What is transit oriented development? You might not instantly recognise this American term, but if you’ve been to the new development north of London’s King’s Cross station, then you’ll know what one looks like.

Firstly, we live in a world of mysterious blank big sheds inside which much of the economy happens.

Recently it feels like there’s been a shift in the mood on climate change. This is no longer something too big and too distant that we can stuff it in a drawer like a bill we are afraid we can’t pay.

Lord Deben, Chair of the UK’s Committee on Climate Change, the Government’s climate watchdog,  recently called on the transport secretary to “Do more to cut transport CO2 emissions”. This follows hot on the heels of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released a special report on global warming of 1.5°C.

It would be fair to say that I’ve covered a lot of ground, literally, in the 23 years which I have worked on transport in the West Midlands. But it was during a recent secondment to the Urban Transport Group that I really hit the road (and rails) – travelling from Strathclyde to the West of England, and all city regions in between – while writing the report About towns: How transport can help towns thrive.

Last month, the government launched what it called a ‘root and branch’ review of the UK’s railways. And rightly so.

As part of our ‘Healthy Streets for All’ year of action, we were delighted to sponsor this year’s Healthy Streets conference which took place at the Guildhall in London.