JAWAD IQBAL
Councils should listen to voters on 20mph zones
Majority of those who took part in the Wokingham consultation were not in favour but the council is pressing ahead
Jawad Iqbal
Monday January 19 2026, 7.31pm, The Times
Wokingham borough council has a strange way of showing it is listening to the concerns of local voters. The council has decided to press ahead with new 20mph speed restrictions despite the objections of almost two thirds of those who took part in a public consultation. Why ask voters for their views only to ignore them anyway?
*Sighs once again*.
Consultations are not referendums. We have a system of representative democracy. Those elected enact policy and consult on *how* it is enacted, not if. There are many, many good reasons why this is the case.
20.01.2026 14:32
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Walking, wheeling and cycling to school gives children more time to chat and play with their friends 🤸
Combined with fresh air and exercise, this is shown to have massive benefits for physical and mental health 👩⚕️
#Solvetheschoolsrun #schoolrun #cyclelane #schoolstreet
19.01.2026 08:02
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An important thread unpacking the complete nonsense being promulgated by the anti-NetZero media.
12.01.2026 22:40
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🧵A political/media guide to the "truth" about net-zero
1) Add up costs to install & run a net-zero energy system
2) Pretend fossil-fuelled alternatives wld be free
3) Do say "eco zealots are bankrupting us"
4) Don't say "free cars if we scrap net-zero" cos it sounds ridiculous
5) That's it!
1/10
12.01.2026 16:18
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Hard agree we need a root and branch cultural reset on attitudes to road crime.
And if future driving permission was at risk, would that make people more aware of the immense responsibility that comes with driving a car?
(Sorry it’s the Daily Mail but they’ve got this right).
11.01.2026 07:16
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#Helsinki achieved zero road deaths in a year—without autonomous vehicles on its streets.
They did it through road diets, car-free zones, and 30 km/h speed limits.
Not by flooding the streets with robotaxis. (Waymo isn't allowed in #Finland.)
To really save lives...
🧵
09.01.2026 17:41
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Pic of Pontevedra from the air.
“It's not my duty as Mayor to make sure you have a parking spot. For me it's the same as if you bought a cow, or a refrigerator, and then asked me where you're going to put them.” — Mayor of Pontevedra, Spain (re-elected 6 times)
13.12.2025 00:55
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Exercise benefits are diminished by air pollution - AirQualityNews
The benefits of regular exercise, long considered to be one of the most effective ways to reduce the risk of premature death, may be undermined by poor air quality, according to new research. The…
The further we reduce PM2.5, the better it is for our #Health.
New research from UCL shows that exercising in areas of raised PM2.5 pollution reduces the health benefits of being active. More evidence that we need to be heading towards World Health Organization #AirPollution guideline levels.
04.12.2025 09:00
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Wood-burning stoves could face partial ban in Labour’s updated environment plan
Exclusive: Pollution targets set out alongside nature recovery projects to allay concerns over housebuilding
Potentially good news for the nation's health: woodburning stoves are a huge source of air pollution. They damage the lungs of people inside the house as well, especially those who sleep in upstairs bedrooms who are exposed at high levels overnight.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
01.12.2025 08:14
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Closing Central Madrid To Cars Resulted In 9.5% Boost To Retail Spending, Finds Bank Analysis
City of Madrid significantly boosted the takings of its shops and restaurants last Christmas by banning cars from the CBD, finds an analysis by Spain's second largest bank.
Keep this in mind when people claim cars mean business — closing Central #Madrid to cars over holidays resulted in a 9.5% boost in retail spending on its main shopping street: STUDY.
There was also a 71% drop in air pollution.
Via @carltonreid.com in @forbes.com. #citymakingmath #citiesforpeople
20.11.2025 06:21
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Burning of wood & coal releases PM2.5 - the most worrying form of #AirPollution for our #Health & has been associated with causing damage to every organ in our body, it can cause illnesses ranging from #Asthma, lung #Cancer to heart attacks & strokes.
#WoodBurning #Solidfuel
17.11.2025 08:39
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🌍 We took over Southwark station last week, urging city leaders to lead on climate as the C40 World Mayors’ Summit got underway.
We now need to keep up the pressure.
✍️ Write to Mayor Sadiq Khan to stop promoting pollution on London public transport: actionnetwork.org/letters/ba2d...
18.11.2025 11:49
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It was great to see @rezinachowdhury.bsky.social , Deputy Leader of Lambeth Council and @willnorman.co.uk, London’s Walking & Cycling Commissioner
today on an epic bike bus organised by @solverosendale.bsky.social.
It was to celebrate one year of their amazing and transformational school street!
14.11.2025 14:21
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The text reads “encountering a solid fuel burning smell means particulates are being inhaled”. The background is peach and there are two outline drawings of people with arrows into and out of their faces to indicate breathing in particles.
Our air quality data collection study shows impacts of burning on indoor and outdoor pollution levels.
tinyurl.com/3rxu8f8w
12.11.2025 10:49
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Tax cars by weight …
28.10.2025 22:28
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Hats off to @deathcardiff.bsky.social & Cardiff cllrs for their new parking policy to charge more for the heaviest SUVs 👏
A <10 child 3x more likely to be killed by an SUV and they don't even fit in urban parking spaces - affecting us all! #carspreading
NEWS: www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
17.10.2025 19:19
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Update: The mains have been isolated and there is no flooding to the carriageway now. However, Gallery Road is to remain closed until repairs have been completed. The repair team are on site but have not started to excavate so we do not know how long it will take to complete the repairs.
17.10.2025 10:21
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Melbourne Grove East Dulwich new paving, seats and plants
Cities around the world are calming their streets, making them safer and cleaner. This road in East Dulwich used to be a congested rat run. Great example of improving London for its residents and due for planting next month 🌳🌿⚘️
04.10.2025 12:00
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Headshot of a smiling Tim Gill
New episode up! We talked with researcher Tim Gill about how we need to make our cities safe for children, not cars. "Children are basically living very captive and kind of contained lives, and that's just not healthy."
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/c...
30.09.2025 13:00
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Looking at the distribution of schools in London I don’t see how you can provide “safe routes to school” for all pupils to walk/wheel/cycle without 100% LTN coverage and main road cycleways/crossings
24.09.2025 12:53
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Oxford Street is going car-free for a day. Central London should too
Oxford Street has an appalling road casualty and air pollution record. Banning cars from central London is the answer, says Living Streets
21.09.2025 06:02
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It’s Saturday! Ride with us, your kids and @ibikelondon.bsky.social to show the demand for safe streets to cycle on in London! #CarFreeDay
We need routes that are actually safe for kids to cycle on all around this city, every day.
www.ticketsource.co.uk/whats-on/sou...
19.09.2025 21:07
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Air pollution can affect how well we sleep, scientists discover
Global metastudy finds long-term exposure to pollutants is linked to shorter or lower-quality rest
Achieving World Health Organisation guidelines for air quality could help many get a better night’s sleep.
“Across dozens of studies, long-term exposure to outdoor pollutants such as particle pollution, nitrogen dioxide and even carbon dioxide was linked to shorter or lower-quality sleep.”
19.09.2025 06:42
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Car tyres shed a quarter of all microplastics in the environment – urgent action is needed
Tiny flakes of plastic, generated by the wear and tear of normal driving, eventually accumulate in the soil, in rivers and lakes, and even in our food.
Every year, billions of vehicles worldwide shed an estimated 6 million tonnes of tire fragments. These tiny flakes of plastic, generated by normal driving, account for 28% of microplastics entering the environment globally.
Heavy vehicles eg SUVs/EVs especially.
Via @us.theconversation.com
17.09.2025 14:18
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Helsinki goes a full year without a traffic death
A city traffic engineer credits the success to lower speed limits and smarter design.
“Helsinki has not recorded a single traffic fatality in the past 12 months, city and police officials confirmed this week.”
City engineer credits lower speed limits and smart design.
I agree. #Helsinki #VisionZero
09.09.2025 19:32
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Safety and space at risk as SUVs reach 30% of car market in English cities, researchers warn
Campaigners call for Paris-style parking charges amid fears big vehicles are taking up excessive public space
“In London alone, SUVs now take up as much space as an entire inner-city borough – that’s tarmac we could be using for homes, parks, or safer streets. These oversized vehicles are … also far more dangerous, especially for children.”
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
29.08.2025 06:18
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