💬 Change the Narrative Part 2 - MM#601
Good day my good friend.
With an event I am helping to run next week, somewhere is needed to store much of the equipment. And so currently, my “office” (our second bedroom) is resembling a store cupboard, while delivery drivers come and go for most of the day. But just one person will get this to Birmingham next week.
This co-ordination is why I will struggle in logistics. I don’t envy them.
If you like this newsletter, please share it with someone else who you think will love it. I will love you forever if you do. ☺️
James
Most people support us
In this second part of this series this week on changing the narrative ahead of Mobility Camp next week (the first part can be seen here), I just wanted to spend a few paragraphs reminding people of something. For those of us seeking a more just transition to a low carbon future, most people support us.
Because time is somewhat precious, I just wanted to share a few important poll results with you. The first is from Ipsos Mori, that shows that after considering the lifestyle impact, the UK public still supports net zero policies on balance (though when looking just at the finances, that support lowers).
Its not as if the public is saying good things either. In 2022 it was found that 53% of the British public were walking or cycling more instead of driving, something somewhat confirmed by an increase in walking trips reported in the National Travel Survey.
While there is a lot of commentary about the difference between intention and action, it is worthwhile noting that intent as a basis for action. The Office for National Statistics’ Opinions and Lifestyle Survey found that 76% of respondents considered shifting to greener forms of travel as very or somewhat important in reducing their carbon emissions.
The business community, often seen as the bad boys of the climate fight, care about the climate. The British Chambers of Commerce, in a survey of members, found that…
Over the next 12 months, 54% of businesses surveyed are planning to reduce their consumption (e.g. of paper, food and plastics), 47% are planning to reduce the energy they use through travel, and 40% are planning to reduce the energy used at their offices and premises. Of those looking to take action, eight in ten (79%) cite concern about the environment as the motivating factor, followed by efficiency gains or cost savings (cited by 59%).
The public also support action on electric vehicles. While noting significant challenges associated electric vehicle ownership, the Department for Transport has noted that…
When asked if they (the public) support the UK government’s action to increase the proportion of electric vehicles sold by manufacturers, 55% support or strongly support this, and 12% oppose or oppose strongly
When it comes to equalities, evidence from YouGov shows that when it comes to gender equality much more needs doing. With a majority of Brits saying that more needs doing when it comes to household responsibilities, the workplace, and representation in politics. Their trackers also state that the British public think that racism is either somewhat or a great deal prevalent in British society.
Research by Pew has confirmed that gender equality being important is a widespread belief, and the preference for traditional marriage roles has collapsed across Europe since 1991. Finally, when it comes to whether or not the UK will be a more tolerant place in the next 10 years, Ipsos Mori found that…
The majority (of the public), 67%, are broadly optimistic that in 10 years Britain will be a more diverse and tolerant place to live. This is a trend question wording from 2009, when 49% agreed they were optimistic, so we can measure how results change over time.
What I am not trying to do here is downplay the very real issues that are at play, or can be glossed over in such polling. I know about the gap between intention and action. I simply put these in here as a reminder of something that we often forget.
That, in the most part, we agree on things.
Social media fans the flame of rage and division, and dominates the discussion on many topics. But the majority of people do not use social media platforms, and if they do they do it only on occasion. Many people are reasonable, and even we don’t agree on the solution all the time, we agree on the problem most of the time.
We need to occasionally remind ourselves of that.
What you can do: If you ever see something blowing up on social media, ask for the evidence of any division presented. Check well known and respected polling organisations - YouGov, Ipsos Mori, NatCen, and the Office for National Statistics are either well respected or open with their methods. They may not give you all the answers, but they provide you with a useful sense-check.
🎓 From academia
The clever clogs at our universities have published the following excellent research. Where you are unable to access the research, email the author - they may give you a copy of the research paper for free.
Does partition matter? A new approach to modeling land use change
TL:DR - A very techie, but cool paper that explores a new approach to modelling land use change based on locally-derived factors.
Perceived physical environment and active transport in adolescents: A systematic review
TL:DR - Kids see the world based on short distances, safety, and nice surroundings.
TL:DR - Some parts of Oklahoma really need to talk to the Dutch about dealing with flooding.
Evaluating the quality of life for sustainable urban development
TL:DR - States the obvious about needing to evaluate the quality of life.
✊ Awesome people doing awesome things
A short one this, but I wanted to give a shout out to the excellent team at Podaris, who have been doing amazing transport planning things under the radar for years. And they finally got some recognition by being recognised as one of the top start-ups in Europe in the transport space.
Well done to Nathan and the team. Keep on rocking!
📼 On the (You)Tube
Ever wondered why the eastern sides of many cities are often poorer? Blame the prevailing wind.
🖼️ Graphic Design
Cycling levels are back to where they were just before COVID in the UK. Which is frustrating.
📚 Random things
These links are meant to make you think about the things that affect our world in transport, and not just think about transport itself. I hope that you enjoy them.
The Strong Towns Movement is Simply Right-Libertarianism Dressed in Progressive Garb (Current Affairs)
The Global Economy Enters an Era of Upheaval (Bloomberg)
Technology’s unintended consequences require a “containment” solution. But how? (Big Think)
US auto workers are joining the push for a four-day work week (Quartz)
The Belt and Road, as seen from China (The Economist)
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