Newspeak

War is Peace...

Freedom is Slavery...

Ignorance is Strength...

And Bristol is one of the greenest cities in Europe.

Doubleplusgood! Bristol has been shortlisted as a possible 'role model' for other 'green capitals' across Europe.

As others have already pointed out, this is quite some achievement for a city where the powers-that-be are intent on tarmacking over its premier cycle route, whilst pissing £11 million up the wall on a 'Cycling City' project that can charitably be described as 'ill-thought-out' (or uncharitably described as unwanted, undemocratic and a criminal waste of public money).

In fact, I can only conclude that this has all been a terrible mistake, and there must be another Bristol somewhere in Europe. A Bristol with cheap reliable public transport and safe cycle routes, where walking is easy and enjoyable. In this Bristol, politicians probably contribute more than meaningless gestures and populist campaigns. And it's hard to imagine that their senior public servants would sell off public land to the best-connected bidder.

Sounds nice. Shall we move there?

(In the meantime, please sign Pete Goodwin's petition for a transport hub at Temple Meads. It would let you get from one side of the city to the other by bus, and you might even be able to get a bus from your house to the train station. I know, it's a crazy plan, but what the hell? It might catch on. They've probably got one in the other Bristol already.)