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School of Geography and the Environment

University of Oxford

 The Transport Studies Unit

Planning and Policy

Overview

This research theme provides an integrating framework for the other three research areas, as much of the decision making in transport is political and the main means by which intervention takes place is through the planning system. The theme explores different forms of political decision making, alternative evaluation frameworks, the processes of implementation, and the issues relating to public acceptability of the need to change behaviour. It works at all levels of decision making - global, EU, UK, regional and local - and it explores new paradigms for transport including sustainable development and critical realism.

Research Team

  • Dr Karen LucasDr Karen Lucas
    Research Fellow in Transport, Accessibility and Social Exclusion.

Research Topics

Teleworking

This project supported by BT explores the potential for substantially increased levels of teleworking on companies, individuals and homes, through the development of a total energy analysis framework. In addition issues relative to the social implications of teleworking are discussed, including isolation, promotion, security and family constraints.

Psychometric testing of the multidimensional older people's qualify of life (OPQOL)

There is policy interest in improving older people's health, activity and participation in society (active ageing) and adding quality of life (QoL). This project will test a new measure of older people's quality of life and the robustness of the causal model underlying it, as people age. Information will be provided on the dynamic links between influences on QoL, the process of active ageing and the outcome of self-assessed QoL. The basic model was developed in an earlier project funded by the ESRC Growing Older programme.

The research provides a multidimensional measure of QoL, embedded in the perspectives of older people, and it addresses the means by which active ageing can be improved. The research will develop conceptual knowledge and methodology, the Older Person's QoL will be valid for the evaluation of multi-sector policy on ageing, and for more descriptive research, all aimed at improving QoL in older age.

Respondents will be informed of all progress. Results will be disseminated in a report, policy, national and international journals, policy meetings, workshops and academic conferences (e.g. European Congress of Gerontology), a website, the new Engagement Panel at UCL and press releases (recent press releases of our work on ageing were highly effective in attracting the media, including front page headlines in the Daily Telegraph on 14-02-2007. We will aim to attract similar coverage). The tested OPQOL is likely to lead to opportunities for research beyond the life of the programme.

Please see the project webpage at UCL for more details.