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Policy@Manchester Articles: Cities and Environment
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Image of a range of people sitting on a bus

Driving improvement – socially just green transport solutions

Karen Lucas headshot By Karen Lucas Filed Under: All posts, Cities and Environment, Environment, Inclusive Growth, Urban Posted: March 24, 2025

As the UK transitions to net zero and shifts to low carbon transport, policymakers are faced with the challenge of ensuring that a push for greener transport makes travel fairer and more accessible for those on low incomes. In this article, Professor Karen Lucas explores the detrimental impact of poor public transport connectivity and makes […]

Tagged With: carbon reduction, climate change, communities, inclusive growth, inequalities, infrastructure, national railway, net zero, sustainability, transport, urban

Openreach engineer maintenance telecommunication stand on a street. Openreach is a BT Group division, that maintains a connection to the telecommunication network in the UK

The digital infrastructure divide: the spatial landscape of broadband coverage across the UK

By Cecilia Wong and Helen Zheng Filed Under: All posts, Cities and Environment Posted: March 4, 2025

Changing social norms and the COVID-19 lockdowns have drastically shifted how we utilise the internet to conduct our daily lives, creating a rapid increase in home/hybrid working and online shopping. In this article, Professor Cecilia Wong and Dr Helen Zheng demonstrate how high quality, reliable and good coverage of telecommunication infrastructure has resulted in differential […]

Tagged With: #OnInfrastructure, digital, internet, local government, technology

Picture of an airplane being refuelled at an airport.

Decarbonising transport: is hydrogen the answer?

Alice LarkinAmanda Lea-Langton By Alice Larkin and Amanda Lea-Langton Filed Under: All posts, Cities and Environment, Energy and Environment, Environment, Growth and Inclusion, Renewables, Science and Technology Posted: February 25, 2025

The UK government has enshrined net zero into law, but if it is to meet its targets then big strides need to be made towards decarbonising land-based transport, aviation, and shipping. Unlike most land-based transport, aviation and shipping are considered ‘difficult to decarbonise’. Their long-lived infrastructure, ongoing reliance on energy dense fuels, and issues around […]

Tagged With: #OnHydrogen, carbon reduction, energy, environment, Hydrogen, infrastructure, net zero, sustainability, transport

Child, adult, and elderly man in a garden.

Positioning green infrastructure as essential infrastructure in the UK

Ian Mell By Ian Mell Filed Under: All posts, Cities and Environment, Energy and Environment, Environment, Urban Posted: February 17, 2025

As the impacts of the climate and biodiversity emergencies become clearer, there is a growing need to rethink how infrastructure is developed and managed in the UK. The planned redundancy of concrete and steel as building materials makes sustainable urban development problematic. However, the EU, via their Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) research programme, and the UK […]

Tagged With: #OnInfrastructure, climate change, environment, infrastructure, SEED, sustainability, urban

Woman and young girl washing their hands at the sink

Water reuse for sustainable practices in new housing infrastructure

Claire HoolohanAlison BrowneElla Foggitt By Claire Hoolohan, Alison Browne and Ella Foggitt Filed Under: All posts, Cities and Environment, Environment, Urban Posted: February 4, 2025

Demand for water will outstrip supply within the next 25 years in England. Changing patterns of water use – for example, as a result of increasing hygiene standards –  are intersecting with long-standing infrastructural challenges of ageing water and sewerage networks. In this article, Dr Ella Foggitt, Dr Claire Hoolohan and Professor Alison Browne assess […]

Tagged With: #OnInfrastructure, climate change, environment, infrastructure, local government, SCI, sustainability, Tyndall

E-scooters along wall

Getting around: digital platforms and public transport systems

Headshot of Andy Lockhart By Michael Hodson, Andrew McMeekin and Andy Lockhart Filed Under: All posts, Cities and Environment, Urban Posted: January 22, 2025

Over the last 15 years, digital mobility platforms for ride hailing like Uber, bike sharing like Beryl, e-scooter rental like Lime and journey planning apps like Citymapper have become common in urban societies. They are often seen as ‘disrupting’ the organisation of existing public transport systems and creating competition. In this article from our On […]

Tagged With: #OnInfrastructure, digital, local government, technology, transport, urban

A housing construction site, surrounded by rural countryside

Belting up to deliver housing targets – are Grey Belts the answer?

Ian Mell By Ian Mell Filed Under: All posts, Cities and Environment, Environment, Growth and Inclusion, Urban Posted: November 27, 2024

To meet targets of building 1.5 million homes, the new government launched a consultation on the process for releasing Green Belt land. Proposals include creating a new designation of “Grey Belt” land. But given the contentious nature of Green Belts and the arguments made for and against development in these locations, the addition of this new […]

Tagged With: environment, housing, infrastructure, science & engineering, SEED, urban

Aerial view of UK house development being built.

Harnessing Digital Solutions for Sustainable Housing Expansion: A GIS-Powered Approach

Photo of Richard Kingston By Richard Kingston Filed Under: All posts, British Politics, Cities and Environment, Digital Futures, Environment Posted: October 17, 2024

The UK government has committed to an ambitious housing strategy of building 1.5 million homes over the next five years to address the chronic housing shortage exacerbated by rising demand, affordability and population growth. This plan must also rectify long-term structural challenges in the housing market whilst ensuring homes are built sustainably. Here, Professor Richard Kingston […]

Tagged With: british politics, climate change, digital, economy, environment, housing, inclusive growth, infrastructure, net zero, sustainability, urban

Article image - older couple on a bench in Manchester

Older people have something to say – ensuring voices are heard

Patty Doran author headshotMhorag GoffLinda Naughton author headshotPhilippa Winship author headshot By Patty Doran, Mhorag Goff, Linda Naughton and Philippa Winship Filed Under: All posts, Cities and Environment, Urban Posted: October 14, 2024

The population is ageing. Almost 40% of people in England are currently over 50, and almost 20% are over 65 (Census, 2021). In response to the ageing population, in 2010 the World Health Organization (WHO) launched the global network of Age-Friendly Cities and Communities. They aspire to be places where people of all ages feel […]

Tagged With: communities, Greater Manchester, inequalities, local government, wellbeing

The beach at Margate, in Kent, at sunset. In the background, a tower block stands behind the Dreamland theme park.

A landscape of need: mapping community resilience in England

By Christine Camacho and Luke Munford Filed Under: All posts, Cities and Environment, Growth and Inclusion, Inclusive Growth Posted: October 11, 2024

Community resilience is a marker of how well communities can handle and recover from difficult events. It is referred to in various resilience framework policies; but how is it measured, and how can it be used to target support? Here, Christine Camacho and Dr Luke Munford outline their work in developing a new measure – […]

Tagged With: ARC-GM, british politics, communities, devolution, economy, Health inequalities, housing, inclusive growth, inequalities, labour market, Levelling Up, local government, poverty, productivity, SHS, urban

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