Good day my good friend.
When we plan for transport, how old should we assume that people could live to? We don’t really think about it that much, apart from seemingly banding together everyone who is over retirement age. Apparently, we could be living until 141 years old. If that doesn’t make you feel old already, there are children being born today who will live to see the year 2100. You’re welcome.
If you have any suggestions for interesting news items or bits of research to include in this newsletter, you can email me.
James
Got Data? Do a Strategy
Thank you to good friend Lucy Yu for pointing this out to me – I got a name drop in a DfT Strategy. Well, ok, my company did, and it was only a minor mention at the back. But the new Data Strategy for the Department for Transport does contain it. Data strategies are not uncommon. The grandparent of them all is the Los Angeles ‘Urban Mobility in a Digital Age’ strategy. Other good examples are those of Transport for New South Wales and Singapore’s Smart Mobility 2030. So how does the British effort measure up?
Ehh…its not bad really. It has a common frustration that I have with many strategies, in that instead of putting in targets and actions they describe it as ‘a living document.’ And the actions they do propose are so high level as to be pointless. I mean ‘improving data quality’ – really?!? But the logic model is really good, and at least there is a general direction there, which has been lacking for quite a few years. A plan is easy. Show us what you will be doing, DfT.
Ground handling is a rubbish job, that few want to do
Another DfT publication caught my eye, as this report was published on the state of UK ground handling. For those of you who don’t know what that is, its the whole operation at the airport that makes sure that you have a smooth transit through the airport, and the planes are dealt with safely and effectively. Their importance usually comes to the fore when they strike. So this report was an interesting read.
Very simply, the problems faced are the lack of staff. Not because of bad pay, but because of unsocial hours in physically demanding jobs. Not only that, but they work in conditions where airports and airlines don’t tend to talk to them (or each other). To give you an example, one airline may expect their planes luggage to be loaded in a certain timeframe, while another wants it in another time frame, and nobody tells the ground handlers. Its a real eye-opening report, and makes you appreciate the crazy world of complexity behind just making sure we make it from the airport entrance to the gate.
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.
Nope, Stonehenge Isn’t an Ancient Calendar After All, Scientists Say (Science Alert)
The Fight to Make ‘Temporary’ Sidewalk Sheds Actually Temporary (Hellgate)
Abyssal ocean overturning slowdown and warming driven by Antarctic meltwater (Nature)
As More Chemicals Spill, More Questions Arise (The Brockovich Report)
A misleading open letter about sci-fi AI dangers ignores the real risks (AI Snake Oil)
Something interesting
An infrastructure project near me is finally getting some interest. To be fair, the Luton DART has been sat empty for 3 years for no good reason. But it is now running, and Geoff Marshall took a look at it. I can’t help but think that the bus from Luton Airport Parkway is better value.
If you do nothing else today, then do this
Christiane Link has started an excellent Substack on accessibility issues in transport, and you should subscribe to it. And its not all bad. The latest post talks about her excellent experience recently at a hotel.
Also, its Trans Day of Visibility Day today. I am ashamed to say that as planners, we know next to nothing about the transport experience of those who are trans and non-binary. In fact, I could find only one article on this. In a LEISURE STUDIES JOURNAL. We must do more, and the way to start is by listening and understanding their experiences. Or channelling your inner Daniel Radcliffe.
Mobility Matters 