Good day my good friend.
Major infrastructure projects are not just confined to transport. And the Tideway super sewer in London is not exception to this (as anyone who has used the cycle path along The Embankment for the last 6-7 years will know). But is rare that you get a chance to cycle through them. This sewer is BIG, I will say that.
If you have any suggestions for interesting news items or bits of research to include in this newsletter, you can email me.
James
Finding out how people move is hard
I cite the National Travel Survey here in the UK often enough in this newsletter, as providing a snapshot of how people get around in the UK. And it is good. But it has flaws, and can never give a complete picture of how people get around. Lots of alternatives have been tried, like mobile phone data, and also crowdsourcing transport data. But try as we might, there is no holy grail of transport data collection that gives us a perfect view of how people get around.
This research article provides a slightly more novel take. By using GPS, photos, and open tools such as QGIS, data is collected in a participatory planning style approach of understanding people’s experiences with transport in their area. It has potential – not least because it uses existing tech with low barriers to entry. But how many authorities will adopt it?
The watery devil beneath
Its been a bit wet in the UK recently, even by its lofty standards. Its pretty much rained every day for about a month where I live, and so the ground is sodden and the aquifers are finally recovering from the blistering heat of last year. But if climate change could make the climate wetter (somehow), we should care about groundwater. And this very good article in Grist sets out the reasons why.
Groundwater is a pain for transport infrastructure. It costs a fortune to pump out of subterranean infrastructure (see the Severn Tunnel), and gets in every book and cranny of the infrastructure. Wet infrastructure tends to break more easily. Its also a flood risk that is very hard to do anything about. And its one area of climate change which we will have to adapt to that is less obvious. So, more pumping, more money to shore up what we have, and planning future infrastructure to take account of flooding from underneath. As if climate change wasn’t hard enough.
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.
How do crises affect women leaders? (British Politics and Policy)
European court to hear first climate cases against France, Switzerland (France24)
Trust in tomorrow – the evolution of underwriting (Hellenic Shipping News)
Ammo-maker says TikTok’s datacenter site could deprive it of electricity (The Register)
Housing affordability since 1979: Determinants and solutions (Joseph Rowntree Foundation)
Something interesting
The Bakerloo Line. The Underground Line most people don’t care enough about to hate. But this video explores the many, many failed attempts to move the line beyond Elephant and Castle.
If you do nothing else today, then do this
The Centre for Cities looks at lockdown 3 years on and its impact on British cities. You should read their excellent analysis.
Mobility Matters 