Fred Smithers

urbanist. interested in how we can promote justice in our transport and housing systems to prevent socio-ecological breakdown. views are my own

[Philip Oldfield @SustainableTall]

This is an amazing table of the cost overruns of mega projects

Nuclear storage has a mean cost overrun of 238%, while with nuclear power its 120%

Solar power has a mean cost overrun of 1%

https://t.co/1zsdkTWfgZ

[Fred Smithers @fred_smithers]

@adamlines_ Yup! gosh that's a good spot Adam, I'm impressed 😄

[Fred Smithers @fred_smithers]

Tube on strike?

Take the bike!

Central London cycleways genuinely heaving this morning

[Charlotte Baker @charlie_baker23]

🚗 A story of car usage in cities in one thread 🧵

My lovely Mum is semi-retired and has been cycling her e-bike more and more, using public transport more and driving less in recent years.

I’m so proud of her 🤩 but this week, she had a medical appointment in Ealing…

[Fred Smithers @fred_smithers]

Great weekend in Brussels, made easy by the Metro!

A solid mass rapid transport system with ~60 stops serving a city of 1.22m people with ~160 m annual journeys (pre-Covid).

Decade constructed?

I think the liberal use of that 1970s orange across the network gives it away! 😎

[Fred Smithers @fred_smithers]

My first time on the Eurostar today and boy was it good!!! 😁😁

✅ London-Brussels in 2h
✅ Brilliant customer experience (great App, easy wayfinding, comfy seats and on-board wi-fi)
✅ 1/15th (or thereabouts) the CO2 of flying
✅ Seamless station departure and arrival

🇪🇺⭐️🚆

[Fred Smithers @fred_smithers]

Wayfinding!

Even in the age of google maps etc it is an essential public good!

This one is super big (x2 or more A0 size or think) & is well-placed (on throughfare to a major landmark - St Paul’s).

It has lots of space around it for people to read it and the cartography is 👌

[Fred Smithers @fred_smithers]

@adamlines_ Looking right back at you from Greenwich yesterday @adamlines_ 😉

I feel like these views will never be able to top Tāmaki’s maunga but still pretty good for a depositional landscape like London!

[Fred Smithers @fred_smithers]

Autumn colours in Victoria Park 🍂 🌳 🍃🍁

But who am I kidding, the real star of this post is my new & freshly kitted-out city bike 🎉 🚲 😁

Here’s to many more happy kms taking me (and my things) where I need to go!

[Fred Smithers @fred_smithers]

@adamlines_ Yes these are very great points, bulk potential!!

[Fred Smithers @fred_smithers]

Yes!

Just imagining a dedicated CYCLEWAY network as complete & connected as the current ROADING network!🚲🌬️

I've been biking in London for a few wks (& not discounting some awesome LTNs/quiet/CS), I reckon 👇need some more infra (or more advertising of existing LTNs!)🙏

[London Cycles @London_Cycles]

If you build cycle lanes, this is what happens...

In London 🇬🇧

[Fred Smithers @fred_smithers]

Disclaimer! I'm pretty new to biking in London, and so far I haven't biked anywhere south of the Thames. So there are definitely a few spots missing on my v. rough map above that are deserving of new bike infra or there may be some that already have it installed/planned! 🚲 🙏

[Fred Smithers @fred_smithers]

Introducing the all-new family SUV:

The Sustainable Urban Velo!

You love to see it 😍😀👌🚲💨👍

[George Weeks @GeorgeWeeks2014]

My @TheSpinoffTV article is now on @GreaterAKL.

If you want a better outcome for your city, look at how other cities have answered the same kinds of questions.

Don't just sit around saying "no" or "couldn't happen here".

It's really a dull attitude & also factually incorrect.

[createstreets @createstreets]

Ever heard of Toulouse as a city centre whose improved street design is revolutionising local prosperity?

It’s not normally lauded as a case study. But quality of the street design is staggering. The results are stunning. Literally no empty shops in town centre. How? A short 🧵

[Fred Smithers @fred_smithers]

@adamlines_ Nice one Adam! Spot on I reckon! Also I’ve been struggling to find a physical map! Seen them around anywhere else? 😀

[Fred Smithers @fred_smithers]

@staticnz @AklBikes @lukechristensen @urbanistfromwhk Lots of hard work from a great team getting the new audio system up and running!! Te reo Māori announcements a huge leap forward and I hope the transfer audio nudges will be helpful too!

[Fred Smithers @fred_smithers]

@aotexaroan @AklTransport @BikeAKL @GreaterAKL @AucklandBikeMap Oooh that is LOVELY! 😍

[Fred Smithers @fred_smithers]

@adamlines_ Oh and yes the BOLLARDS 😍😍Congestion busting

[Fred Smithers @fred_smithers]

@adamlines_ Yes!!! I have so much love for Ljubljana. Surely one of the world’s best walking cities!?