At #utsg2023 (a UK transport conference in Cardiff), and had one of the best and most relevant opening talks I’ve been to - from Lee Waters, Wales Deputy Minister for Climate Change and also Transport - because they've put transport under climate change.
Among other interesting things - they've just changed the default urban speed limit in Wales to 20mph rather than 30. Done a major review of road infrastructure investment.
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Someone asked about closing Cardiff Airport and he said that's not on the table yet - still perceived as too many economic + 'national prestige' reasons not to stop subsidising air travel until the rest of the UK does
In his opinion, in a state of climate emergency, investment in buses is going to give much more climate reduction per dollar, quicker, than investment in rail in Britain
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wouldn't have been able to get to Paris, from anywhere in Germany or Switzerland, the next day - it was a Friday in summer, and absolutely every high speed train that would get in by the time I needed to be there was fully booked.
So I did a 16 hour bus trip - not fun but seats were available, and I'm sure nearly always available, because the bus companies can scale demand up and down to the holidays quite easily. Perhaps this is possible in theory with trains but not in Europe right now?
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@jroper What Wales is doing re climate and transport is indeed an inspiration.
We are working to reach a similar reckoning in Denmark: https://concito.dk/en/concito-bloggen/groen-omstilling-kraever-ny-tilgang-til-infrastrukturbeslutninger
Anyway, the current energy that appears to be in the Welsh government to pivot transport planning towards meeting access & climate goals rather than increasing mobility was impressive.
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