Demo regarding proposed Ashton Park development, Sat 7 Mar 2009, 1.30pm, outside the Architecture Centre, next to the Youth Hostel and Pero's bridge on Bristol's Harbourside. read full story / add a comment

Drawing Room at the Marriott Hotel, Thursday 5th February, 5pm - 7pm read full story / add a comment

Just when you though new Labour could not get any worse - yes, all of Bristol MPs voted for the white elephant that is the Heathrow Expansion. Hundreds will loose thier homes, Thousands will loose any chance of peace and quiet and CO2 emissions will spiral...

All to keep the airline industry happy. Party of the people? Don't make me laugh... read full story / add a comment

A few weeks ago, I received an e-mail about the Bristol Cycle Expressway, a proposed cycle path that could connect large areas of north Bristol directly to the Bristol and Bath Railway Path:

Josh,

Be good to stay in the loop on this – as an interested cyclist who has two kids having to cross the Gloucester Rd on the way to / from school each day…. Thought of a cycle path alongside the Severn Beach line occurred to me a few years ago and I corresponded with Sustrans but they couldn’t be bothered thinking about anything other than reasons not to do it.

Thanks,

C

C’s e-mail got me wondering—how many times has someone with a good idea for a new cycle path contacted Sustrans and received this kind of response? How many perfectly good ideas have been thrown in the bin because of a bureaucratic lack of vision from those tasked with keeping that vision whole? How many opportunities have been lost and positive energy squandered? I wonder….

This e-mail was received the same week as it was revealed by a Bristol councillor that an investigation is underway into Sustrans’ cozy relationship with the city, specifically their employees being seconded to the City Council for the Cycling City project, and exclusion of other charities and firms to win contracts from the £11.4 million budget. Frankly, it’s too much to keep a lid on, and I felt like On the Level cannot ignore this issue any longer.

Because of these dispiriting experiences with Sustrans, I began to do some research into the organisation, speaking with former and current employees, co-founders, and doing research on the internet. Bear with me while I shatter some of your illusions about the UK’s “leading sustainable transport charity”…. read full story / add a comment

The people of Weymouth brought Two Mile Copse through public
subscription. Local people dug deeply into their pockets and put their money
into conserving the land for perpeturity, for us and all future generations.

Dorset County Council have so far not given one penny in compensation,
either to the Woodland Trust, nor local people who raised the public money
to preserve the wood in the first place.

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More trouble for Bristol Airport as a minor expansion of the car park annoys the neighbours and nationally, airport expansion becomes even more of a hot potato. read full story / add a comment

5pm this evening woman knocked off her bike near Boots on Whiteladies Road. read full story / add a comment

Three elderly people have been killed, and one seriously injured by motor vehicles while crossing to Tesco from Eastville at Junction 2 of the M32 within the past 12 months. Local residents and safety campaigners have called upon the City Council and Highways Agency to stop the slaughter at Junction 2 by lowering the speed limit, installing a pedestrian crossing, and shutting the entrance to residential Stapleton Rd. to motor traffic from this junction.

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The Transport for Greater Bristol Alliance (www.tfgb.org.uk) will be holding a FREE public meeting at the Jurys Hotel, Prince St on
Tues 9th December 7.30pm to discuss improving local transport in 2009. Next year is a critical year for determining our future travel choices and quality of life. Will we get an Integrated Transport Authority or continue with the West of England partnership? Will we get a south Bristol ring road or improved buses-even a tram system? read full story / add a comment

A fun packed day out and about on the Severn Beach line, clebrating FOSBR's successful HALF HOUR TRAIN campaign and the world-premiere showing of our new campaign film! read full story / add a comment

Why is the Residents Parking Scheme undergoing such serious consideration bearing in mind the long term plans to reduce traffic in the city? read full story / add a comment

December 4th at Exeter Phoenix - showing We Are Traffic, a documentary which chronicles the history and development of Critical Mass read full story / add a comment

It just seems to keep getting worse. As residents of Bristol continue to suffer the effects of rising traffic levels and shoddy transport choices on their environment, health, and quality of life, our political leaders are scared stiff of appearing to be anti-car. Their paralysis, borne out of fear of intervening in society’s petrol addiction in any meaningful way- is preventing them doing anything to actually solve the problem. Instead, like a drug addict, we increase the dose to get the same high- we widen roads and build new car parks, hoping that it will make us forget our problems. Temporarily relieved, we wake up the next morning feeling worse than ever. Politicians talk green, but their actions are digging us deeper into the gaping black hole of car dependence and climate catastrophe every day.

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Car driver claims Bristol council is anti-car
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Following the article I read last week reporting of a police car
involved in a crash at Lawrence Hill and of all the support he got,despite being his fault;
I thought I'd better report this accident to demonstrate the comparitive lack of interest there is to the vunerable cyclist.
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Kebele Cafe this Sunday food served from 6.30pm read full story / add a comment

A proposal to ease traffic congestion at one of Bristol's notorious gridlock hotspots. read full story / add a comment

There appears to be some good news on the horizon for cyclists in Bristol... read full story / add a comment

Exeter Critical Mass - starting Nov 1st (Halloween dress optional!). First Saturday of every month - meet Cathedral Green at midday read full story / add a comment

The long awaited Bristol Airport expansions plans were finally unveiled, but not to you and I - oh no - the plans were shown by a sneak preview to Councilors (as they are much more important than us) first - oh and the Evening Post go to report on it too. Very democratic. read full story / add a comment