Tessera

David Higham @oldtrotter.bsky.social · 2w ago

New blogpost: Neighbourhood disputes. Though at the rate things are moving, it's likely to be out-of-date by the time you read it! forestgate.net/2026/11/03/n...

Neighbourhood disputes

Community Neighbourhoods: a political row of the Mayor’s own making Newham Mayor Forhad Hussain’s Community Neighbourhoods initiative was touted as bringing decision-making closer to re…

forestgate.net

Very well said. Outrage doesn't just make headlines, it generates clicks and site traffic, and makes the road less safe for cyclists.

Chris Boardman CBE

There's been a lot of outrage about cyclists this past week. Oxford Street, pavements, "cyclists running amok".

So let me be clear about where I stand. People cycling dangerously or inconsiderately should be challenged, and the law should apply to everyone equally. Speeding past people on the pavement is at best selfish and at worst dangerous.

But condemning someone's behaviour is different from condemning everyone who happens to travel the same way. The dogged determination of some to turn how people travel into a tribal identity is absurd; most of us walk, drive and cycle depending on the day. People on bikes are parents, neighbours and colleagues getting on with their lives. They're us.

Where I part company with some commentators is on priorities. The police can't pursue every offence with finite resources, so they have to choose, and I want those choices guided by where the danger actually lies.

It's time to put facts at the front. Nearly 30,000 people were killed or seriously injured on Britain's roads last year, the vast majority by drivers of motor vehicles. My mum became one of those statistics when she was killed by a driver who had been texting. So this isn't abstract for me.

Outrage makes headlines. On its own, it doesn't make anyone safer. We already have the tools to make every journey safer, if we're prepared to use them, as I write in The Spectator:

spectator.com/article/its-time-to-stop-d...

“The dogged determination of some to turn how people travel into a tribal identity they can rally against is absurd.” spectator.com/article/its-...

It’s time to stop demonising cyclists

There’s been plenty of outrage against cyclists recently. Last week, after Oxford Street in London was pedestrianised, a small number of people broke the rules by cycling down the traffic-free section...

spectator.com

Woohoo!

Newham Cyclists @newhamcyclists.uk · 2w ago

If the mid-terms go the way the polls suggest the next few weeks are going to be pretty rough in the US as Trump and his goons do their best to overturn the results.

Urbanist Bluesky: we’d like to make a video about Dutch style protected intersections, which have been exported all around the world and are coming soon to our borough. Do you have video of a protected intersection in YOUR city you’re willing to share with us? (We will of course credit you!)

No Score Draws ✍🏻⚽@noscoredraws.com · 2w ago

Spurs fans I know it’s very early but because we won three games in a row I went mad and stayed up all night drawing and making these. They’re awful, please buy some x Shares appreciated - a problem shared is a problem halved 💙 🛒 NoScoreDraws.com

Martin Warne @martinwarne.net · 3w ago

A pleasant Sunday morning surprise - the Bluesky app now supports iPad.

Connections Puzzle #1228 🟨🟨🟨🟨 🟩🟩🟩🟩 🟦🟦🟦🟦 🟪🟪🟪🟪 Perfect!

Walking or wheeling to school can help you feel calm before you reach the classroom

Well now, there's a surprise 😮

nytimes.com

Paul Bernal@paulbernal.bsky.social · 4w ago

Tomorrow Never Dies For Tax Purposes

The Empire Strikes Back For Tax Purposes

Election Maps UK@electionmaps.uk · 4w ago

📢 Labour GAIN

Shepshed (Leicestershire) Council By-Election Result: 🌹 LAB: 32.8% (+14.9) ➡️ RFM: 31.3% (-13.6) 🌳 CON: 23.1% (-2.4) ◼️ RES: 6.4% (New) 🔶 LDM: 3.2% (-3.4) 🌍 GRN: 3.2% (-1.9) Labour GAIN from Reform UK. Changes w/ 2025.

The Mastodon server I was using shut down and I didn't download my followers/following lists in time. So now trying to rebuild from scratch over on mastodon.world. Sigh.

Election Maps UK@electionmaps.uk · last mo.

From that rare Tuesday by-election. Impressive increase in Labour's vote share.

Rodborough (Stroud) Council By-Election Result: 🌹 LAB: 47.0% (+13.2) 🌍 GRN: 31.7% (+1.5) ➡️ RFM: 12.9% (New) 🌳 CON: 6.9% (-3.9) 🔶 LDM: 1.5% (New) No Ind (-25.2) as previous. Labour HOLD. Changes w/ 2024.

Well, that was hugely entertaining #MCIPSG #UCL

Everyone else says the US needs a new leader

Trump says Ukraine needs a new leader after diesel deal with Russia

US president suggests Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has not done enough to end war

theguardian.com

The Guardian@theguardian.com · last mo.

Get your seasonal flu shot ASAP!

Flu season arrives earlier than usual in England, experts say

Flashback for Oct. 10, 2026 25 points 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟥🟩🟩 Play here:

nytimes.com

The Guardian@theguardian.com · last mo.

Well, there's a surprise!

Christian nationalism in Britain driven by people who seldom go to church, says report