The last instalment of this update appeared three weeks ago. I’m writing again so soon because of a notable shift in how I approach this blog.
It began with a modest change to my diary. In April, I decided:
.. (my) time could be more satisfying and productive. I am testing a revised diary for the next month, prioritising consistent morning blocks to improve both focus and flow.
Two weeks in, the difference is striking. My workflow is sharper. My pace has quickened. I’m now producing an average of four stories each week. This increase in output stems from three core adjustments.
Topics
First, I settled on a list of topics necessary to address the blog’s central question. I mapped them against nine categories:
A few observations on the grid above. Transportation has taken centre stage, largely due to the enduring issue of Hammersmith Bridge. The Bridge continues to define traffic flow in Barnes and Mortlake. Cars exert an outsized influence on life in the area, and a formal decision on the Bridge may still come this spring or summer.
Looking ahead, I plan to scale back coverage of transport and give more attention to housing and the environment.
The ‘Citizens’ label is a placeholder of sorts—it encompasses local groups such as the Barnes Community Association and grassroots initiatives like the Mortlake Mash-Up. The scale and influence of civic society is a distinctive characteristic of the area.
Story types
Alongside this categorisation of topics, I’ve developed a hierarchy for the types of stories I aim to write:
The higher up the table, the greater the story’s value. My insight and conclusions will ultimately inform a manifesto—but before that, they must be anchored in evidence. That means doing the groundwork: tracking the facts, following developments, and updating context. Only then can I responsibly offer conclusions.
I have raised the profile of my reflections.
I have labelled articles about what I have learned and how I have learned - the production updates and the ‘dots’ reports - using a flower emoji, 🌻. Hopefully that makes them easier to spot in the growing list of articles.
Of these, the dots reports are the most important. I have created a new section for them on the blog. You will now find Insight listed alongside Home, Archive and About on the navigation.
Balance of coverage
Taken together, the topics and the story types have changed how I create content. I am much clearer now about what I want to cover. I quickly settle on the sort of story I am going to write.
I am also more confident in my planning. I can see way through the next few weeks as I build out the background, whilst starting to build a library of stories capturing what I have learned.
The emphasis on transport in the early months will start to reduce. I suspect the story coverage will always be T-shaped in this first year. I will focus on one category for a period of time to establish a critical mass of coverage including, facts, news, insight and ultimately conclusions.
Richmond strategies
In the last fortnight I have provided feedback to two draft Richmond Council strategies. The call for feedback on the Transport Strategy arrived, for me, about three months early—my thoughts are still evolving. Nevertheless, I submitted comments touching on Hammersmith Bridge, parking, SUVs, school streets, and sustainable drainage systems. I’ll be attending a Council forum on the subject next week.
The Council also sought feedback on its draft Climate and Nature Strategy. My comments again leaned heavily toward transportation. Yet my most significant takeaway was less about roads and more about roofs: the critical role housing plays in carbon emissions. This topic will feature prominently in the second half the year.
I’ve published the first Bridged2050 podcast—or something close. It’s an AI-generated production that distills the LBRT Climate and Transport strategies into a more digestible format.
Social media
The Bridged2050 Instagram account is now live, joining existing presences on X.com and BlueSky. All three will remain passive until later this year. The next channel launch will be on YouTube. The original ‘Bridged2050’ handle was unavailable, so I’ll be using ‘Bridged50’. At launch, the channel will feature curated playlists of third-party videos.