Simon Jeffrey
@simonjeffrey.bsky.social
Personal opinions about transport and devolution policy.
One easy pro-growth (pro-young people?) cost of living policy would be getting on and legalising private e-scooters to use on the roads.
This Is What a UK Road Legal E-Scooter Looks Like!
YouTube video by Everything Electric TECH
youtu.be
November 29, 2025 at 12:34 PM
One easy pro-growth (pro-young people?) cost of living policy would be getting on and legalising private e-scooters to use on the roads.
Bit by bit. Oxford St, then Soho, Southbank. It’s going to be so good.
The crowded road outside the British Museum could be pedestrianised under updated plans shown off by Camden Council.
www.ianvisits.co.uk/articles/bri...
www.ianvisits.co.uk/articles/bri...
British Museum could gain a traffic-free entrance under new Holborn neighbourhood proposals
The crowded road outside the British Museum could be pedestrianised under updated plans shown off by Camden Council.
www.ianvisits.co.uk
November 28, 2025 at 10:01 PM
Bit by bit. Oxford St, then Soho, Southbank. It’s going to be so good.
Such an odd proposal from Lancashire county council. How do you end up going for N-S rather than E-W? Splitting Preston from South Ribble is bizarre, but not as much as uniting Ormskirk and Nelson (West Lancs should be a borough of Liverpool City Region tbf)
November 28, 2025 at 1:03 PM
Such an odd proposal from Lancashire county council. How do you end up going for N-S rather than E-W? Splitting Preston from South Ribble is bizarre, but not as much as uniting Ormskirk and Nelson (West Lancs should be a borough of Liverpool City Region tbf)
The new case for ID cards in the UK - make the French pay to visit the British Museum.
Louvre to hike ticket prices for most non-EU tourists by 45%
The price increase is expected to raise millions to fund the museum's renovation plans.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 28, 2025 at 8:49 AM
The new case for ID cards in the UK - make the French pay to visit the British Museum.
Abolishing stamp duty + council tax for a proportional property tax would be right up there. Would do much more good for fairness and growth too.
November 27, 2025 at 11:09 PM
Abolishing stamp duty + council tax for a proportional property tax would be right up there. Would do much more good for fairness and growth too.
A Suwalki gap year
France brings back limited military service with 3,000 volunteers next year
www.bbc.co.uk
November 27, 2025 at 2:00 PM
A Suwalki gap year
One this probably does do is open up a fair bit more space for the EU Youth Mobility negotiations around caps, duration and eligibility.
Net migration fell sharply agaim to 204,000 in the year to June 2025, having been 344k in 2024 and 848k in 2023. But falling immigration has been the biggest secret - and it is time for the media and political debate to catch up with this change
www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cn...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cn...
UK net migration fell to 204,000 in year to June - live updates
Net migration, the difference between those entering and leaving the country, was 345,000 in 2024 according to revised figures.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 27, 2025 at 1:55 PM
One this probably does do is open up a fair bit more space for the EU Youth Mobility negotiations around caps, duration and eligibility.
Reposted by Simon Jeffrey
Hopefully a 1p Fuel Duty rise in September is a good way to break the taboo, and there's no Budget before then. It is less of a fiscal fiction than it has been, but we'll see... And maybe the approach of small, quarterly, automatic increases could be continued beyond 2026-27, instead of annual jumps
November 27, 2025 at 11:57 AM
Hopefully a 1p Fuel Duty rise in September is a good way to break the taboo, and there's no Budget before then. It is less of a fiscal fiction than it has been, but we'll see... And maybe the approach of small, quarterly, automatic increases could be continued beyond 2026-27, instead of annual jumps
Good test of planning reforms and pro-growth appetite here. Important UK exporter here struggling to expand. Borough and Mayor should be effectively zoning/CPOing all the properties between the stadium and Fulham Road for potential demolition to enable a 70k stadium + new hotels/commercial space.
The possibility of Chelsea building a new stadium at Earl’s Court has hit a setback after an alternative plan for the land was approved by one of the councils involved.
Chelsea dealt stadium blow as council approves alternate Earls Court development plan
The empty land at Earls Court has long been mooted as a potential site for a new stadium for Chelsea.
www.nytimes.com
November 27, 2025 at 12:46 PM
Good test of planning reforms and pro-growth appetite here. Important UK exporter here struggling to expand. Borough and Mayor should be effectively zoning/CPOing all the properties between the stadium and Fulham Road for potential demolition to enable a 70k stadium + new hotels/commercial space.
Mansion tax announcement is good. But it created yet left unused the perfect chance to go on to say 'but it's unfair to introduce a mansion tax while stamp duty makes downsizing so expensive. And that's why we'll abolishing stamp duty and council tax to replace with a proportional property tax'
November 27, 2025 at 10:13 AM
Mansion tax announcement is good. But it created yet left unused the perfect chance to go on to say 'but it's unfair to introduce a mansion tax while stamp duty makes downsizing so expensive. And that's why we'll abolishing stamp duty and council tax to replace with a proportional property tax'
I’m really not sure abolishing the 2-child cap is a good long term policy. It might feel righteous now but just feels like something Tory/Ref govts will feel as righteous reimposing on day 1. And most of the public will agree. A 3-child cap would do huge good with a much better chance of surviving.
Unmoved in a year. Two very deep (settled?) conceptions of fairness at play. Similar to inheritance tax. Sustainable, durable path for Labour imo is via universalism and accepting it’s not best vfm: higher child benefit, cut UC taper, FSM, breakfast clubs and wraparound care.
Should the two-child benefit cap be kept or abolished?
Kept: 59% (-1 from Jul 2024)
Abolished: 26% (-2)
yougov.co.uk/topics/polit...
Kept: 59% (-1 from Jul 2024)
Abolished: 26% (-2)
yougov.co.uk/topics/polit...
November 26, 2025 at 2:47 PM
I’m really not sure abolishing the 2-child cap is a good long term policy. It might feel righteous now but just feels like something Tory/Ref govts will feel as righteous reimposing on day 1. And most of the public will agree. A 3-child cap would do huge good with a much better chance of surviving.
Reposted by Simon Jeffrey
Big news on Fuel Duty - the 5p cut will be removed gradually from September. A good way to end this giveaway without pushing up inflation
November 26, 2025 at 12:43 PM
Big news on Fuel Duty - the 5p cut will be removed gradually from September. A good way to end this giveaway without pushing up inflation
Reposted by Simon Jeffrey
On a meta/political point of view, I have *no idea* why the Tory front benches haven't stuck the PDF of the OBR forecast into NotebookLM and got a quick readout and started asking questions
November 26, 2025 at 12:28 PM
On a meta/political point of view, I have *no idea* why the Tory front benches haven't stuck the PDF of the OBR forecast into NotebookLM and got a quick readout and started asking questions
Glad I don't need to watch now
November 26, 2025 at 12:09 PM
Glad I don't need to watch now
Reposted by Simon Jeffrey
lol here’s the full OBR book someone pressed publish early here’s the budget obr.uk/docs/dlm_upl...
obr.uk
November 26, 2025 at 11:54 AM
lol here’s the full OBR book someone pressed publish early here’s the budget obr.uk/docs/dlm_upl...
This is great stuff! Absolute cock up happening here potentially
UK OBR: Mileage-based charge on electric cars raises £1.4 bln in 2029-30
November 26, 2025 at 11:55 AM
This is great stuff! Absolute cock up happening here potentially
Wait, is this meant to be being tweeted out now? Not that the whole thing hasn't been leaked already but still.
UK OBR economic and fiscal outlook: current budget surplus margin £21.7 bln in 2029-30 vs £9.9 bln in march.
November 26, 2025 at 11:48 AM
Wait, is this meant to be being tweeted out now? Not that the whole thing hasn't been leaked already but still.
Very special new (or at least newly visible) line on the latest DfT buses data:
November 26, 2025 at 10:12 AM
Very special new (or at least newly visible) line on the latest DfT buses data:
Research commissioned by Lime suggests that under optimum conditions it could reach a fleet of 88,000 shared e-bikes in London getting 4x rides per day. That's 128m rides a year, equivalent to half a Victoria Line or two Circle Lines. steergroup.com/sites/defaul...
November 25, 2025 at 3:54 PM
Research commissioned by Lime suggests that under optimum conditions it could reach a fleet of 88,000 shared e-bikes in London getting 4x rides per day. That's 128m rides a year, equivalent to half a Victoria Line or two Circle Lines. steergroup.com/sites/defaul...
Reposted by Simon Jeffrey
With all disagreements between the Commons and the Lords now resolved, our landmark Planning and Infrastructure Bill is on course to receive Royal Assent before the end of the year.
Labour is getting Britain building again.
Labour is getting Britain building again.
November 25, 2025 at 3:02 PM
With all disagreements between the Commons and the Lords now resolved, our landmark Planning and Infrastructure Bill is on course to receive Royal Assent before the end of the year.
Labour is getting Britain building again.
Labour is getting Britain building again.
Reposted by Simon Jeffrey
Urban anti-car measures may seem like political dynamite. But metro mayors should note the lack of fanfare over London's recent congestion charge increases.
For integrated transport to be most effective requires both carrots and sticks in big cities - selling them as a package is the way forward
For integrated transport to be most effective requires both carrots and sticks in big cities - selling them as a package is the way forward
November 25, 2025 at 11:14 AM
Urban anti-car measures may seem like political dynamite. But metro mayors should note the lack of fanfare over London's recent congestion charge increases.
For integrated transport to be most effective requires both carrots and sticks in big cities - selling them as a package is the way forward
For integrated transport to be most effective requires both carrots and sticks in big cities - selling them as a package is the way forward
There's more?!?
Covid Inquiry to probe furlough and business loans
The inquiry will look at how support schemes were designed and what was done to minimise fraud and waste.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 24, 2025 at 11:26 AM
There's more?!?
Excellent. The best way to increase the real value of maintenance loans is reducing the cost of housing in student areas. ‘Default yes’ within 1km of a university library?
Nice to see local press reporting (and SU organising) to push for more/better housing
www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/2564024...
www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/2564024...
'Housing hell': York students working multiple jobs to pay rent they can't afford
University of York Students' Union has launched a campaign over what it says is a 'housing hell' faced by students in the city.
www.yorkpress.co.uk
November 24, 2025 at 11:21 AM
Excellent. The best way to increase the real value of maintenance loans is reducing the cost of housing in student areas. ‘Default yes’ within 1km of a university library?
Sounds good and exactly the sort of thing councils with a bit of funding could be trialling. Would be great to see a decent evaluation. Credit to BBC London for a good news feature.
Tower Hamlets Council drugs squad tackles antisocial behaviour
The squad is solely focused on tackling drugs and antisocial behaviour in east London.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 24, 2025 at 11:09 AM
Sounds good and exactly the sort of thing councils with a bit of funding could be trialling. Would be great to see a decent evaluation. Credit to BBC London for a good news feature.
Reposted by Simon Jeffrey
TBH my ideal Covid Inquiry would have just to have been getting public health officials and Ministers from South Korea, Australia, and Japan and gone "we fucked up and you didn't, why was that?" and got it over and done with in three months.
November 21, 2025 at 9:31 AM
TBH my ideal Covid Inquiry would have just to have been getting public health officials and Ministers from South Korea, Australia, and Japan and gone "we fucked up and you didn't, why was that?" and got it over and done with in three months.