Engaging with the media & local authorities
Shaping media stories
As part of research on the accessibility offered by public transport services, Dr Rafael Verduzco and Dr David McArthur, based at the Urban Big Data Centre (UBDC), estimated the impact of a proposed series of cuts to night bus services in Glasgow.
They visualised the effects on a map which gained traction on social media. This was picked up by The Herald Scotland, which published an article informed by Rafael and David's work. Driven by the overall intense public opinion, the local bus operating companies reached an agreement weeks after to continue providing night services. This is a powerful example of how academic research can bolster the public debate.
UBDC are currently working on various public transport accessibility projects at the national level. The projects offer a group of open-access datasets and continue to develop research on this topic. Preliminary findings from the latest analysis shows that disadvantaged communities in British cities are at higher risk of ‘accessibility poverty’ (access to public transport), especially at night-time. This work is expected to inform decision-makers involved in transport policy.
