Streets Ahead
Streets Ahead is a podcast about the global movement away from car-centric transport systems, focusing on active travel, cycling, walking, and urban planning. It explores progressive city initiatives like protected cycle lanes, liveable streets, and low traffic neighbourhoods in a jargon-free, accessible way. Each episode discusses the latest news and views in the fast-paced world of sustainable urban mobility. The show is co-hosted by Adam Tranter, Laura Laker, and Ned Boulting.
Episodes
She called for cyclists to be banned. Then she gave up her car.
In 2015, Yvette Caster wrote a Metro article declaiming cyclists as a menace, and cycling as something that shouldn’t be taking place on the roads, which she saw as the domain of drivers. By 2023, however, she had changed her position entirely, given up her car and written for The Guardian about how it happened. She said: “When I wrote the piece, nowhere I had ever lived, which included citie
Is this England's worst cycling and walking route?
Laura takes another road trip - this time literally - to Brighton, to look at an infamous cycle route alongside a dual carriageway.Laura’s guide, Chris Todd, formerly of campaigning organisation, Transport Action Network, wants improvements to a dangerous four-mile stretch of shared use pavement along the A27 in East Sussex.While a hardy few use the path, which is part of National Cycle Network ro
Cardiff's Bike Routes Are Going Green
In this episode Laura visits Cardiff to see what the Welsh capital city is doing for cycling and making the city greener and more resilient in the face of extreme weather. In 2015 Greener Grangetown was completed a city centre project to improve water management and reduce huge volumes of water being transported to water processing plants, and to improve flood resilience. 12 Victorian streets were
Local Elections: What do they mean for active travel?
The recent local elections have created a national battle for power within the ruling Labour Party. After suffering substantial losses to Reform UK and the Green Party, even traditionally safe Labour councils have changed hands or been thrown into “no overall control”. Across the country, Reform UK gained 1,452 seats, the Greens gained 441, while Labour lost 1,498 seats.In this episode of Str
Children & Streets
This episode of Streets Ahead examines the issue of children’s access to neighbourhood streets, and the impact of car dominance on child health. Discussing the issue with Adam and Laura are:Alice Ferguson, who co-founded play streets charity, Playing Out, in 2011, and ran it for 15 years until it wound up this year. In 2009 Alice and a neighbour developed the idea of a temporary play street and tw
The Road to Vision Zero in London, with Will Norman
This episode of Streets Ahead dives into London’s Vision Zero Action Plan 2, the Mayor’s roadmap to eliminating death and serious injury on the capital’s roads by 2041.Laura Laker and Adam Tranter are joined by London’s Walking and Cycling Commissioner, Will Norman, to assess progress so far and interrogate whether the ambition matches delivery. We explore falling casualty rates, the expansion of
How to help women feel safe cycling
In this episode Laura joins a host of (almost entirely female) guests, out on the road in London to talk about how cycle routes deliver - or not - for women’s safety. In early 2025 Laura interviewed women on the London Cycling Campaign’s Women’s Freedom Ride, a mass ride, after dark, to highlight the safety concerns women face when cycling in London - and how some of the capital’s routes just
2026: The Journey So Far
This time Adam, Ned and Laura meet to discuss local elections and Ned's recent trip to India. Close to home, the trio discusses the phenomenon of the local being national. From Andy Street and Andy Burnham's successes as regional mayors, to a Court of Appeal ruling that removing LTNs by the Tower Hamlets mayor would be illegal, local politics shapes national politics.And with the political landsca
Outputs not outcomes (CWIS3)
This time Ned, Adam and Laura talk targets - and why the third Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy (CWIS3) needs outputs, not simply outcomes. They are joined by the CEO of the Walk, Wheel, Cycle Trust (formerly Sustrans), Xavier Brice, who knows all about strategies, and delivering active transport networks.The government recently ended a consultation on CWIS3 but, frustratingly, the proposal
Pavement Parking: An Unhappy Fifth Birthday
Last week marked five years since the previous government's pavement parking consultation ended and in that time, no action has been taken.Despite cross party, and public support, no decisions have been made by any of the intervening four prime ministers’ governments. In the meantime local authorities in Scotland began enforcing its pavement parking law, passed in 2019, with some success. There, d
Lisbon’s Streets and the People Trying to Change Them
Lisbon’s Streets and the People Trying to Change Them: Lisbon is one of Europe's most picturesque cities with a reputation for being a safe place to live, work and visit. That's true from one lens, but look deeper and you'll discover a city with one of the worst road safety records in Europe and recently rated one of the worst European cities for children’s urban mobility.This time, Adam and Laura
Women Leading the Way
This time, Laura talks to four women, and one man inspired and backed by women, about the role of women in the world of cycling. Spanning three continents our interviewees tell us their stories. From improving adventure cycling access in Scandinavia to the need for better gender equity in the bicycle industry, via the role of women in advocacy in the USA, to women empowering women across Europe an
Global Insights from The Future Design of Streets
In this episode, Adam takes you to Guimarães, Portugal, where he attended The Future Design of Streets conference, and came away seeing our streets in a whole new way.Streets aren't only about transport, of course. Importantly, they're about climate, equity, social life, and how we experience a city day-to-day.To explore this expanded view, we’ve put together four conversations with global thought
Women Changing Cities
In this episode, Laura chats to Melissa Bruntlett about her new book, Women Changing Cities: Global Stories of Urban Transformation.Melissa is an urbanist, author, and founder of Modacity, an urban mobility consultancy - and one half of urbanist power couple, Chris and Melissa Bruntlett. Melissa and Chris have authored two books to date, Building the Cycling City, and Curbing Traffic. Their s
Spending Review, Fake E-Bikes & Bike Racing
Streets Ahead's presenters, well at least two of them, have been gallivanting around Europe in recent weeks, coming back together in this episode as a trio to embark on an audio roam through some of the current topics in cycling. From the link between bike racing and everyday cycling, to the spending review's implications, to the rise of 'fake e-bikes', a recent report which Laura and Adam worked
Going Rural
This episode Laura and Adam talk to two guests from PJA, who happen to be this week’s sponsors, about rural active travel. Phil Jones is chairman at PJA and Ben Coleman PJA's technical director.Active travel is sometimes associated with busy urban bike lanes and bustling city pavements. But rural areas’ transport needs are as, if not more acute. With fewer buses or rail services, and longer distan
Side Road Zebras
It's fair to say this issue has been rumbling on a while. In the 1970s 70% of 4-11 year olds walked to school. Now less than half do. Three quarters of parents say 'side road zebras' would help them walk their kids to school more.In countries around the world white stripes, painted on the roads where side streets meet main roads, give pedestrians confidence, and drivers a reminder, that pavement u
55 years of campaigning for walking
Terence Bendixson was the Guardian's planning correspondent in the 1960s when he wrote a piece that propelled him into walking campaigning. In 1969 he joined Living Streets (then the Pedestrians' Association) when he and its founder hit it off.Foley, a London-based journalist, founded the Pedestrians Association in 1929, when motor vehicles were proliferating; he was concerned about the dangers th
Growth, but at what cost?
We speak to Dr Alex Chapman, Senior Economist at the New Economics Foundation (NEF); Alex focuses on the economics of climate change, nature recovery and inequality. The Government has announced that growth is its key priority and followed up with its backing of major transport projects, such as the expansion of Heathrow Airport. We ask: do big transport projects always lead to growth, and at
Delivery Riders: who wins?
This time we’re talking about delivery riders. There are roughly 100,000 couriers in the UK, whose working lives are governed by apps like Deliveroo, UberEats and JustEat. 88,000 of these work for UberEats alone (though many riders complete tasks for multiple platforms simultaneously). These app-based delivery services act intermediaries between you and your takeaway, using algorithms to assign on
Streets Ahead joins a Bike Bus!
Ned and Laura join a bike bus! This celebratory, festive episode of Streets Ahead includes an East End bike ride with tinsel, some Christmas tunes, and a joyful pedal through the streets of West Ham with adults and kids, to Park Primary School.A bike bus is simply a group ride to school, with both adults and kids joining at different points on set days, similar to a school bus. Except everyone ped
Taking a council to the High Court
A community group has raised £75,000 to take its local council, Tower Hamlets, to the High Court. Save Our Safer Streets is seeking to retain and improve the changes to the streets in Bethnal Green, implemented in 2020, but Mayor Lutfur Rahman wants to fulfil a manifesto pledge to remove them.Laura and Adam spoke to Jane Harris, spokesperson for Save Our Safer Streets and Ricardo Gama, senior asso
On location in Pentonville Prison
This time Ned and Laura go behind the walls of Pentonville Prison for this very special episode. Listeners may remember Stef Jones, founder of XO Bikes, who trains ex-offenders in cycle maintenance in south London to help them turn their lives around. With UK prisons full to bursting, people like Stef, along with prison staff themselves, try to break the cycle of reoffending that sees an esti
We made front page news
Our last episode, an interview with Secretary of State for Transport, Louise Haigh MP, caused a bit of a storm and went viral. Laura's interview was picked up by a host of UK national media including BBC News, The Sun, GB News, The Times and more.We discuss how the story happened, what it means for active travel - and why the wider media picked up on it so extensively. Helping us navigate this is
Louise Haigh MP, Secretary of State for Transport
Louise Haigh MP, the Secretary of State for Transport, joins Laura Laker on Streets Ahead for an insightful discussion on the future of active travel in the UK. From her own cycling experiences to the role of walking and cycling in tackling public health and climate challenges, Haigh outlines her vision for a national integrated transport strategy that prioritises active travel and discusses "unpr
Paris Olympics: Could this be the first fully cyclable Games?
In this episode Laura travels to Paris, to meet one of the campaigners behind a successful push to put cycling at the heart of the city's transport plans for the 2024 Olympics. Paris en Selle is one of a cohort of campaign groups who staged an 'Olympic relay' protest that inspired Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo to roll out cycleways linking every one of the city's 35 Games venues. This would mean visito
Can the US return to walkable, cyclable cities?
This time we're talking with our guest about life across the Pond. If early US cities were inherently walkable, what on earth happened? Is an active travel revolution possible in such a car-centric nation? Why are there parking minimums in new developments? And what on Earth is Euclidian zoning?!John Simmerman, of the Active Towns podcast and YouTube channel, joins Adam and Laura at the start of a
General Elections, Unemployment and Awards
Adam's left his job, Ned's won an award, Laura's touring the country, oh, and there's a general election in the UK. It's been quite a hectic few weeks at Streets Ahead.By the way, if you want ad-free listening, behind-the-scenes and bonus content and to help support the podcast - head to (https://www.patreon.com/StreetsAheadPodcast). We’ll even send you some stickers! We’re also on Twitter an
Potholes and Pavements
Laura's got a book out and we're here to plug it, 1) because it's brilliant and 2) because it'd be awkward if we didn't.Potholes and Pavements: A Bumpy Ride on Britain’s National Cycle Network is the story of the UK's fitful, sometimes painful transformation from a car-dependent nation of villages, towns and cities into a connected, bikeable network of communities.It's out on 9th May at all good b
The Plan for Drivers
In a special emergency episode, Ned and Adam try to make sense of the Plan for Drivers announcement. What does it mean for active travel and public transport? Will it actually change anything? What are the politics behind the announcement?You can read the Low Traffic Neighbourhood review here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/low-traffic-neighbourhood-reviewIn the episode, Adam mentioned
Podcast Without Portfolio
From lost panniers, stolen bikes and a proposed HS2 cycleway - this is our podcast without portfolio (our favourite kind) where we chew the fat on active travel.By the way, if you want ad-free listening, behind-the-scenes and bonus content and to help support the podcast - head to (https://www.patreon.com/StreetsAheadPodcast). We’ll even send you some stickers! We’re also on Twitter and welco
BONUS: Mudlarking
Okay, it's not strictly active travel - but it is walking, sort of. In this short bonus episode, Laura and Adam go Mudlarking on the Thame's foreshore and find Medieval pottery, clay tobacco pipes, a Boris bike and a traffic cone.Thanks to Chris from the Thames Explorer Trust for being our guide.There’s also some extra bonus content on our new Patreon. That’s right - if you want ad-free listening,
Solving the problem of cargo bike storage
Cycling is booming in London, and in cities around the world, as are cargo bikes. With prices ranging upwards of £2,000, theft is a real and present concern for owners, and a major barrier to more people experiencing the joy and convenience of owning a larger bike, whether for work, carrying children, or as a mobility aid.In this episode Laura travels to north London for a celebration of possibly
Mark Nieuwenhuijsen in Barcelona
Welcome to this special episode, in which it’s just Laura, her suitcase and one amazing guest, sat on a bench in the middle of one of the city’s famous Superblocks.There’s also some extra bonus content on our new Patreon. That’s right - if you want ad-free listening, behind-the-scenes and bonus content and to help support the podcast - head to (https://www.patreon.com/StreetsAheadPodcast). We’ll e
Our Year in Review
And we have reached the end of 2023! What a year that was: we had highs, we had lows, we had some culture wars, we did a podcast in a pub. How was 2023 for you? Ned, Laura and Adam give their perspective.>> Oh, and we're on Patreon! If you'd like to support Streets Ahead, get ad-free listening, behind-the-scenes content AND receive wonderful stickers, please head to:https://www.patreon.com/S
Streets Ahead Live! From Waltham Forest
For this episode, Ned, Adam and Laura navigated east London's cycle lanes and Low Traffic Neighbourhoods to speak in-person, in front of a live pub audience, to Councillor Clyde Loakes, at the Wanstead Tap in Waltham Forest.For the past decade Cllr Loakes has led his borough's transformation for walking and cycling. Waltham Forest is very much no longer a forest, in North-East London, but has
Disinformation in Active Travel Part 2
In the second of a two-part mini-series on online disinformation Laura, Ned and Adam talk to Shayoni Lynn, whose company specialises in the behavioural science of mis- and disinformation, and how to tackle it. After ministers admitted this autumn making decisions based on ‘online discussions’ that veered towards fringe conspiracy theories, around things like 15-minute cities, and as the climate co
'I tell families they won't get justice in the criminal courts'
This time Ned, Laura and Adam meet Polly Herbert, a solicitor who represents the loved ones of those killed and seriously injured in road traffic collisions.Working for the law firm Hugh James, Polly represented the family of Frankie Jules-Hough, a pregnant mother-of-two who was killed by a speeding driver who filmed himself driving in excess of 100mph, in May.In 2022 judges were given the power t
Disinformation in Active Travel Part 1
Disinformation is seeping from social media into public debate, and even politicians are being sucked in - with real-world consequences for democracy. From 15-minute cities, to ULEZ, active travel has found itself on the frontline of the battle for truth - but what is actually happening, and how does it affect us?In the first of a two-part miniseries on the topic, Adam, Ned and Laura talk to Amil
Safe Streets Now: Britain's Stop de Kindermoord moment?
Safe Streets Now was born out of growing concerns over what campaigners have called an epidemic of speeding and red light jumping in Birmingham. Better Streets for Birmingham saw residents collect data on speeding and red light jumping in the city earlier this year, a citizen science project that attracted attention with the scale of the significant problem it revealed on the roads. Then, over the
Lee Waters, Wales’ ‘no more roads’ man
This time Ned, Adam and Laura are talking about roads. Are they good, are they bad, and do we really need to take sides? In a week where the Prime Minister claimed there’s a ‘side’ where driving is concerned, we look to Wales, where they're taking perhaps a more balanced approach to transport. Lee Waters is Wales’ Deputy Minister for Climate Change. He works in a department that brings togeth
Cycle instructors on strike
This time Laura and Adam are Ned-less because there is still a bicycle race happening over in France All cyclists start somewhere - whether it’s wobbling along with stabilisers, or without. In the UK, because we often end up sharing the roads with motor traffic, many of us will also have received training from a professional at some point - under the Bikeability standard, or Cycling Proficiency as
Pedways: pedestrian paradise or ponderous paths?
Ned and Laura go exploring on foot with Alderman Alison Gowman around the City of London's mid-century raised walkways. Known as Pedways, when they were conceived and built in the 1960s, their architects believed they would be the future of the urban pedestrian experience... except they didn't quite work. More than half a century later, many of them are slightly bleak and under-used spaces, becaus
Live from London Walking and Cycling Conference
For this special episode Laura Laker chairs a live podcast recording from the annual London Walking and Cycling Conference.The London Walking and cycling conference, for those of you who don’t know, is an annual get-together where London gets to be smug and show off a bit. It started life as the Hackney walking and cycling conference in 2017 and has gone from strength to strength, attracting speak
Active Travel Budget Cuts
A pre-budget announcement on HS2 last week revealed a £380m cut to cycling and walking funding. This represents a two-thirds reduction of funding in England, and leaves just £100m for active travel in the current financial year. Cycling and walking contributed £36.5bn to the UK economy in 2021, according to Sustrans. Ned, Laura and Adam convene to discuss what's happening and the impact
Refurbishing bikes, rebuilding lives
In this episode, we have a special feature in which Ned travels to his spiritual home in Lewisham Shopping Centre to meet the folks at XO Bikes. Founder, Stef Jones, was mentoring in prison and noticed the same people kept coming back - not that they wanted to. These people were lacking opportunities; prison is 'full of entrepreneurs, shifting the wrong product,' he says.Stef left his ad agency to
Mums For Lungs
We speak to Mums For Lungs founder Jemima Hartshorn to chat ULEZ, campaigning and the worrying and urgent need to clean up our dirty air.Almost exactly ten years ago, nine-year-old Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah died following an asthma attack, later becoming the first person in the UK to have air pollution listed as a cause of death. Ella lived near the South Circular Road in Lewisham. In 2017 Jemim
What It's Really Like Being a Councillor
What is it really like being a Councillor, especially one who has implemented LTNs? Ned, Laura and Adam speak with Ian Barnes, formerly of Enfield Low Traffic Neighbourhood fame. As Deputy Leader of Labour-run Enfield council until 2022, Ian was among those responsible for delivering Low Traffic Neighbourhoods both before and during the pandemic.We discuss: listening to resident concerns, Mini Hol
When is a Bike Lane Not a Bike Lane?
In this special episode Laura goes to the seaside. It may be pouring with rain but Brighton and Shoreham-by-Sea offer a warm welcome, showing us the good stuff happening for cycling in Brighton, and the latest (largely bad stuff) on the short-lived cycle lane on Upper Shoreham road. This ill-fated cycle lane in West Sussex was removed after a few short weeks, despite huge support and a tripling of
Active Travel & The Economy
Ned, Laura and Adam discuss active travel and the economy. We know that cycling and walking are great for our health and the environment, but is the economic case sold strongly enough?This episode was recorded before the UK Government Autumn Statement on 17/11/22 but talks generally about active travel's impact on the economy and the importance of cheap transport during a cost of living crisis.We’
Cost of Living & Transport
The cost of living crisis is forefront in many people's minds at the moment, but while the pressure has ramped up since the war in Ukraine, for some people transport poverty has plagued their lives for far longer. Our guest Professor Sarah Marie Hall is a geographer with a focus on geographical feminist political economy. She describes this as "understanding how socio-economic processes are s
World Car Free Day
Ned, Laura and Adam hang out in a dilapidated old petrol station for an impromptu pod on World Car Free Day to discuss how we use public space, parklets, and how cycling is diversifying.You can check out the Possible Parklet Plotter here: https://wearepossible.github.io/parklet-plotter/We’re on Twitter and welcome your feedback on our episode: http://www.twitter.com/podstreetsaheadIf you're r
Why is Oxford so popular for cycling?
Ned, Laura and Adam head to Oxford to ask: Why is the city so popular for cycling?Is it something to do with the university, or is it an ingrained cycling culture? Is it because for decades they’ve filtered through traffic on minor roads? Is it because it costs £35 to park a car for 24 hours? In this episode, we'll be exploring Oxford’s new Low Traffic Neighbourhoods and how they have struck
Routing for cycling
This episode Adam, Ned and Laura meet in person in the grass beside Herne Hill Velodrome. Adam also takes us on an audio journey through South London using a Beeline routing widget to avoid the main roads and discover some quiet gems - and some strange cycleway nomenclature - along the way.As well as pondering the many uses of bollards, not least in creating quiet routes, the Streets Ahead trio di
Detective Superintendent Andy Cox
A special edition of Streets Ahead, in which Laura travels to the Isle of Wight to meet Detective Superintendent Andy Cox for day one of his nationwide challenge to cycle and run 30 miles a day for a week, raising awareness of road danger, and money for charity RoadPeace.Andy is on a mission to drive a culture change around roads policing and road danger, having this week revealed, via the Times,
Pod Without Portfolio
For Streets Ahead's second birthday, Adam, Ned and Laura go rogue - or at least go outdoors - sitting together on the banks of the River Thames to shoot the breeze. We are, for this episode, a pod without portfolio - drifting beside the Thames like an empty crisp packet and seeing where the current takes us.The Streets Ahead trio reveals the topic, if not the title, of Laura's forthcoming book, an
Tactical Urbanism
Cities around the world used quick, cheap materials to transform streets for people during the pandemic, but tactical urbanism can, in theory, be initiated by communities and individuals to transform a bare patch of their neighbourhoods at any time. Laura, Ned and Adam talk about their greening efforts, and Laura shares recordings from her giant planters project, during two weeks of construction a
Dame Sarah Storey
Ned and Laura chat with Dame Sarah Storey, not only Britain's most successful Paralympian, but the new Cycling & Walking Commissioner for Greater Manchester, having previously held the role for three years in South Yorkshire.We hope you enjoy this episode of Streets Ahead, a podcast dedicated to the world of active travel, liveable streets and people-focused urban design.We’re on Twitter and w
Mapping Walking Routes
This time we’re talking all about mapping walking routes. Back in the Autumn, Emma Griffin from the Footways project joined Laura for a stroll around Bow in East London. Footways is a network of quiet and interesting streets for walking in London, with the aim of getting people out on the pavements and walking for transport.Their aim is to make the pedestrian network the top priority when it’s oft
The New Highway Code
There's a new Highway Code! Rules for all types of road users have been updated in The Highway Code to improve the safety of people walking and cycling.Naturally, some people have taken the news very badly with strange headlines and talk radio stations going into overdrive.What do the changes mean and what difference will they make?We hope you enjoy this episode of Streets Ahead, a podcast dedicat
2021: Highlights and Lowlights
2021: it happened, that we can say for sure. Ned, Laura and Adam go through their highlights and lowlights of the year - and look back at some of the big stories in active travel.Plus: Adam has a new job. Ned and Laura quiz him on being the new West Midlands Cycling & Walking Commissioner.Thank you for your support this year and we look forward to bringing you new episodes in 2022!We hope you
Integrated Transport in Nottingham
In this episode, sponsored by Superpedestrian, Ned, Laura and Adam visit Nottingham, a city bustling with integrated transport. We try the city's new Link e-scooters, by Superpedestrian, visit the tram, ride bikes and hire cars. It's a true smorgasbord of sensible and sustainable transport options - delivered in part by the city's Workplace Parking Levy.We also follow in the footsteps of the Prime
Why do soft measures deserve hard cash?
We’re talking about the power of behaviour change - why, perhaps, soft measures deserve hard cash. While much of the focus in active travel is around the need for dedicated infrastructure, quietly, around the country - organisations are implementing softer measures that can have a significant impact. A few weeks ago Laura visited the Chrisp Street Community Cycles, a ‘cycle hub’ in an empty high s
Active Travel in the European Commission
In this special episode, Adam chats with Matthew Baldwin, Deputy Director General at DG MOVE, part of the European Commission. Baldwin works on sustainable mobility, including how to protect vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists in the coming era of connected, automated and autonomous mobility.Ahead of COP26, it’s an interesting look to active travel’s importance on the world stag
E-Scooters Revisited
A year ago we explored e-scooters as the UK began its official trials of rental scooters. How's it gone since? How are other countries dealing with e-scooters in cities? Are we just scared of new stuff?In this episode, sponsored by Superpedestrian, Adam heads to Lisbon to try out their Link scooters and we put some tricky questions to the company's Policy Director for the UK & Ireland, Jean An
The Robo Cars Are Coming
Autonomous Vehicles (AVs) are (probably) coming. In this episode, Laura is taken for a spin on public roads in one - going on a journey through Greenwich, London, with nothing other than a robot car for company (if you ignore the two safety drivers ready to step in at any moment).Are Driverless Cars, Connected and Autonomous Vehicles, or AVs, a solution to a problem, or are they just tech for tech
Decarbonising Transport
July saw the publishing of the UK Government's Transport Decarbonisation plan, followed by the IPCC's Sixth Assessment Report, which didn't make for pretty reading.In the UK surface transport is the single largest contributor of greenhouse gases, producing 23% of our emissions, and we’ve made no significant in-roads to cutting that contribution, in a decade. So what needs to change, and are w
Ned Rode A Cargo Bike
Ned rode a cargo bike and he liked it. Streets Ahead have a partial real-life reunion which culminates in Ned riding a cargo bike.Thanks to Raleigh for having us at the launch of their new Stride cargo bike range at the Olympic Park in London.Are we on the cusp of a cargo bike boom in the UK? What do we need to consider to take cargo bikes to the masses?For the record, Amazon are trialling cargo b
Distracted Driving
We're talking with Dr Gemma Briggs, Senior Lecturer in Psychology at the Open University, about distracted driving.Dr Gemma Briggs’ research found mobile phone conversations, as opposed to conversations with a passenger, encourage a driver to create mental images - using the same cognitive resources we need for accurate visual perception of the driving environment. This means competition in driver
Alexei Sayle
Alexei Sayle is an English stand-up comedian, actor, television presenter, author and former recording artist. He is also a cyclist with a surprising interest in active travel.Ned pops for a coffee with Alexei to talk about his cycling history, his return to bike riding in the capital and - of course - Low Traffic Neighbourhoods.You can listen to Alexei Sayle's new podcast here: https://audioboom.
Active Travel & Elections
There are elections up and down the country this Thursday 6th May 2021, but how do you vote for better active travel provision? There are a plethora of political positions up for grabs - from Metro Mayors to Police & Crime Commissioners, but who does what when it comes to cycling and walking?We're not going to review the candidates' ambitions - you can get that elsewhere and should read the Ma
Badvertising
Advertising is everywhere and while most people think it doesn’t affect them, research shows it undoubtedly impacts the decisions we make. Tobacco advertising has been banned - will car advertising be the new smoking?This week we have Leo Murray from climate action charity Possible. Leo is one of the people behind Badvertising, a campaign to put a stop to the promotion of highly polluting Sports U
Access For All
The rapid changes in our towns and cities are providing new access to active travel for some people, but are they excluding some disabled people in the process? That's the topic we're discussing with Katie Pennick, Campaigns Lead at Transport For All.Why are disabled people seemingly ignored when it comes to some consultations? What needs to change? Is that status quo a better option? These are al
Will Norman
For episode 23, Ned, Adam and Laura chew the fat with London's Walking & Cycling Commissioner, Will Norman, on the capital's active travel revolution. Four years ago, Laura wrote In The Guardian: "Is London's new cycling tsar too nice to face down the bike-haters?"It turns out being nice can be effective. London has built nearly 100 miles of protected cycle lanes in the last year alone with 4%
How To Improve Accessibility in Active Travel
The pace of change in some of our towns and cities has been designed to prevent a car-based recovery from COVID-19, but it hasn't all been positive. As Councils moved quickly to make changes under national government guidance, many of them neglected the basics of engagement and impact assessments. On this subject, we talk to Isabelle Clement, director of Wheels for Wellbeing, a charity that helps
Build, Build, Build
It's our 21st episode! How did that happen? Ned, Laura & Adam are discussing the government's £27 billion road building plan and its recent legal challenge. What are the merits of road building? How does active travel fit in? Is it compatible with the necessities of protecting our climate (Spoiler: probably not)? We'll discuss all this and more (including a new feature, er, LTN News).We hope y
Streets Ahead Meets The War on Cars
For Episode 20, we team up with Doug Gordon, co-host of The War on Cars podcast and one of the USA's foremost cycling advocates. Our very special virtual guest speaks to us all the way from New York City, a city adapting in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.We compare how our two nations are faring in terms of active travel. Who is better at failing, or succeeding, when it comes to cycling and walkin
Being Positive with Brian Deegan
Episode 19 rounds up the year that was, er, pretty well awful - but you can count on us to look at the positives and so we’ve collated all the things we can be thankful for in active travel. Now, if there is a small silver lining to the year 2020, it came in the form of progress on cycling, walking and electric scooters.We're joined by renowned urban planner Brian Deegan, who is Chris Boardma
Cargo Bikes
For Episode 18, we're discussing cargo bikes; the ingenious contraptions designed to move people and things in our towns and cities.Ned, Laura and Adam discuss the weirdest things they've carried on their bicycles - and we speak to some experts: Ben Knowles, co-founder of cargo bike logistics firm Pedal Me and Jim Blakemore, CEO at community interest company Bikeworks.We hope you enjoy this episod
Tranche 2
For Episode 17, Christmas has come early! Tranche 2 of the (no longer Emergency) Active Travel Fund has been announced along with renewed guidance on consultation and research showing the majority support measures to reallocate road space.If you want to get the low down on the latest £175m announcement, Laura, Adam and Ned have all the info you need.We hope you enjoy this episode of Streets Ahead,
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