Cycle training for children: Which schools offer it and who takes part?

The ‘Bikeability’ cycle training scheme, a flagship policy of the government in England, aims to give children the skills and confidence to cycle more safely and more often. Little, however, is known about the scheme׳s reach. We used operational delivery data to examine which primary schools in England offered Bikeability. Predictors included the deprivation level of the student body and the local prevalence of cycling. We then examined cycle training participation using data from 6986 participants (age 10–11) in the nationally-representative Millennium Cohort Study. Parents reported whether their child had completed formal cycle training, along with other child and family factors. We used operational data to identify children whose school had previously delivered Bikeability

Digging the backyard : mining and quarrying in the UK and their impact on future land use

The future demand for land for mining and quarrying will be affected by a large number of economic, technological, environmental and social issues within the UK. Global developments also have a role to play. Although mining and quarrying account for only 0.9 per cent of the land area of England, the impact of this activity is considerable. Minerals are essential to the economy, for energy, construction, infrastructure and manufacturing, while their extraction has effects on the environment and on public perception. This paper examines current scientific understanding of the context of mining and quarrying, with particular reference to its impact on land use, along with the spatial relationship between minerals – which can only be worked where they occur – and other forms of land use and designation in the ‘post-industrial’ landscape of Britain. Looking out to 2060 and beyond, developments which may influence demand for minerals include climate change mitigation and adaptation; energy, food and raw material security; and new construction, manufacturing, recycling and re-use technologies. Factors influencing the supply side include the structure and ownership of the mining and quarrying industry, new extraction, processing and environmental technologies, ecosystem service provision, societal attitudes and land access. Although prediction carries a high level of uncertainty, continuous development of the regulatory framework is, and will remain, a major and pervasive factor in the relationship between mining and quarrying and land use

A comparative analysis of the air quality management challenges and capabilities in urban and rural english local authorities

Local authorities in Great Britain have (in the main) completed their air quality review and assessments, the aim of the process being the identification of local hotspots where national air quality objectives are not likely to be met Across Great Britain approximately 120 Air Quality Management Areas are in the process of being declared. Local authorities, in partnership with others, are required to write and implement an action plan outlining remedial measures to improve the air quality situation in these areas. This paper compares and contrasts the challenges facing urban and rural authorities in carrying out these responsibilities. The capabilities of urban, rural and those authorities defined as 'mixed' in implementing the review and assessment process also are discussed. The data presented indicate that, although urban authorities appear to be facing greater and more complex air quality challenges, rural areas are not without their own air quality challenges. The issues facing urban authorities are different from those facing their more rural counterparts. It is hypothesised that urban authorities have more effective frameworks in place for tackling the challenges of air quality action planning. This hypothesis is tested by questionnaire surveys and in the context of an urban and a rural case-study authority. © 2002 The Editors of Urban Studies