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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 12 April 2016
We propose a new way to measure accurate distances and transverse velocities for some nearby binary pulsars. In many cases the distances will be more accurately determined than is possible by annual parallax, as the relative error decreases as t−5/2. We also note that tests of the general relativistic prediction of orbital period decay of nearby relativistic binary pulsars will be limited to accuracies of a few percent. Nevertheless, PSR B1534+12 observations are consistent with general relativistic predictions if the proper-motion contribution to the orbital period derivative is accounted for.