As Transport Secretary Lord Adonis tours railway stations most in need of help, the BBC News Magazine asks, "what makes a bad railway station?"
"It is that very absence of staff, combined with dereliction that led Lord Adonis in July to label Wakefield Kirkgate as 'probably the worst 'medium-large' station I have seen in Britain'. After a number of serious crimes at the station, work started the next month on some improvements.
As well as security, parking, both of cars and bicycles, is a major issue. At stations in commuter areas, the lack of parking encourages people to drive rather than take the train, and a Passenger Focus survey found it was the aspect of stations that most people were unhappy with.
Another major factor for bad stations is the lack of information, says Mr Smith. In the absence of live train information, travellers at unstaffed stations can feel rather unsettled."
FULL STORY: What makes a terrible railway station?

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking
Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

Cal Fire Chatbot Fails to Answer Basic Questions
An AI chatbot designed to provide information about wildfires can’t answer questions about evacuation orders, among other problems.

What Happens if Trump Kills Section 8?
The Trump admin aims to slash federal rental aid by nearly half and shift distribution to states. Experts warn this could spike homelessness and destabilize communities nationwide.

Sean Duffy Targets Rainbow Crosswalks in Road Safety Efforts
Despite evidence that colorful crosswalks actually improve intersection safety — and the lack of almost any crosswalks at all on the nation’s most dangerous arterial roads — U.S. Transportation Secretary Duffy is calling on states to remove them.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie