Dermot Hanney

What’s worse than a beg button to cross the road as a pedestrian? One that turns itself off before giving you the chance to cross 😡

Yeah, progressives should totally trust this company. www.reuters.com/world/tesla-...

So much to unpack here, but at its core, it's the stubbornness of a Britain which cannot resolve the very clear conflict between (motor traffic) movement and place. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

*** New blog post *** It's not often I do a double take at a piece of street design, but I did at a tram stop in Vienna. therantyhighwayman.blogspot.com/2026/10/oh-v...

What will the Royal Canal Urban Greenway in Dublin 15 and onto Co Kildare look like? Comment & Analysis / Long read: Fingal County Council last week submitted a planning application for its section of the Royal Canal Greenway, and now that the details are online, this article gives you an overview…

🇮🇪 The National Transport Authority is consulting on new town bus networks for Naas and Newbridge, with two routes in each town and services every 30 minutes. The consultation closes at 5pm on 12 November 2026, with services targeted from 2028/29. www.transportforireland.ie/news/public-...

“Some Premier League clubs were so "astonished" by comments made by Andy Burnham - appearing to downplay the verdict against Manchester City - that they are now "concerned" about political interference in the appeal process, sources have told BBC Sport.” 💯 my reading. Am amazed by Burhams comments.

New Great British Railways trains will aim to provide unassisted level boarding as standard, improving accessibility for disabled and older passengers, parents with pushchairs and those carrying luggage. The Government is also investing almost £280m in step-free access. Read more

TfL offers unlimited cycle hire rides for £10 www.london-now.co.uk/news/2657188...

"So, for example, there will be the direct additional housing stock facilitated by this project of about 77,000 units.” I think this is first time I’ve seen a major Irish infra scheme directly link itself to housing delivery. Country seemed reticent to do this til now. www.rte.ie/news/2026/09...

It’s getting more and annoying to read about cities and their “great” current / “ambitious” future non-car mode share targets only to find they’re just counting local residents and so ignoring the reality on the ground in terms of total traffic, including through trips, drop offs and deliveries

Nunhead maps.app.goo.gl/RoMCqcD5skEi... Goose Green East Dulwich maps.app.goo.gl/MYtVEnL7Rnma... @southwarkcouncil.bsky.social where are the pedestrian crossings? Just so difficult on foot, especially with children.

After just visiting Budapest for the umpteenth time, the new thing that hit me is the suburban ice cream shops really are the city’s third spaces. Very well used by all ages and it’s cheap and affordable. Spaces generally high standard and well looked after www.instagram.com/p/DcyFJRlAjF...

Very sorry to hear about the passing of Frank McDonald. He was always good enough to comment on some of my ramblings, esp Twitter. Someone who really appreciated architecture, public realm and sustainable transport. Had a keen eye one only gets from true interest. www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2026...

Wednesday is the new Friday @rantyhighwayman.bsky.social I’m at an overpriced beer festival in Budapest but still warm so clinging on to last of summer here. Hopefully find some craft beer nuggets. Starting on Monyo

Is it really behind the ability of UK and council planning and guidance to have these “sails” in playgrounds, especially the most exposed to the sun (not sure how they work in rain)

I would love to look at more detail on the cross London links on this map too. Looks like the furthest downstream crossing on both maps is Southwark Bridge. Yet - London Bridge has a form of provision, why not at cycleway standard? And - why still nothing east of the centre? And zero plans?

What’s really noticeable is the traffic calming, ramps, reduced speed limits, which are everywhere. Even on busy 80kph roads, when you reach a village, you simply have to slow down. And majority of drivers obey speed limits. If the Irish Gov were serious about #RoadSafety, this is the answer.

The recent transformation of Olympic Park Avenue is looking excellent. One side of the bridge has been converted from a road, making a new safe bike lane connecting up the Westfield Ave cycle tracks to the Chobham residential area and Cycleway 16 into Waltham Forest. 🚲🚲🚲

‘Critical’ status would be far more “far more useful” for Luas projects, Western Rail Corridor The Government's 'critical infrastructure' designation would have been "far more useful for early-stage regional transit stalled in planning", such as Luas for Cork, Luas to Lucan, or the Western Rail…

And the saga concludes after I asked for a review. They say: "We have made further enquiries with the Highways Team regarding your request."

The only thing I’d slightly say counter to this is that none of this or any bridge closures have been planned. We all know we need to renew or at least repurpose older bridge infra but there’s been a collective head in the sand approach. That element definitely points to a decline in decision making

A cracking interview with @ianloader.bsky.social on the latest @thewaroncars.bsky.social in which Ian's work on rethinking the criminal consequences for drivers who harm people. Lots to challenge your existing thinking in this one. bsky.app/profile/thew...

To retrofit homes with AC will be a gargantuan effort that will inevitably leave the less well off behind. But to fit out schools, public transport and work places feel much achievable and equitable in impact whilst also reinforcing daily life can continue.

Waterford section of greenway to New Ross opens — link into city expected in “late 2027” A long-awaited, around 7km section of the New Ross to Waterford Greenway was mostly opened with little fanfare over the weekend....

Feels like there’s so much in this That there’s a difference between reporting “news” and facts That we wonder why niche subjects can get overblown publicity yet we perpetuate niche angles in all levels of media Be interested to hear @peterwalker99.bsky.social considered view on this heading

Car modal share into Dublin City Centre drops below 25% for the first time Overall, the number of people travelling into the core of the capital at peak morning times in 2025 increased, with the heavy lifting done by public transport, while the number of cars entering Dublin City Centre is in a…

Trying to boil down to the pithiest point, is the failure of HS2 primarily as whole network was costed up front but instead of setting aside budgets in increments the account for the full amount was open from start so it just led to gorging on the first sections that left nothing for the rest?

There is a lot of chat about the danger posed by the introduction of cycle lanes and floating bus stops on Leith Walk from 2021 onward. Pedestrian casualties, Leith Walk, by year: 2015: 15 2016: 13 2017: 9 2018: 10 2019: 12 (including two fatalities) 2020: 3 2021: 0 2022: 2 2023: 0 2024: 2

Whatever one can argue about FTP voting 🗳️ for General Election having 3 votes at local level is illogical as it just splits votes unnecessarily when most people recognise party not individuals. Party list would make far more sense given starting knowledge base for most

This is slipping fast into Rapid and Unjust Transition territory. We’re already seeing huge impacts in less wealthy countries. I find it hard to imagine any response to the crisis here that doesn’t involve changing how we all think about and use energy here. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

The ban is right. I question where else repeated offending attracts mitigation like this. “Exceptional hardship” is lived daily by crash victims and bereaved families. My sympathy will always be with them—not the habitual road offender. Should we remove this provision? www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

So Seville had some good infra, but as @johnstreetdales.bsky.social commented, it looked like it hadn’t moved on much for a while. But the contrast with Malaga was striking - much better provision, many more people on cycles…and scooters.

Deep in the Government’s new integrated transport strategy is a truth at odds with the rhetoric you hear in the media: driving a car has gotten cheaper in real terms, while public transport has gotten more expensive. The Government is also clear that this will mean more traffic and more congestion.

I don't care what you call it, but the UK really needs to embrace the safe systems approach to road design and street management if we are to stop death and injury on our streets, tackle health issues from inactivity and indeed, productiveuty, We could have nice places too.

So I started looking into this to outline the conspiracy theory. But what I found was a genuinely beautiful piece of practical idealism. A small, attainable progressive change that would hugely improve people's lives. I was inspired by it.