Author Archives: Cambridge Town Owl

…and Cambridgeshire institutions & campaign groups need to have a look to improve upon proposals that have too many gaps at this stage. See https://www.transporteast.org.uk/public-consultation/ “If I was Haverhill, I’d complain!” Or words to that effect. Above – detail of Transport East’s strategic corridors. Now let’s compare it to the recommendations of the 1969 RoyalContinue reading “Transport East need to talk to their Cambridgeshire counterparts on their long term transport strategy”

Cambridge Connect Light Rail in partnership with a number of supporting organisations and parish councils has published an extensive and in-depth prospectus demonstrating how light rail can help solve Cambridge’s century-long problem with the motor car. William Plowden’s epic covers the national historical picture – available here for a fiver One of the earliest reportsContinue reading “Now *this* is what a real transport plan for the future looks like”

…but some new risks have arisen on his bus expansion proposals – ones which will need the assistance of local councils to help resolve. Once again it’s housing-related. It was a jam-packed agenda for the Combined Authority Board Meeting yesterday (24 Nov 2021) – one where the Leader of South Cambridgeshire District Council, Cllr BridgetContinue reading “Mayor Nik Johnson takes on long-time further education cold spots”

…and in the face of extreme inequality that prices many out of the city. And it’s in that theme of continuing a tradition and shaping the future of our city that this post is written in. Because the people of The Kite ultimately shaped the future of our city. The fact that Park Street PrimaryContinue reading “Spotting similarities between today’s Cambridge activists with previous generations – continuing a radical tradition”

Said no nursery rhyme ever. So why do Greater Cambridge’s transport officials insist on this name when to the general public it’s a bus? Turns out you have go back a long way. Above – a slide show from around the Millennium on what ultimately led to the Cambridge Guided Busway “OMG – get outContinue reading ““The wheels on the high quality rapid transit vehicle go round-and-round…””

You can have a look at some of the public art commissions here – although the page needs a refresh as the Romsey R is ‘work in progress’. The consultation details are here, with the existing public art strategy here. I’ve been thinking for years why I can’t think of any contemporary public art inContinue reading “Cambridge City Council’s public art consultation”

TL/DR – Some of the research commissioned by the organisation representing a range of Business and Academic organisations provides further insight into Cambridge’s persistent problems. The absence of sectors that don’t have the financial clout mean that some of their conclusions risk over-looking the needs of communities that have as much a say on theContinue reading “Cambridge Ahead’s look ahead for 2021/22”

TL/DR: Going beyond moaning about ‘spreadsheet architecture’ Some of you may have seen the report in The Times about a housing development in Nottingham which got no objections to the application. This is the Barton Quarter and they describe it as one with “houses of traditional beauty fit for the modern age”. I can seeContinue reading “Involving the public at design stage when planning new housing”

TL:DR Until we see the visual changes in our urban environments and in our day-to-day lives, the public will remain unconvinced that ministers are serious about the climate emergency And for all of the talk of the Blitz Spirit, where we are at the moment has all of the hallmarks of the run-up to theContinue reading “The Government’s slow piecemeal approach to the climate emergency isn’t working”

“Prospective Parliamentary Candidate” in old language, but it’s a mouthful to say, and the acronym PPC isn’t widely-known outside the bubble of politics followers. Remember that only around 2% of people are members of a political party. The announcement was made by the Leader of the Liberal Democrats, and the former Energy & Climate ChangeContinue reading “Liberal Democrats select Cllr Pippa Heylings as MP-candidate for South Cambridgeshire”