Health Impacts of Ultrafine Particles

This document captures proceedings from a workshop on the health impacts of ultrafine particles held on 15 September 2020, under the Aviator, Raptor and Tube projects

The lived experience of transport structure: An exploration of transport's role in people's lives

This article is oriented towards the tensions between the local character of the lived experience of transport and the more general view taken in transport policy studies. The article presents research conducted in 2002–2005 into the lived experience of transport structure: it represents a social transport policy approach to the phenomenon of suppressed journeys and barriers to travel. The research was funded by the Department for Transport with the primary goal of exploring the complexities associated with travel among different social groups and across different geographic locations. Two case studies were undertaken, one in a rural location and one in a peripheral urban location in Oxfordshire. Analysis of the case‐study materials resulted in a number of findings, the most pertinent of which is that there is a major consultation gap between users of the transport system and planners of that system. Additionally, existing methodologies in transport and travel under‐record and under‐represent the barriers to mobility experienced in the routine of everyday life within contemporary Britain

Rural transport interventions to improve maternal health outcomes

Rural transport interventions have been shown to improve maternal health outcomes. This rapid review synthesises findings from academic, practitioner, policy and non-governmental organisation (NGO) sources that discuss maternal mortality and transport. The report focusses on evidence on interventions from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), in Africa and Asia, in particular. While there is descriptive discussion of ideas for transport provision and interventions, there is considerably less reflection on measurable outcomes and reliable evaluation within the literature. As a result, there is limited reliable data on what works, how and why. Key findings from this review include: Timely treatment is vital to lowering maternal mortality rates There is limited empirical evidence to show effectiveness in reducing adverse outcomes associated with labour and delivery A number of transport interventions are available (e.g. motorcycle, bicycle and vehicular ambulances); Communications that complement the transport provision are also important. Finance schemes (e.g. community-led savings schemes, vouchers) can help facilitate access to maternal healthcare Public health change can decrease delays associated with accessing timely maternal healthcare Interventions need to be sensitive to local conditions and circumstances All interventions cannot be assumed to be successful in facilitating improved healthcare access There is a need for increased monitoring and evaluation of transport interventions Non-existence of a transport operational management system can be a major challenge Procurement of new vehicles and motorbikes is perceived as a solution to challenges faced in managing transport resources in health delivery services While the importance of improved transport and roads to reducing maternal and child mortality rates is recognised, the failure of transportation services is also an important finding Since healthcare decision-making is a complex process drawing on multiple factors and perspectives, interventions do not always translate into improved outcome

Edinburgh, Road Pricing and the Boundary Problem: Issues of Equity and Efficiency

Discussions of road user charging in Scotland have been confined to the proposed introduction of road user charging in Edinburgh. This report summarises the findings of a research study into some of the equity and efficiency issues surrounding the proposed introduction of road user charging in Edinburgh. Each road user pricing scheme is extremely dependent upon the specific context in which it is introduced and this report seeks to unpack some of the issues concerning the currently (Spring 2004) unfolding proposals for the scheme in Edinburgh. Using a review of the existing policy and academic literature, press reports, telephone interviews, physical interviews and reviewing the precognition statements to the Public Inquiry on Congestion Charging in Edinburgh, this report provides a stakeholder analysis of the Edinburgh Road User Charging policy environment

Competing Agendas for Land use around airports

This chapter describes the core aspects of the land-use planning (LUP) element of the Balanced Approach (BA) by acknowledging the potential of effective LUP as one of the few anticipatory tools available to manage noise. It explores the planning shortcomings that fail to stop encroachment and, thus, the need for remedial mitigation actions such as sound insulation, compensation and buy-out. It goes on to outline core future challenges and steps to develop a better spatial understanding of noise through improved understanding of people’s soundscapes (e.g. via the ANIMA app). To illustrate how LUP challenges can be addressed, the chapter also presents case studies from Iasi Airport and on insulation campaigns, in Marseille and Heathrow respectively. It concludes with an exploration of the lessons that can be taken from LUP experience and examines how more comprehensive communication and engagement with key stakeholders underpins more effective application of planning tools

Using Q methodology to develop more perceptive insights on transport and social inclusion

This paper describes an exploratory study using Q methodology to investigate perceptions of transport\u27s role in people\u27s lives. In this study, Q helped reveal four distinct attitudes towards transport amongst participants. The findings suggest that Q methodology offers an innovative way of defining discourses which frame participants\u27 views on transport and that such micro-scale analysis can facilitate the development of more nuanced understandings of transport and social inclusion

Accessibility, mobility and transport-related social exclusion

This paper briefly reviews the inexorable rise of the social exclusion policy paradigm and uses an adaptation of Amartya Sen’s theory of entitlement to determine appropriate policy responses. In particular, the promotion by the UK Department for Transport of accessibility planning is examined. Although this initiative is not totally without merit, the resulting analysis may be too aggregate, both spatially and socially. The weakness of such an approach is that transport-related social exclusion is not always a socially and spatially concentrated process. Instead we suggest a matrix of area accessibility, area mobility and individual mobility as a possible schema for identifying concentrated and scattered manifestations of social exclusion and inclusion and for suggesting appropriate policy responses. This schema helps produce a more spatially and socially differentiated conceptualisation of social exclusion, helps identify policy responses and most critically highlights that the problems of the socially excluded immobile should not be analysed in isolation from the socially included mobile.<br/

Our health, Our knowledge

This is a co-developed online course for GPs and patient