Transport and Politics

Here is a selection of articles by Steve Melia published in recent years.  For academic journal publications, see my page on the University of the West of England website

What can Bristol learn from trams in Sheffield and Nottingham?
Bristol Cable, January 3rd 2024
Trams or an Underground?
Bristol Cable, September 7th 2023
Are Transport Specialists Practising Self-Deception?
LTT, January 17th 2022
Mice and Elephants: What really matters in the decarbonisation of transport?
Bright Green, November 20th 2021

Will Bristol become the flashpoint for anti-airport protests?

LTT, November 17th 2021
Is Transport Really Decarbonising?
LTT, November 1st 2021
I was Wrongfully Arrested with Extinction Rebellion
Bright Green, September 4th 2021
Is this government serious about decarbonising transport?
Greener Transport Solutions, August 19th 2021
We need direct action to overcome the governments inaction on decarbonising transport
Bright Green, August 14th 2021
Tory decarbonisation plans are based on fantasy. Whats Labours response?
Left Foot Forward August 2nd 2021
Can road closure schemes really make traffic disappear?
LTT, July 27th 2021
The Left should recognise there's no such thing as "the Economy"
Left Foot Forward July 5th 2021
Hancock's Resignation and the Climate Emergency
Transport Times, July 1st 2021
Vision of a Police State in a Cornish Village: Extinction Rebellion at the G7
Bright Green, June 23rd 2021
Have protest movements made any difference to transport?
LTT, June 15th 2021
The G7 summit in Cornwall is set to re-awaken Extinction Rebellion
Bright Green, May 12th 2021
The lesson from England�s elections? Labour needs to split
Left Foot Forward May 12th 2021
Can we stop 20 years of urbanisation from unravelling?
Bright Green, April 4th 2021
A better future for transport after the pandemic?
Bright Green, April 4th 2021
Why do some environmentalists oppose decarbonisation of vehicles?
Transport Times, February 26th 2021
The green movement should support the HS2 protestors
Bright Green, February 20th 2021
REVEALED: The strange forces behind the government's Free Speech push
Left Foot Forward February 17th 2021
Climate conspiracy theorists in transport - and in government?
Bright Green, February 17th 2021
Railing against HS2
The Ecologist, February 2nd 2021
Can National Road Pricing Survive Real Politics?
Transport Times, February 1st 2021
Forecasting and the Experts We've Had Enough of
Transport Times, December 3rd 2020
Public Transport and Future Pandemics - Is There a Plan B?
Transport Times, October 7th 2020
Decarbonising Slowly or Quickly
Focus (magazine of the CILT) October 2020
A Wake up Call
The Ecologist, September 17th 2020
XR or Murdoch?
The Ecologist, September 8th 2020
Low-Traffic Neighbourhoods - An Old Idea 'Lying Around' in a Crisis
Transport Times, August 19th 2020
A Crisis of Wishful Thinking and Inconvenient Evidence
Transport Times, July 1st 2020
Plans for New Roads Threaten the Countryside and Limit Action on the Climate Crisis
Bristol Cable, January 31st 2020
How I Went from Government Advisor to Convicted Climate Protestor
The Guardian, August 8th 2019
Road pricing. Really? After the Paris riots policymakers need to think again
Local Transport Today, December 14th 2018
Revised planning policy offers opportunity to limit parking at new developments
Local Transport Today, October 26th 2018
Everyone says transport is good for the economy.  But does anyone really know?
Local Transport Today, January 18th 2018
To get a good deal for cyclists do we need to annoy people?
Local Transport Today, September 15th 2017
Evaluations are clear on one thing: Sticks beat carrots for modal shift
Local Transport Today, May 12th 2017
The environment comes first so we must drive down transport CO2
Local Transport Today, March 18th 2016
A Tale of More than Two Cities
Sunday Telegraph Business Reporter Supplement, September 20th 2015
Politics Rather than Evidence Shapes Debate on Parking Standards
Parking Review, January 31st 2015
Peak Oil - the Wrong Argument for the Right Reasons The Ecologist, December 23rd 2014
How Do We Let Our City Grow Without Traffic Strangling Us All? Bristol Post, October 17th 2014
No sign of Smart Travel Towns in Census Local Transport Today, April 19th 2013
Europe Leads the Way on Shared Space Debate Highways Magazine, June 2012
The DfTs shared space guidance is based on flawed research and political spin Local Transport Today, December 2, 2011
Ireland's Ghost Housing Estates Planning, November 18th 2011
Appraisal is Built on Pseudo-Science Local Transport Today, 20 August 2010
Intensification and Problems - Real & Imagined Town & Country Planning July/August 2010
My Carfree Journey AtoB Magazine, Issue 78, June 2010
Carfree Cities An Idea With Legs Guardian.co.uk, October 29, 2009
We're Fooling Ourselves if we Think that Bus Services Can Attract Large Numbers of People Out of their Cars Local Transport Today, March 27, 2009
Local Authorities Have Failed: It's Time to Transfer the National Cycle Network to the Highways Agency Local Transport Today, October 31 2008
Eco-Towns AtoB Magazine, September 2008
Ministers Could Realise Their Ambition for Carfree Lifestyles in Ecotowns - Local Transport Today, May 30th 2008
Neighbourhoods Should be Made Permeable for Walking and Cycling But Not for Cars Local Transport Today, January 23rd 2008
Ecotown Mobility Town & Country Planning November 2007
Going Dutch Cycle, (magazine of the CTC) October/November 2007
We Must Alter Our Thinking About Cars Western Morning News, August 4th 2007
Cycling Towns - Freiburg Cycle, (magazine of the CTC) December/January 2006/7
Blair & Brown Show Threatens Countryside Western Morning News, May 19th 2006
Design Process Splits Views Planning, August 19th 2005
The Town With No Heart Regeneration & Renewal, May 13th 2005
Fishing for the Future
(with Nancy Omolo)
New Start, October 24th 2004
Difficult Housing Choices Face Us All Western Morning News, March 23rd 2004
Devon's Forgotten Slaves Devon Life January 2004
Democratic Accountability - Who Are They Trying to Kid? * Western Morning News, August 2003
The Day The Sea Came Down The Chimney Devon Life, May 2002

Note: some of the articles are shown as submitted, before editorial changes.

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