Good day my good friend.

This coming week is like going back to what it was like before COVID. Notably, pounding the rails of the country for work, and trying to send emails and write reports while dealing with rubbish train WiFi. One of those things I have not missed over the last few years. Care to guess which?

If you have any suggestions for interesting news items or bits of research to include in this newsletter, you can email me.

James

Transport integrating the social sciences

Transport planning does a reasonable job of integrating different aspects of science and the scientific method into its work. Whether its basic physics in construction or mathematical principles in developing models. Ok, sometimes we don’t do it well, and our record of taking that evidence and applying it leaves a lot to be desired. But we at least apply these things. The same cannot be said of social science. And considering a lot of our logic mapping underpinning scheme assessments is based on social impacts, that’s worrying.

This new article in Transport Reviews was, therefore, of particular interest. Its mainly to do with research agendas (i.e. what areas we should focus on finding out stuff about transport and society), and many of them are great – I like focussing on scenario development, co-production, and social justice specifically. But its discussion on making this research applicable to policy is very much welcome. Read it, and digest it.

Building better bike share

This article in Grist struck a chord with me. Having spent a lot of time working with the excellent Jenny Milne in understanding how to make any transport service work in low demand environments (i.e. rural), seeing examples of communities step in to fill the gap in bike share when private operators pull out is inspiring. And its something we can learn a lot from.

Some of the learnings are quite simple. They have a focus on greater social equity. They can explore different funding models such as crowdfunding. They can offer a route into employment for some people (and not just by providing the bicycle). But I have yet to see any evidence that shows that they overcome a fundamental problem: the lack of demand and covering costs through use. Unless staffed entirely by volunteers, maybe this is an issue where hard business reality rules the roost.

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 Calls for More Progress on Space Governance Are Growing Louder (RAND Review)

• Tech Layoffs Shock Young Workers. The Older People? Not So Much. (New York Times)

• Sleepwalking on Megathreat Mountain (Project Syndicate)

• France votes to ban deep-sea mining in its waters: Why is this practice so controversial? (Euronews)

• Scientists have started steering lightning with lasers – here’s how (The Conversation)

Something interesting

Here’s a question: will a plane travelling on a conveyor belt (or treadmill) take off? This will get the comments back raging, but the Discovery Channel series Mythbusters busted this years ago (the plane will take off). This great video is of Adam Savage reflecting on that whole experience.

If you do nothing else today, then do this

There has been a lot of news on population recently. And this is an excellent article and associated statistical release showing that rural areas in Europe are losing their population. Its worthwhile thinking about the implications of urbanisation in a largely urban continent.