The Ranty Highwayman
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rantyhighwayman.bsky.social
The Ranty Highwayman
@rantyhighwayman.bsky.social
A highway engineer's adventures in time & space. The street is not too narrow your imagination is too narrow | Independent sustainable mobility design specialist | Better streets & places | Runs @cityinfinity.bsky.social | https://linktr.ee/rantyhighwayman
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#HelloBluesky, I'm Mark, a civil & highway engineer with nearly 30 years experience, with the last decade as a specialist in sustainable mobility design. I'm a freelancer at @cityinfinity.bsky.social.

I post about highways & transport, often with Opinions.

Also homebrewing, silly films and snark.
New T-shirt day with a shout-out to @sillytees.bsky.social who makes these wonderful pieces of fun!
November 21, 2025 at 7:55 AM
The footway parking ban in England consultation closed 5 years ago tomorrow. The Tories' inaction is now Labour's inaction.

www.gov.uk/government/c...
Pavement parking: options for change
www.gov.uk
November 21, 2025 at 7:21 AM
Physics and biomechanics don't care about your comprehensive review.
November 21, 2025 at 7:16 AM
Reposted by The Ranty Highwayman
Those who followed me on the other place will concur with the following statement. Told you so. I did the maths.
BREAKING: The UK’s response to Covid was “too little, too late”, a damning official report on the handling of the pandemic has concluded, saying the introduction of a lockdown even a week earlier than happened could have saved more than 20,000 lives.
November 20, 2025 at 4:12 PM
Reposted by The Ranty Highwayman
ICYMI My latest video is about cycling in the dark and how we can make it more comfortable: from good lighting to travelling together.

youtu.be/m7A01LQeups?...
How can we cycle safely after dark?
YouTube video by BicycleDutch
youtu.be
November 20, 2025 at 8:55 AM
Reposted by The Ranty Highwayman
November 19, 2025 at 11:38 PM
Reposted by The Ranty Highwayman
You are supposed to gently glide into winter to allow you adjust, not be dropped into it like one of those people sitting atop a water dunking tank at a fair waiting for someone to aim a ball at the middle of the target.
November 20, 2025 at 7:29 AM
Reposted by The Ranty Highwayman
Brexity folks supporting human rights litigation
I do like a plot twist
November 20, 2025 at 8:26 AM
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I'm thinking of a letter looking at this train advert.
November 20, 2025 at 7:53 AM
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It’s the exclusive everyone wanted, the story that will win next year’s Pulitzer…

I can reveal London’s giant AI generated Christmas artwork, the subject of much online mockery, is being torn down - and I honestly *genuinely* think you’ll never guess why. www.londoncentric.media/p/ai-artwork...
London's giant AI artwork to be torn down
The bizarre story of why a much-talked-about creation is being torn down. Plus: Docklands Light Railway extension, giant laser stalks the night sky, and more tales of Android phone theft rejection.
www.londoncentric.media
November 20, 2025 at 7:18 AM
Reposted by The Ranty Highwayman
My mother saved for years to go to Corfu she didn't get charitable status for it.
November 19, 2025 at 5:07 PM
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When I was in Copenhagen last week, Mikael Colville-Andersen (founder of Copenhagenize; coiner of “cycle chic”) said ruling Social Democrats were unpopular partly cos of new pro-motoring policies. Duly wiped out in elections.
November 19, 2025 at 10:11 AM
And a bit of entrance kerb action!
November 19, 2025 at 6:48 PM
Work trip to Bristol today with just enough time for a few snaps of older and new cycleways.

Much better than some of the homeopathically marked stuff in the city!
November 19, 2025 at 6:46 PM
Maddest film in a while: Popeye The Slayer Man.
November 19, 2025 at 6:39 PM
Maddest film in a while: Popeye The Slayer Man.
November 19, 2025 at 6:39 PM
Reposted by The Ranty Highwayman
The construction of the new section of Cycleway 4 in SE London is progressing at pace. 🚲🚲🚲🚲
November 19, 2025 at 4:51 PM
Reposted by The Ranty Highwayman
We must copy Denmark Social Democrats' hardline anti-asylum measures in order to win back voters' trust, says Shabana Mahmood.

Meanwhile in Denmark:
November 19, 2025 at 11:27 AM
Reposted by The Ranty Highwayman
When social democratic parties don't like their voters, those voters get the hint...
👏 Congratulations to @sissemariewe.bsky.social who was just elected as the new mayor of Copenhagen.

💚Congratulations to all of the SF members re-elected or newly elected and for the incredible 17.9% of votes across the country.

🌻Denmark’s people and nature will have a Greener future.
November 19, 2025 at 9:36 AM
Reposted by The Ranty Highwayman
Cycling after dark is part of everyday life here, but it still raises real concerns. This week I look at what helps people feel safe on those night-time rides – from lighting to travelling together.

New post and video.
Cycling safely after dark
We have entered the darker months again, and that inevitably makes cycling a little more precarious. Safety after sunset has two sides: being visible to others and feeling socially safe. As cyclists we cannot lock ourselves in, as one might in a car, so the environment matters all the more. Being visible is straightforward. A working front and rear light, together with the legally required reflectors, is usually enough.
bicycledutch.wordpress.com
November 18, 2025 at 11:00 PM
Reposted by The Ranty Highwayman
“Spreading these kinds of lies stigmatises autistic people and makes life harder for them and their families.”

National Autistic Society

They’ve had enough of Richard Tice’s constant attempts to sound tough

schoolsweek.co.uk/reform-start...
Reform starts to reveal its thinking on SEND reform
Councils should trial scrapping annual reviews of education and health care plans, Reform has said, as its deputy leader claimed there is a "crisis of over diagnosis" of special educational needs. Ric...
schoolsweek.co.uk
November 19, 2025 at 7:01 AM
Reposted by The Ranty Highwayman
NEW: Our DEFRA FOI reveals the budget for local councils to tackle #AirPollution has gone from £225 million a year to just £1.5 million in the last five years.

Cutting air pollution budgets by 99% at a time when children are still breathing illegal & toxic levels of dirty air is indefensible.
Funding for air pollution cut 99%, campaigners raise alarm
Mums for Lungs warned the cuts will significantly delay efforts to reduce emissions to levels recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO). New research from the parent campaign group shows fund...
airqualitynews.com
November 18, 2025 at 11:46 AM
Reposted by The Ranty Highwayman
Wild that the response to this question on pavement obstructions is almost entirely focused on e-scooters and hire bikes (primarily a London problem), rather than the big four-wheeled things which are a national and much greater problem.
A question on #PedestrianAreas #Standards tabled by Manuela Perteghella on 10-11-2025 has been answered by Lilian Greenwood. https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2025-11-10/89198
November 18, 2025 at 4:35 PM