Martin visits the Bat Tunnel!

How the Swiss would have built HS2

James and Martin discuss Zack Polanski’s claim that food is too expensive – and why politicians should face up to difficult trade-offs. And James makes himself popular by defending the poor, beleaguer mega-corporations that own supermarkets. And then we speak to the excellent Thomas Ableman [https://www.freewheeling.info/thomasableman] about how Switzerland would have built HS2 [https://www.freewheeling.info/blog/swiss-hs2] – and why it wouldn’t have been a disaster. James’s post about Liam Byrne, which was discussed in the episode is here [https://takes.jamesomalley.co.uk/p/has-liam-byrne-had-his-weetabix-452?utm_source=publication-search]. James’s newsletter is here [https://takes.jamesomalley.co.uk/], and his post about the Elon Musk debate is here [https://takes.jamesomalley.co.uk/p/displacement-arguments]. Martin’s newsletter is here [https://martinrobbins.substack.com], and his YouTube channel is here [https://www.youtube.com/@MFRobbins]. Don’t forget to tell your friends about the pod – and leave us a nice review on Apple Podcasts! YIMBY Pod is available on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-abundance-agenda/id1797392263], Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/2OrB7qxXY7p23kJFVWPeXa?si=2ef32f53891544df], YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@YIMBYPod] and hopefully wherever you get your podcasts! You can find James on Bluesky here [https://bsky.app/profile/jamesomalley.co.uk], and Martin here [https://bsky.app/profile/mjrobbins.bsky.social]. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.abundancepod.com [https://www.abundancepod.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

The last metre problem

James tries to persuade Martin that he’s solved the mystery of the National Data Library. And we speak to Andrew Hunter Murray about his big day out at the EV charging select committee! Andrew’s new book, Bad Deeds is out this week! Make sure you buy it [https://amzn.to/4dV7n8g]! James’s newsletter is here [https://takes.jamesomalley.co.uk/], and his post about the National Data Library is here [https://takes.jamesomalley.co.uk/p/omg-ndl-wtf-bbq]. Martin’s newsletter is here [https://martinrobbins.substack.com], and his YouTube channel is here [https://www.youtube.com/@MFRobbins]. Don’t forget to tell your friends about the pod – and leave us a nice review on Apple Podcasts! YIMBY Pod is available on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-abundance-agenda/id1797392263], Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/2OrB7qxXY7p23kJFVWPeXa?si=2ef32f53891544df], YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@YIMBYPod] and hopefully wherever you get your podcasts! You can find James on Bluesky here [https://bsky.app/profile/jamesomalley.co.uk], and Martin here [https://bsky.app/profile/mjrobbins.bsky.social]. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.abundancepod.com [https://www.abundancepod.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Why space data centres might actually work

The government is proposing new measures to stop NIMBYs vexatiously taking energy projects to judicial review! And James tries to persuade Martin that space-based data centres aren’t a completely ridiculous idea. The Ben Thompson article making the case for space data centres is here [https://stratechery.com/2026/the-spacex-ipo-and-data-centers-in-space/]. James’s newsletter is here [https://takes.jamesomalley.co.uk/], and his post about Japan (including the train-bus!) is here [https://takes.jamesomalley.co.uk/p/japan-is-an-urbanist-yimby-paradise]. Martin’s newsletter is here [https://martinrobbins.substack.com], and his YouTube channel is here [https://www.youtube.com/@MFRobbins]. Don’t forget to tell your friends about the pod – and leave us a nice review on Apple Podcasts! YIMBY Pod is available on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-abundance-agenda/id1797392263], Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/2OrB7qxXY7p23kJFVWPeXa?si=2ef32f53891544df], YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@TheAbundanceAgenda] and hopefully wherever you get your podcasts! You can find James on Bluesky here [https://bsky.app/profile/jamesomalley.co.uk], and Martin here [https://bsky.app/profile/mjrobbins.bsky.social]. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.abundancepod.com [https://www.abundancepod.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

The problem with Secondary Legislation

On YIMBY Pod this week: * For the first time on the pod, James makes the case for liberating the Postcode Address File. * And we speak to Lord Mark Pack about how Secondary Legislation is a hidden problem that is slowing down the business of government. Mark’s excellent Lord’s Eye View newsletter is here [https://lordseyeview.substack.com], and The Week In Polls is here [https://theweekinpolls.substack.com/]. James’s newsletter is here [https://takes.jamesomalley.co.uk/], and he’ll have a guest post up by the time you’re reading this. Martin’s newsletter is here [https://martinrobbins.substack.com], and his YouTube channel is here [https://www.youtube.com/@MFRobbins]. Don’t forget to tell your friends about the pod – and leave us a nice review on Apple Podcasts! YIMBY Pod is available on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-abundance-agenda/id1797392263], Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/2OrB7qxXY7p23kJFVWPeXa?si=2ef32f53891544df], YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@TheAbundanceAgenda] and hopefully wherever you get your podcasts! You can find James on Bluesky here [https://bsky.app/profile/jamesomalley.co.uk], and Martin here [https://bsky.app/profile/mjrobbins.bsky.social]. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.abundancepod.com [https://www.abundancepod.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

The BBC's anti-Universal theme park bias

Martin reveals the extraordinary grip one Bedfordshire councillor has on BBC coverage of the new Universal theme park. And James speaks to Dan Mead from Labour Together [https://www.labourtogether.uk/] about why nationalising Thames Water might not be the best use of the cash, when can build trams instead. Dan’s post about Thames Water is here [https://www.labourtogether.uk/blog/thames-water-nationalisation]. James’s newsletter is here [https://takes.jamesomalley.co.uk/], and he’ll have a guest post up by the time you’re reading this. Martin’s newsletter is here [https://martinrobbins.substack.com], and his YouTube channel is here [https://www.youtube.com/@MFRobbins]. Don’t forget to tell your friends about the pod – and leave us a nice review on Apple Podcasts! YIMBY Pod is available on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-abundance-agenda/id1797392263], Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/2OrB7qxXY7p23kJFVWPeXa?si=2ef32f53891544df], YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@TheAbundanceAgenda] and hopefully wherever you get your podcasts! You can find James on Bluesky here [https://bsky.app/profile/jamesomalley.co.uk], and Martin here [https://bsky.app/profile/mjrobbins.bsky.social]. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.abundancepod.com [https://www.abundancepod.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]