Dear Colin,
Just to add my pennyworth, we are not too distant here at Chester and 
would certainly be interested in putting something together. Perhaps we 
could arrange a meeting sometime soon?

Dr. Peter Cox
Programme Leader in Community Studies
School of Social Science
University of Chester
Parkgate Road 
Chester CH1 4BJ
01244 375444 xt2039


Quoting Paul Rosen <[log in to unmask]>:

> When the English Regions Cycling Development Team was still 
around, Ken 
> Spence did some research of this kind, with Jo Cleary - I think at a 
> fairly basic level.  We had plans to take it further but weren't able to 
> because of budgets and time.  I also had discussions with 
Wandsworth 
> Cyclists about a fairly well-developed research plan focused on adult 
> cycle trainees.  My thoughts at the time were that one of the charitable 
> foundations that support sustainable transport might be a good way to 
> take this, but I'd have thought ESRC/EPSRC might also be willing to 
fund 
> a well-designed project.  Perhaps we could get an 
> interdisciplinary/inter-institutional research team together (I am a 
> sociologist, Ken a former cycle training manager and now cycling 
> consultant, Jo a transport consultant specialising in school and work 
> travel plans ... I can't remember the academic background of Susie 
> Morrow of Wandsworth Cyclists but she works in health research - 
copying 
> this to a WCC address in the hope it reaches Susie) ... ???
> 
> Paul
> 
> Ian Walker wrote:
> > Dear Colin,
> >
> > I'd be very interesting in discussing this. I work at the University 
> > of Bath where I mostly carry out research on the safety of vulnerable 
> > road users, primarily from a psychological perspective. However, I 
am 
> > also interested in wider aspects of such transport modes, especially 
> > cycling. I do a lot of work with Oxfordshire County Council: this time 
> > last year I carried out the large-scale OxCam survey 
> > (www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/cyclingsurvey) and we are currently doing 
> > city-scale follow-up work on the effectiveness of specific safety 
> > slogans for cyclists.
> >
> > A project of the sort you describe sounds really exciting: testing 
> > could take place before training and then follow-ups could be carried 
> > out at some point in the future. The numbers are large enough for 
> > reliable findings to emerge. The main difficulties will be getting in 
> > touch with the children again for a follow-up, and identifying a 
> > suitable control group who won't receive the training. However, these 
> > things aren't insurmountable.
> >
> > I'm up your neck of the woods for the RoSPA conference 27 Feb to 1 
> > March in Blackpool. I'll be getting the train between Manchester and 
> > Blackpool. If you're interested, we could meet for a chat in 
> > Manchester on 1 March?
> >
> > Best wishes,
> >
> > Ian Walker
> > -----
> > Dr Ian Walker,
> > Department of Psychology,
> > University of Bath,
> > Bath BA2 7AY,
> > England.
> >
> > Tel: +44 (0)1225 383908
> > E-mail: [log in to unmask] (academic)
> > E-mail: [log in to unmask] (other matters)
> > Website: www.drianwalker.com
> >
> > On 30 Jan 2006, at 17:14, Colin Langdon wrote:
> >
> >> Hi,
> >> I have been lurking on the list for some time as I have an interest 
> >> in the social effects of cycling.
> >>
> >> I run a not-for-profit Community Interest Company delivering cycle 
> >> training.
> >>
> >> We have just won a contract to deliver on-road cycle training to 4500
> >> year 5/6 children across Merseyside this year, and the contract is for 
5
> >> years (numbers for future years will depend on funding).
> >>
> >> We think that the provision of such training to children of this age 
may
> >> affect their lifestyles and have far reaching effects, not just on their
> >> road safety skills (the prime reason for providing the training) but
> >> also on such things as their health, educational achievements,
> >> employability and social skills.
> >>
> >> The project is big enough for discernible measurements to be 
taken and
> >> continues for long enough to see if the effects are permanent.
> >>
> >> We think this project is ideal to research.
> >>
> >> For ourselves, as a social enterprise, we would like to be able to
> >> demonstrate the wider social effects of the training. If this is
> >> successful it would make a good case to have such training 
extended and
> >> possibly funded by central government.
> >>
> >> I'm looking for institutions who would be interested in doing the
> >> research, if we can get it funded. Do you think it is viable?
> >>
> >> Any suggestions as to where to look for funding or indeed to do the 
> >> research would be welcomed.
> >>
> >> Best wishes
> >> -- 
> >> Colin Langdon
> >> Cycling Solutions
> >> 22 Gorsewood Road
> >> Liverpool
> >> L25 2QW
> >>
> >> Phone & Fax 0151 234 9484
> >>
> >>
> >>
>