative ease of running the system.
And here's the consultation on EV road pricing (based on mileage): www.gov.uk/government/c...
November 26, 2025 at 2:28 PM
And here's the consultation on EV road pricing (based on mileage): www.gov.uk/government/c...
From Budget doc, looks like Government will take the hit from impact on national rail fare revenue but nothing in it on the impact on TfL revenue, either from lost rail fare revenue or if the Mayor was also to freeze fares.
(TfL rail and Underground has more passengers than national rail)
(TfL rail and Underground has more passengers than national rail)
Also, still unclear what the impact of the rail fare freeze on TfL budgets will be. Central govt funding settlement "is provided against an assumed scenario that overall TfL fares will rise by the value of RPI+1 for each year of this settlement".
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6854fd...
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6854fd...
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk
November 26, 2025 at 2:21 PM
From Budget doc, looks like Government will take the hit from impact on national rail fare revenue but nothing in it on the impact on TfL revenue, either from lost rail fare revenue or if the Mayor was also to freeze fares.
(TfL rail and Underground has more passengers than national rail)
(TfL rail and Underground has more passengers than national rail)
Consultation on the tourism tax is out. Uses could be "towards capital investment and to access borrowing" for things like "improved public transport, regeneration of the public realm, or
providing housing...and investing in cultural and visitor attraction" plus resource spending on things like:
providing housing...and investing in cultural and visitor attraction" plus resource spending on things like:
November 26, 2025 at 2:18 PM
Consultation on the tourism tax is out. Uses could be "towards capital investment and to access borrowing" for things like "improved public transport, regeneration of the public realm, or
providing housing...and investing in cultural and visitor attraction" plus resource spending on things like:
providing housing...and investing in cultural and visitor attraction" plus resource spending on things like:
Chancellor sped past reference to changes to taxation of employee car schemes. One to check the details of...
November 26, 2025 at 1:25 PM
Chancellor sped past reference to changes to taxation of employee car schemes. One to check the details of...
Chancellor welcoming the nuclear deregulatory recommendations - says will respond within 3 months. Government should rule out now their proposal to scrap National Park protection in order to make it easier to build new nuclear in protected landscapes.
The Nuclear Regulatory Taskforce has published its final report today. The Govt press release says that "The Chancellor is set to welcome the need for radical reform...and will respond to the report at the Budget."
Two very big and controversial recommendations in the report (1/)
Two very big and controversial recommendations in the report (1/)
November 26, 2025 at 12:52 PM
Chancellor welcoming the nuclear deregulatory recommendations - says will respond within 3 months. Government should rule out now their proposal to scrap National Park protection in order to make it easier to build new nuclear in protected landscapes.
"a new mileage-based charge on battery electric and plug-in hybrid cars from April 2028, raising £1.4 billion"
OBR Economic and fiscal outlook, November 2025
obr.uk/docs/dlm_upl...
(I changed the link address from March to November)
obr.uk/docs/dlm_upl...
(I changed the link address from March to November)
November 26, 2025 at 12:03 PM
"a new mileage-based charge on battery electric and plug-in hybrid cars from April 2028, raising £1.4 billion"
Good news for decarbonising shipping - new UK consultation on adding UK's share of international shipping to the UK Emissions Trading Scheme. Also a useful source of revenue for UK government...
www.gov.uk/government/c...
www.gov.uk/government/c...
UK ETS scope expansion: emissions from international maritime voyages
The UK ETS Authority is seeking input on proposals for expanding the UK Emissions Trading Scheme to emissions from international maritime.
www.gov.uk
November 26, 2025 at 9:09 AM
Good news for decarbonising shipping - new UK consultation on adding UK's share of international shipping to the UK Emissions Trading Scheme. Also a useful source of revenue for UK government...
www.gov.uk/government/c...
www.gov.uk/government/c...
Reposted by Richard Hebditch
Hoo boy, another fictitious "EV market slows" headline from the Times
*EU EV sales are up 25.6% in 2025*
Receipts in thread.
*EU EV sales are up 25.6% in 2025*
Receipts in thread.
November 26, 2025 at 8:15 AM
Hoo boy, another fictitious "EV market slows" headline from the Times
*EU EV sales are up 25.6% in 2025*
Receipts in thread.
*EU EV sales are up 25.6% in 2025*
Receipts in thread.
Latest on squeeze on high labour/low capital costs firms (eg hospitality and tourism sectors) after the employer NI increases last year. Incentivising firms to invest in capital instead.
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
November 25, 2025 at 6:13 PM
Latest on squeeze on high labour/low capital costs firms (eg hospitality and tourism sectors) after the employer NI increases last year. Incentivising firms to invest in capital instead.
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
"England’s mayors will be able to invest in transport, infrastructure, and the visitor economy through a new levy on overnight stays."
Will London's share of this get swallowed up by having to fix the hole in TfL's budget caused by the fare freeze announced at the weekend?
www.gov.uk/government/n...
Will London's share of this get swallowed up by having to fix the hole in TfL's budget caused by the fare freeze announced at the weekend?
www.gov.uk/government/n...
Levy on overnight trips will help mayors invest in local growth
England’s mayors will be able to invest in transport, infrastructure, and the visitor economy through a new levy on overnight stays.
www.gov.uk
November 25, 2025 at 4:46 PM
"England’s mayors will be able to invest in transport, infrastructure, and the visitor economy through a new levy on overnight stays."
Will London's share of this get swallowed up by having to fix the hole in TfL's budget caused by the fare freeze announced at the weekend?
www.gov.uk/government/n...
Will London's share of this get swallowed up by having to fix the hole in TfL's budget caused by the fare freeze announced at the weekend?
www.gov.uk/government/n...
Little bit of government arm twisting behind Motability's new target for half the vehicles it leases to be UK-made by 2035?
Seems an unrealistic target given how few UK-made cars are sold overall in UK (only around 1 in 5).
news.mo.co.uk/news/motabil...
Seems an unrealistic target given how few UK-made cars are sold overall in UK (only around 1 in 5).
news.mo.co.uk/news/motabil...
Motability Scheme makes ambitious goal that half of Scheme vehicles leased from 2035 will be British built
Motability Scheme sets ambition for 50% of all vehicles leased to be British built from 2035
Scheme is a lifeline for disabled people and will now further support the UK economy
With government ...
news.mo.co.uk
November 25, 2025 at 1:32 PM
Little bit of government arm twisting behind Motability's new target for half the vehicles it leases to be UK-made by 2035?
Seems an unrealistic target given how few UK-made cars are sold overall in UK (only around 1 in 5).
news.mo.co.uk/news/motabil...
Seems an unrealistic target given how few UK-made cars are sold overall in UK (only around 1 in 5).
news.mo.co.uk/news/motabil...
Reposted by Richard Hebditch
Fossil fuel companies “are way better at capturing politicians than they are capturing emissions.” @AlGore
No time to wait. End Fossil Fuels. #ActOnClimate
#climate #energy #renewables #voteclimate
No time to wait. End Fossil Fuels. #ActOnClimate
#climate #energy #renewables #voteclimate
November 24, 2025 at 7:07 PM
Fossil fuel companies “are way better at capturing politicians than they are capturing emissions.” @AlGore
No time to wait. End Fossil Fuels. #ActOnClimate
#climate #energy #renewables #voteclimate
No time to wait. End Fossil Fuels. #ActOnClimate
#climate #energy #renewables #voteclimate
More emphasis on brownfield first in the new NPPF and NDMPs? Though as most areas aren't able to meet their housing targets so greenfield development can get approval anyway this may be purely academic.
November 25, 2025 at 10:32 AM
More emphasis on brownfield first in the new NPPF and NDMPs? Though as most areas aren't able to meet their housing targets so greenfield development can get approval anyway this may be purely academic.
In a not entirely unexpected turn of events, the Government is opting for Heathrow Airport's plan for its expansion rather than the alternative scheme which wouldn't have involved moving the M25.
Scheme must come at "no cost to the taxpayer".
questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-stat...
Scheme must come at "no cost to the taxpayer".
questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-stat...
Written statements - Written questions, answers and statements - UK Parliament
Information from UK Parliament on written questions & answers, written statements and daily reports.
questions-statements.parliament.uk
November 25, 2025 at 9:54 AM
In a not entirely unexpected turn of events, the Government is opting for Heathrow Airport's plan for its expansion rather than the alternative scheme which wouldn't have involved moving the M25.
Scheme must come at "no cost to the taxpayer".
questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-stat...
Scheme must come at "no cost to the taxpayer".
questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-stat...
Seven Labour rebels tonight on Sîan Berry's amendment on a climate and nature duty
November 24, 2025 at 10:38 PM
Seven Labour rebels tonight on Sîan Berry's amendment on a climate and nature duty
Lords end their attempts to amend the Planning and Infrastructure Bill. One last vote on chalk streams didn't pass, and promises from Government on environmental delivery plans.
After a sustained case made by Peers, the Government has confirmed its new strategic approach in the #PlanningBill will only be introduced where it is safe for nature - a vital step towards ensuring development and nature protection can work together
November 24, 2025 at 8:26 PM
Lords end their attempts to amend the Planning and Infrastructure Bill. One last vote on chalk streams didn't pass, and promises from Government on environmental delivery plans.
Good London TravelWatch session with TfL Commissioner Andy Lord this afternoon. I was struck by how safety is taken for granted by those outside transport orgs but is number one issue for those working inside transport providers.
View from Palestra below
View from Palestra below
November 24, 2025 at 4:16 PM
Good London TravelWatch session with TfL Commissioner Andy Lord this afternoon. I was struck by how safety is taken for granted by those outside transport orgs but is number one issue for those working inside transport providers.
View from Palestra below
View from Palestra below
The Nuclear Regulatory Taskforce has published its final report today. The Govt press release says that "The Chancellor is set to welcome the need for radical reform...and will respond to the report at the Budget."
Two very big and controversial recommendations in the report (1/)
Two very big and controversial recommendations in the report (1/)
November 24, 2025 at 11:01 AM
The Nuclear Regulatory Taskforce has published its final report today. The Govt press release says that "The Chancellor is set to welcome the need for radical reform...and will respond to the report at the Budget."
Two very big and controversial recommendations in the report (1/)
Two very big and controversial recommendations in the report (1/)
Reposted by Richard Hebditch
Hard to overstate the significance of this. First fare freeze in 30 yrs; massive boost for commuters who would have seen annual costs rise by up to £300. V positive sign that affordability is being put at the heart of the govt's plans for Great British Railways.
www.theguardian.com/money/2025/n...
www.theguardian.com/money/2025/n...
Relief for rail passengers as fare freeze in England announced for 2026
Chancellor will confirm the measure, intended to help commuters on expensive routes, in her budget speech
www.theguardian.com
November 24, 2025 at 9:10 AM
Hard to overstate the significance of this. First fare freeze in 30 yrs; massive boost for commuters who would have seen annual costs rise by up to £300. V positive sign that affordability is being put at the heart of the govt's plans for Great British Railways.
www.theguardian.com/money/2025/n...
www.theguardian.com/money/2025/n...