I've tried many workflow automation tools and nothing beats the #rstats package {targets}. It's pure R, pretty simple (while being feature-rich, great support for parallel execution and multi-lingual workflows, this is calling Python+DuckDB). It *trounces* the likes of make (bash), and #python pkgs dagster and prefect in my tests. Check it out!
Robin Lovelace
@robinlovelace@fosstodon.org
mastodon
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Data science, transport modelling and geocomputation for evidence-based policy, transport decarbonisation and enlightenment.
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Joined November 04, 2022
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Robin Lovelace
@robinlovelace@fosstodon.org
Data science, transport modelling and geocomputation for evidence-based policy, transport decarbonisation and enlightenment. searchable
fosstodon.org
Robin Lovelace
@robinlovelace@fosstodon.org
Data science, transport modelling and geocomputation for evidence-based policy, transport decarbonisation and enlightenment. searchable
fosstodon.org
@robinlovelace@fosstodon.org
·
Mar 26, 2026
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Robin Lovelace
@robinlovelace@fosstodon.org
Data science, transport modelling and geocomputation for evidence-based policy, transport decarbonisation and enlightenment. searchable
fosstodon.org
Robin Lovelace
@robinlovelace@fosstodon.org
Data science, transport modelling and geocomputation for evidence-based policy, transport decarbonisation and enlightenment. searchable
fosstodon.org
@robinlovelace@fosstodon.org
·
Mar 17, 2026
Calling all #RStats + #Transport researchers!
stats19 v4.0.0 is here - a major update to the UK's road crash data package.
What's new:
45 years of data (1979-2024) with a single, unified column schema
Zero-warning parsing
Fixed coordinate precision bug
...
Please install, test, and report any issues before we submit to CRAN!
pak::pak("ropensci/stats19")
Blog post: https://www.robinlovelace.net/post/stats19-v4/
Issues: https://github.com/ropensci/stats19/issues
stats19 v4.0.0 is here - a major update to the UK's road crash data package.
What's new:
45 years of data (1979-2024) with a single, unified column schema
Zero-warning parsing
Fixed coordinate precision bug
...
Please install, test, and report any issues before we submit to CRAN!
pak::pak("ropensci/stats19")
Blog post: https://www.robinlovelace.net/post/stats19-v4/
Issues: https://github.com/ropensci/stats19/issues
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Robin Lovelace
@robinlovelace@fosstodon.org
Data science, transport modelling and geocomputation for evidence-based policy, transport decarbonisation and enlightenment. searchable
fosstodon.org
Robin Lovelace
@robinlovelace@fosstodon.org
Data science, transport modelling and geocomputation for evidence-based policy, transport decarbonisation and enlightenment. searchable
fosstodon.org
@robinlovelace@fosstodon.org
·
Mar 13, 2026
I'll be hosting Will Deakin from Network Rail for a Seminar at the Institute for Transport Studies, University of Leeds, and online, next week Thursday 19th March. Will is a Python programming pro, data visualisation star and data science expert and is well worth listening to, so check out the invite and spread the word, all welcome: https://itsleeds.github.io/tds/sem2/invite.html
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Robin Lovelace
@robinlovelace@fosstodon.org
Data science, transport modelling and geocomputation for evidence-based policy, transport decarbonisation and enlightenment. searchable
fosstodon.org
Robin Lovelace
@robinlovelace@fosstodon.org
Data science, transport modelling and geocomputation for evidence-based policy, transport decarbonisation and enlightenment. searchable
fosstodon.org
@robinlovelace@fosstodon.org
·
Mar 12, 2026
RE: https://en.osm.town/@harry_wood/116211095254316554
Good example of constructive and *actionable* feedback when asked to comment on specifications. Does this also apply to academic review? My guess: YES!
Good example of constructive and *actionable* feedback when asked to comment on specifications. Does this also apply to academic review? My guess: YES!
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Robin Lovelace
@robinlovelace@fosstodon.org
Data science, transport modelling and geocomputation for evidence-based policy, transport decarbonisation and enlightenment. searchable
fosstodon.org
Robin Lovelace
@robinlovelace@fosstodon.org
Data science, transport modelling and geocomputation for evidence-based policy, transport decarbonisation and enlightenment. searchable
fosstodon.org
@robinlovelace@fosstodon.org
·
Mar 11, 2026
Good to see conversations emerging from the recent Podcast interview I did. What a way to get research out there and to get conversations going 🎙️ I definitely recommend long-form conversations to supplement papers, reports, great to see ideas are reaching new people and places online 🚀 To get involved: search and you will find!
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Robin Lovelace
@robinlovelace@fosstodon.org
Data science, transport modelling and geocomputation for evidence-based policy, transport decarbonisation and enlightenment. searchable
fosstodon.org
Robin Lovelace
@robinlovelace@fosstodon.org
Data science, transport modelling and geocomputation for evidence-based policy, transport decarbonisation and enlightenment. searchable
fosstodon.org
@robinlovelace@fosstodon.org
·
Mar 11, 2026
RE: https://datasci.social/@AntoninDanalet/116210777628645007
This is so true, the hard part now is not to *build the thing* but to *build the community* 🌱 🚀
This is so true, the hard part now is not to *build the thing* but to *build the community* 🌱 🚀
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Robin Lovelace
@robinlovelace@fosstodon.org
Data science, transport modelling and geocomputation for evidence-based policy, transport decarbonisation and enlightenment. searchable
fosstodon.org
Robin Lovelace
@robinlovelace@fosstodon.org
Data science, transport modelling and geocomputation for evidence-based policy, transport decarbonisation and enlightenment. searchable
fosstodon.org
@robinlovelace@fosstodon.org
·
Mar 11, 2026
RE: https://fosstodon.org/@robinlovelace/116136723310374275
It's great to log-on to #Mastodon to find not only my work being discussed and put out there with enlightening comments (thanks @AntoninDanalet ), but also that quote reposts are now a thing, when did that happen?! In any case check it out when you get a chance and join the conversation of openness (including open publications, code, data and accessible communities) in research! #OpenSource #dataScience for #reproducibleresearch in the public interest 🚀
It's great to log-on to #Mastodon to find not only my work being discussed and put out there with enlightening comments (thanks @AntoninDanalet ), but also that quote reposts are now a thing, when did that happen?! In any case check it out when you get a chance and join the conversation of openness (including open publications, code, data and accessible communities) in research! #OpenSource #dataScience for #reproducibleresearch in the public interest 🚀
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Robin Lovelace
@robinlovelace@fosstodon.org
Data science, transport modelling and geocomputation for evidence-based policy, transport decarbonisation and enlightenment. searchable
fosstodon.org
Robin Lovelace
@robinlovelace@fosstodon.org
Data science, transport modelling and geocomputation for evidence-based policy, transport decarbonisation and enlightenment. searchable
fosstodon.org
@robinlovelace@fosstodon.org
·
Mar 05, 2026
Exciting new funded #PhD opportunity here at the University of Leeds' Institute for Transport Studies #ITS. The project will develop definitive new insights into the impacts of new speed limit policies, down to the road network with the potential to save dozens of lives. If you'd like to progress your career and undertake groundbreaking new research, or know anyone who would, check it out!
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Robin Lovelace
@robinlovelace@fosstodon.org
Data science, transport modelling and geocomputation for evidence-based policy, transport decarbonisation and enlightenment. searchable
fosstodon.org
Robin Lovelace
@robinlovelace@fosstodon.org
Data science, transport modelling and geocomputation for evidence-based policy, transport decarbonisation and enlightenment. searchable
fosstodon.org
@robinlovelace@fosstodon.org
·
Feb 26, 2026
I recently appeared on the Mobility Club podcast to discuss open data, open source tools for transport planning, and why data-driven decision making matters for active travel. 🎧
Great to chat with Isabella & Santiago about bridging research & practice!
Great to chat with Isabella & Santiago about bridging research & practice!
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Robin Lovelace
@robinlovelace@fosstodon.org
Data science, transport modelling and geocomputation for evidence-based policy, transport decarbonisation and enlightenment. searchable
fosstodon.org
Robin Lovelace
@robinlovelace@fosstodon.org
Data science, transport modelling and geocomputation for evidence-based policy, transport decarbonisation and enlightenment. searchable
fosstodon.org
@robinlovelace@fosstodon.org
·
Feb 06, 2026
My work recently set-up GitHub enterprise 🎉 It's probably overkill for many research use-cases but handy for teaching. Many thanks to the University of Leeds!
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Robin Lovelace
@robinlovelace@fosstodon.org
Data science, transport modelling and geocomputation for evidence-based policy, transport decarbonisation and enlightenment. searchable
fosstodon.org
Robin Lovelace
@robinlovelace@fosstodon.org
Data science, transport modelling and geocomputation for evidence-based policy, transport decarbonisation and enlightenment. searchable
fosstodon.org
@robinlovelace@fosstodon.org
·
Dec 17, 2025
🚗💰 The "Invisible" Costs of Driving.
I created this visualization for my PhD thesis to show that a car’s cost isn’t just what you pay upfront.
We have a habit of obsessing over the Purchase Cost (a single number), but ignoring the Lifecycle Cost (the reality).
You can find this figure and more in the full thesis (freely available online!). 🎓
#Research #PhDLife #ElectricVehicles #SustainableTransport #Finance #DataVisualization
I created this visualization for my PhD thesis to show that a car’s cost isn’t just what you pay upfront.
We have a habit of obsessing over the Purchase Cost (a single number), but ignoring the Lifecycle Cost (the reality).
You can find this figure and more in the full thesis (freely available online!). 🎓
#Research #PhDLife #ElectricVehicles #SustainableTransport #Finance #DataVisualization
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Robin Lovelace
@robinlovelace@fosstodon.org
Data science, transport modelling and geocomputation for evidence-based policy, transport decarbonisation and enlightenment. searchable
fosstodon.org
Robin Lovelace
@robinlovelace@fosstodon.org
Data science, transport modelling and geocomputation for evidence-based policy, transport decarbonisation and enlightenment. searchable
fosstodon.org
@robinlovelace@fosstodon.org
·
Dec 12, 2025
Today I learned 1) that the tram system of Leeds of early 1900s was HUGE and 2) that the 1910 town map of Leeds captured things that are TINY, including individual trees and rail tracks 🤯 Defo doing more with this soon, watch this space...
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Robin Lovelace
@robinlovelace@fosstodon.org
Data science, transport modelling and geocomputation for evidence-based policy, transport decarbonisation and enlightenment. searchable
fosstodon.org
Robin Lovelace
@robinlovelace@fosstodon.org
Data science, transport modelling and geocomputation for evidence-based policy, transport decarbonisation and enlightenment. searchable
fosstodon.org
@robinlovelace@fosstodon.org
·
Dec 11, 2025
This paper was more than 2 years in the making, involving 3 organisations (Leeds Uni, Network Rail, ESRI), 2 (totally different) GISRUK presentations, dozens of iterations, 1 Python package (install it with pip install parenx), and amazing #opensource collaborations 🎉 Looking forward to belated celebration its launch at an informal workshop at #ITSLeeds this afternoon 🚀
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Robin Lovelace
@robinlovelace@fosstodon.org
Data science, transport modelling and geocomputation for evidence-based policy, transport decarbonisation and enlightenment. searchable
fosstodon.org
Robin Lovelace
@robinlovelace@fosstodon.org
Data science, transport modelling and geocomputation for evidence-based policy, transport decarbonisation and enlightenment. searchable
fosstodon.org
@robinlovelace@fosstodon.org
·
Dec 05, 2025
I've just added a few more links to #openaccess resources and a few more maps to the nascent openraildata resource page. Credit to my ITS Leeds colleague Alex Stead for the links, we have some ideas for research building on these datasets, watch this space!
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Robin Lovelace
@robinlovelace@fosstodon.org
Data science, transport modelling and geocomputation for evidence-based policy, transport decarbonisation and enlightenment. searchable
fosstodon.org
Robin Lovelace
@robinlovelace@fosstodon.org
Data science, transport modelling and geocomputation for evidence-based policy, transport decarbonisation and enlightenment. searchable
fosstodon.org
@robinlovelace@fosstodon.org
·
Dec 03, 2025
Interested in historic railways in the UK and beyond? I've just written some code and uploaded some #openaccess datasets showing the extent of abandoned railways in the UK, could be a good basis for research projects. See here for more: https://github.com/itsleeds/openraildata ideas of research questions welcome!
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Robin Lovelace
@robinlovelace@fosstodon.org
Data science, transport modelling and geocomputation for evidence-based policy, transport decarbonisation and enlightenment. searchable
fosstodon.org
Robin Lovelace
@robinlovelace@fosstodon.org
Data science, transport modelling and geocomputation for evidence-based policy, transport decarbonisation and enlightenment. searchable
fosstodon.org
@robinlovelace@fosstodon.org
·
Nov 28, 2025
Happy to see new newest member of the #geocompx family up on the geocompx.org website: Spatial Data Visualization with tmap is an awesome book that is still in progress 🏗️ Well worth a read to launch your reproducible map making journey 🚀
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