Good day, my good friend.

Ever the transport planner, me. While the Lionesses were partying with 7000 fans in Trafalgar Square, I was thinking how that would be so much harder had they not closed the northern end of Trafalgar Square to traffic in 2003! That is the value of creating public space – to have public celebrations!!

If you have any suggestions for interesting news items or bits of research to include in this newsletter, you can email me.

You should also join a lot of like-minded people at Mobility Camp in Bristol in September. Get your tickets now. Sponsorship slots are also available.

James

Informal transport is as interesting as ever

This post by Tom Courtright that is a survey and map of the boda bodas in Kampala, Uganda, is a must-read. As the GPIT Newsletter from where I was directed to this article constantly states (and you MUST sign up to it, as it covers all things informal transport and its AMAZING), some fantastic work is being done to make informal transport like the boda bodas more accessible. You do that by surveying them and understanding the needs of riders and drivers equally, and data like this collected by Tom is invaluable.

As if fate itself ordained it, on the same day this research article of informal public transport in Surabaya in Indonesia states a bold, but maybe partly true claim. That being redistributive economically relies on enabling people to tinker, innovate, and be unaccountable for it. In other words, allowing people with limited means to experiment and not face significant action for it may assist those delivering and experimenting with informal transport. Whilst we in our formal structures are coming up with the big ideas, it seems that informal transport is where the interesting things happen. Pay attention to it.

Dogs on trams are far more interesting than you might think

Manchester is doing the right thing by allowing dogs on trams in the city (so long as they are a good boy or girl), even if its just a trial. As anyone who has ever been on a video call with me will know, I am all in on team dog. But this trial led me down a research hole that ended up being far more interesting than I took it credit. Notably research into riding with dogs on public transport.

Restrictions that are placed on dogs riding around on public transport reflect wider social attitudes to dogs. In countries more accepting of dogs, there are few if any restrictions on dogs using public transport. Dog owners are more likely to travel longer distances for the sole purpose of walking the dog, which they will do by car if public transport is not available for them. Also, dogs themselves instigate social interactions for their owners, something that may be more likely on public transport. So if we want to reduce carbon emissions and make people happier, more dogs are needed on public transport!

Random things

These links are meant to make you think about the things that affect our world in transport, and not just think about transport itself. I hope that you enjoy them.

• Can Elites Start the Climate Revolution? (Foreign Policy)

• Emergence of frozen food vending machines across Japan brings hope for shrinking market (The Mainichi)

• New Zealand launches electric milk tanker and hydrogen postie truck (The Driven)

• Catching Fire (Science)

• China’s Nascent Green Hydrogen Sector (The Diplomat)

Something interesting

It’s been at least two weeks since I’ve posted something from Tom Scott. And to be honest I struggled for content today. But this video about Lego washing up in Perranporth in Cornwall speaks volumes about the disaster transport can create when it goes wrong.

If you do nothing else today, then do this

Was recently told my $3500 ebike was a “steep” investment. Yet nobody bats an eye to financing a $30K car. This one thread on the r/f**kcars Subreddit summarises perfectly the arguments involved in exposing the folly of the car as a financial investment.