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How to kickstart productivity growth in the UK’s towns and cities?

By , and Filed Under: Devo, Growth and Inclusion, Inclusive Growth, Levelling up, UK economy, Urban Posted:

The UK’s urban centres are key to driving up economic and productivity growth. However, many post-industrial towns and cities are underperforming. In this article, Dr Marianne Sensier, Dr Kate Penney and Michael Francis from The Productivity Institute, describe their findings from a place-based study of Rochdale and explain what the government and metro mayors can […]

Urban green infrastructure: understanding and assessing risks from climate change

By Filed Under: All posts, Energy and Environment, Environment, Urban Posted:

Extreme weather events are increasing in frequency and intensity, whilst climate change projections point towards further, largely negative, impacts on humans and nature. In response, climate change adaptation has become a stronger component of policy agendas globally. As part of this response, climate risk assessments are routinely undertaken across a wide variety of sectors and […]

Image of a range of people sitting on a bus

Driving improvement – socially just green transport solutions

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

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 […]

Child, adult, and elderly man in a garden.

Positioning green infrastructure as essential infrastructure in the UK

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

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 […]

Woman and young girl washing their hands at the sink

Water reuse for sustainable practices in new housing infrastructure

Claire HoolohanAlison BrowneElla Foggitt By , and Filed Under: All posts, Cities and Environment, Environment, Urban Posted:

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 […]

People walking on lord street in Southport, Merseyside in front of the historic wayfarers shopping arcade

Addressing the UK’s heritage skills crisis: why we must act now

Headshot of Eric Lybeck By Filed Under: All posts, Education, Urban Posted:

In 2019, the world watched as flames consumed the Notre Dame Cathedral, an irreplaceable cultural treasure. Yet, against all odds, the cathedral is poised to reopen this year, a testament to extraordinary skill and determination. In stark contrast UK restoration projects can take decades – or fail to materialise in favour of demolition. In this […]

E-scooters along wall

Getting around: digital platforms and public transport systems

Headshot of Andy Lockhart By , and Filed Under: All posts, Cities and Environment, Urban Posted:

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 […]

Football on stadium grass

Protecting Premier League football clubs through tighter regulation

Black and white headshot of Prof Nick Lord By and Filed Under: All posts, Urban Posted:

The Football Governance Bill sets out to establish a new Independent Football Regulator (IFR) for English men’s elite football. As these plans for a new regulator continue to unfold, research conducted by the Department of Criminology at The University of Manchester has found that the ownership structures of many English Premier League football clubs share […]

NHS building

The growing infrastructure crisis in English NHS hospitals

By Filed Under: All posts, Health and Care, Health and Social Care, Urban Posted:

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, NHS England remains in crisis. We are now accustomed to ambulances queuing outside accident and emergency departments, bed shortages, growing waiting lists for elective care, and old, crumbling hospital buildings. In this article, from our On Infrastructure publication, Professor Anne Stafford examines the consequences of using private finance to deliver healthcare […]

Industrial chimney pluming out smoke surrounded by an urban landscape of buildings.

Advanced materials addressing health risks from exposure to benzene

Headshot of Martin Schröder.Headshot of Sihai Yang. By and Filed Under: All posts, Energy and Environment, Environment, Health and Care, Health and Social Care, Research and development, Science and Engineering, Science and Technology, Urban, Work Posted:

Benzene, a volatile organic compound (VOC) with widespread industrial applications, poses severe health risks to humans even at trace levels. Its genotoxic effects, which involve direct damage to cellular DNA and genetic material leading to mutations, are strongly linked to cancer and blood disorders, making its control a critical priority for workplace safety and environmental […]

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Articles give the views of the author, and are not necessarily those of The University of Manchester.

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