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Outputs (50)

Does traffic really disappear when roads are closed? (2021)
Journal Article
Melia, S., & Calvert, T. (2023). Does traffic really disappear when roads are closed?. Proceedings of the ICE - Municipal Engineer, 176(1), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1680/jmuen.21.00014

This article describes two studies which aimed to explore the impacts of pedestrianisation or road closures on traffic displacement, travel behaviour and the phenomenon of 'disappearing traffic'. The first study surveyed residents whose travel routes... Read More about Does traffic really disappear when roads are closed?.

Who uses e-bikes in the UK and why? (2021)
Journal Article
Melia, S., & Bartle, C. (2022). Who uses e-bikes in the UK and why?. International Journal of Sustainable Transportation, 16(11), 965-977. https://doi.org/10.1080/15568318.2021.1956027

This article reports on the findings of a survey of 2,092 users and potential users of e-bikes in the UK. It analysed their characteristics, their motivations, journey purposes and the barriers they perceive to the wider use of e-bikes. It compared... Read More about Who uses e-bikes in the UK and why?.

Roads Runways and Resistance - from the Newbury Bypass to Extinction Rebellion (2021)
Book
Melia, S. (2021). Roads Runways and Resistance - from the Newbury Bypass to Extinction Rebellion. London: Pluto Press

From the anti-roads protests of the 1990s to HS2 and Extinction Rebellion, conflict and protest have shaped the politics of transport. In 1989, Margaret Thatcher's government announced 'the biggest road-building programme since the Romans.' This is t... Read More about Roads Runways and Resistance - from the Newbury Bypass to Extinction Rebellion.

Learning critical realist research by example: Political decision-making in transport (2020)
Journal Article
Melia, S. (2020). Learning critical realist research by example: Political decision-making in transport. Journal of Critical Realism, 19(3), 285-303. https://doi.org/10.1080/14767430.2020.1765643

This article illustrates the process of applied critical realist research using a case study of political decision-making in transport. Critical realism is often used to analyse socio-political change but rarely to explain specific political decision... Read More about Learning critical realist research by example: Political decision-making in transport.

Disappearing Traffic? An Evaluation of Pedestrianisation in Taunton Town Centre (2020)
Report
Melia, S., & Calvert, T. (2020). Disappearing Traffic? An Evaluation of Pedestrianisation in Taunton Town Centre. Bristol: West Somerset and Taunton Council, Rees Jeffreys Road Fund

This study evaluated the traffic and travel impacts of a trial pedestrianisation scheme in Taunton town centre. The scope of the scheme, and the research project, were both scaled back. The only road to be closed during the trial was a short sectio... Read More about Disappearing Traffic? An Evaluation of Pedestrianisation in Taunton Town Centre.

Urban expansion, road building and loss of countryside - a non-linear relationship (2020)
Journal Article
Melia, S. (2020). Urban expansion, road building and loss of countryside - a non-linear relationship. World Transport Policy and Practice, 26(2), 44 - 51

This study conducted a secondary analysis of data from a previous study of the geographical distribution of ‘undisturbed’ countryside in England. It juxtaposes the proportion of undisturbed countryside in each local authority area against the total... Read More about Urban expansion, road building and loss of countryside - a non-linear relationship.

Transport and urban housing growth – Unfinished business for Labour (2019)
Report
Melia, S. (2019). Transport and urban housing growth – Unfinished business for Labour

This discussion paper has been written following an open invitation from Prof. Phil Goodwin for contributions to the Shadow Transport Minister’s work towards Labour’s manifesto. It draws on research by the author and others into the relationship bet... Read More about Transport and urban housing growth – Unfinished business for Labour.

How Green Belt Policy Could be Adapted to Promote Sustainability (2019)
Report
Melia, S. (2019). How Green Belt Policy Could be Adapted to Promote Sustainability. Labour Party

In 2019 I was invited to join an academic panel advising the Shadow Planning Minister, who was reviewing Labour's planning policy in the run-up to an anticipated election. This paper was my second contribution to that process. It illustrates one of... Read More about How Green Belt Policy Could be Adapted to Promote Sustainability.

Who is Flying Less for Environmental Reasons (2019)
Journal Article
Purnell, P., & Melia, S. (2019). Who is Flying Less for Environmental Reasons. World Transport Policy and Practice, 25(3), 197-209

Many previous studies have shown how people with pro-environmental attitudes tend to fly more than the general population. This study examines the minority who have reduced their flying for environmental reasons. It used an online questionnaire dis... Read More about Who is Flying Less for Environmental Reasons.

Why did UK governments cut road building in the 1990s and expand it after 2010? (2019)
Journal Article
Melia, S. (2019). Why did UK governments cut road building in the 1990s and expand it after 2010?. Transport Policy, 81, 242-253. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tranpol.2019.07.006

Why did a Conservative UK government decide to cut back road building during a time of austerity in the 1990s, whereas a Conservative-led Coalition government decided to substantially increase road building during a time of austerity after 2010? This... Read More about Why did UK governments cut road building in the 1990s and expand it after 2010?.

Is the urbanisation of young adults reducing their driving? (2018)
Journal Article
Melia, S., Chatterjee, K., & Stokes, G. (2018). Is the urbanisation of young adults reducing their driving?. Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, 118, 444-456. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tra.2018.09.021

© 2018 Elsevier Ltd In recent decades, in many developed countries, licence-holding, car ownership and driving, amongst young adults have declined. One of the explanations advanced for these declines is the urbanisation of young adults, their growing... Read More about Is the urbanisation of young adults reducing their driving?.

What happens to travel behaviour when the right to park is removed? (2018)
Journal Article
Melia, S., & Clark, B. (2018). What happens to travel behaviour when the right to park is removed?. Transport Policy, 72, 242-247. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tranpol.2018.07.002

© 2018 Elsevier Ltd What happens to travel behaviour when the right to park at a destination is removed? This question, fundamental to travel demand management and land-use planning, has only been partially addressed in the literature so far. The imp... Read More about What happens to travel behaviour when the right to park is removed?.

Pedestrianisation and politics: A case study (2018)
Journal Article
Melia, S., & Shergold, I. (2018). Pedestrianisation and politics: A case study. Proceedings of the ICE - Transport, 171(1), 30-41. https://doi.org/10.1680/jtran.16.00104

Proposals to pedestrianise or close roads to traffic are often controversial. This article analyses the impact of partial pedestrianisation, using a case study conducted in Brighton, UK. Before-and-after studies found a modest traffic reduction withi... Read More about Pedestrianisation and politics: A case study.

Young people’s travel – What’s changed and why? Review and analysis (2018)
Report
Chatterjee, K., Goodwin, P., Schwanen, T., Clark, B., Jain, J., Melia, S., …Stokes, G. (2018). Young people’s travel – What’s changed and why? Review and analysis. Bristol: Department for Transport

Young adults in Great Britain and other countries are driving less now than young adults did in the early 1990s. The Department for Transport (DfT) commissioned the Centre for Transport and Society (UWE, Bristol) and the Transport Studies Unit (Unive... Read More about Young people’s travel – What’s changed and why? Review and analysis.

Does transport investment really boost economic growth? (2018)
Journal Article
Melia, S. (2018). Does transport investment really boost economic growth?. World Transport Policy and Practice, 23(3&4), 118-128

The SACTRA (1999) report on Transport and the Economy found strong theoretical grounds for believing that transport investment could boost national economies but that the empirical evidence was “weak and disputed”. This study asks whether a differen... Read More about Does transport investment really boost economic growth?.

What happens to travel behaviour when parking is removed? (2017)
Presentation / Conference
Melia, S., & Clark, B. (2017, January). What happens to travel behaviour when parking is removed?. Paper presented at 49th University Transport Studies Group Conference, Dublin, Eire

What happens to travel behaviour when the right to park is removed? This controversial question, fundamental to travel demand management and land-use planning, has only been partially addressed by the literature so far. The impacts on travel to the... Read More about What happens to travel behaviour when parking is removed?.

Evaluation of the change in parking policy on Frenchay campus (2016)
Report
Melia, S., & Clark, B. (2016). Evaluation of the change in parking policy on Frenchay campus

In 2013 UWE implemented a radical change in parking policy at Frenchay campus, removing the right to park from undergraduates living in an ‘Exclusion Zone’ (with a few exceptions) covering the areas where most students live. The change was applied t... Read More about Evaluation of the change in parking policy on Frenchay campus.

Walking and cycling on shared-use paths: The user perspective (2016)
Journal Article
Delaney, H., Parkhurst, G., & Melia, S. (2017). Walking and cycling on shared-use paths: The user perspective. Proceedings of the ICE - Municipal Engineer, 170(3), 175-184. https://doi.org/10.1680/jmuen.16.00033

© 2016, ICE Publishing: All rights reserved. Shared-use paths are those used by pedestrians and cyclists, either designed for them to mix freely within the space (unsegregated) or with the space allocated to each group by surface markings and signage... Read More about Walking and cycling on shared-use paths: The user perspective.

Changes to commute mode: The role of life events, spatial context and environmental attitude (2016)
Journal Article
Clark, B., Chatterjee, K., & Melia, S. (2016). Changes to commute mode: The role of life events, spatial context and environmental attitude. Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, 89, 89-105. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tra.2016.05.005

© 2016 The Authors. It has been suggested that commuting behaviours become habitual and that changes to commute mode are more likely at the time of major life events. However, evidence to support this has so far been limited to analyses of small-scal... Read More about Changes to commute mode: The role of life events, spatial context and environmental attitude.

Editorial (2016)
Journal Article
Norgate, S., & Melia, S. (2016). Editorial. Proceedings of the ICE - Urban Design and Planning, 169(3), 121-122. https://doi.org/10.1680/jurdp.2016.169.3.121

Improving the urban environment for these vulnerable and excluded groups will be a key challenge for the planners of the future. So how can any interested readers reflect this in their own work? We argue here that the design of urban land use and pub... Read More about Editorial.

The EVIDENCE project: Measure no.4 - Access restrictions (2016)
Journal Article
Melia, S. (2016). The EVIDENCE project: Measure no.4 - Access restrictions. World Transport Policy and Practice, 22(1/2), 39-46

This article draws on a review of literature on 'access restrictions': removing, filtering or controlling the flow of vehicles in a street or part of a city with the intention of encouraging other modes (public transport, cycling and walking) and imp... Read More about The EVIDENCE project: Measure no.4 - Access restrictions.

The EVIDENCE project: Measure no.23 - Inclusive urban design (2016)
Journal Article
Melia, S. (2016). The EVIDENCE project: Measure no.23 - Inclusive urban design. World Transport Policy and Practice, 22(1/2), 217-225

This article summarises a review of the literature on 'inclusive urban design', Enhancements and alterations to the public realm to help to manage the presence of motorised traffic. Key messages: • These measures can reduce vehicle speeds, fatali... Read More about The EVIDENCE project: Measure no.23 - Inclusive urban design.

Evaluating the impact of policy: The built environment and travel behaviour (2016)
Book Chapter
Melia, S. (2016). Evaluating the impact of policy: The built environment and travel behaviour. In F. Spotswood (Ed.), Beyond Behaviour Change: Key Issues, Interdisciplinary Approaches and Future Directions (89-112). Bristol: Policy Press

This chapter will examine the impact of policies that change the built environment in order to influence travel behaviour. It reviews the contested debate around spatial planning and travel behaviour, focussing on city-wide urban intensification. I... Read More about Evaluating the impact of policy: The built environment and travel behaviour.

Sustainable travel and team dynamics among mobile health professionals (2016)
Journal Article
Melia, S. (2016). Sustainable travel and team dynamics among mobile health professionals. International Journal of Sustainable Transportation, 10(2), 131-138. https://doi.org/10.1080/15568318.2013.869705

© 2016 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. This study explores the potential for more sustainable patterns of travel by mobile health professionals. It also explores the relationships between their travel for work and their modal choices in commuting and... Read More about Sustainable travel and team dynamics among mobile health professionals.

Pedestrianisation and politics: Evidence gaps and a case study of Brighton’s Old Town (2016)
Presentation / Conference
Melia, S., & Shergold, I. (2016, January). Pedestrianisation and politics: Evidence gaps and a case study of Brighton’s Old Town. Paper presented at Universities Transport Study Group Annual Conference, Bristol

This paper draws on two projects: a pan-European meta-study and a before-and-after evaluation of the partial pedestrianisation of Brighton’s Old Town. The EVIDENCE Project reviewed and evaluated academic literature and other international sources on... Read More about Pedestrianisation and politics: Evidence gaps and a case study of Brighton’s Old Town.

Car clubs in new developments (2016)
Report
Melia, S., & Parkhurst, G. (2016). Car clubs in new developments

This report provides a review of good practice and the experiences of key local authorities in implementing car free and low car developments over the ten-year period 2003-2014. It found that car clubs are more likely to be successfully established... Read More about Car clubs in new developments.

The Bristol method: How to reduce traffic and its impacts (2015)
Other
Barnes, J., Crawshaw, S., Parkhurst, G., Toy, J., Robinson, B., Ricci, M., …Davis, A. (2015). The Bristol method: How to reduce traffic and its impacts. Bristol

THE BRISTOL METHOD The Bristol Method is a knowledge-transfer programme aimed at helping people in other cities understand and apply the lessons that Bristol has learned in becoming a more sustainable city, not just in 2015 but in the last decade.... Read More about The Bristol method: How to reduce traffic and its impacts.

Urban Transport Without the Hot Air, Volume 1: Sustainable Solutions for UK cities (2015)
Book
Melia, S. (2015). Urban Transport Without the Hot Air, Volume 1: Sustainable Solutions for UK cities. Cambridge: UIT Cambridge

Everyone is a transport user, and most of us live in towns or cities, but how much of what we take for granted about transport is true? This book begins with ten questions, revealing some of the myths that have influenced politicians and transport pl... Read More about Urban Transport Without the Hot Air, Volume 1: Sustainable Solutions for UK cities.

Randomised Controlled Trials, Evidence Hierarchies and Smarter Choices (2015)
Journal Article
Melia, S. (2015). Randomised Controlled Trials, Evidence Hierarchies and Smarter Choices. World Transport Policy and Practice, 21(2), 64-71

A growing body of literature aimed at policymakers as well as researchers criticises the quality of much transport research and advocates a methodological hierarchy with randomised controlled trials at the top as the solution. This article critically... Read More about Randomised Controlled Trials, Evidence Hierarchies and Smarter Choices.

Changes in level of household car ownership: The role of life events and spatial context (2015)
Journal Article
Clark, B., Chatterjee, K., & Melia, S. (2016). Changes in level of household car ownership: The role of life events and spatial context. Transportation, 43(4), 565-599. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11116-015-9589-y

Recent longitudinal studies of household car ownership have examined factors associated with increases and decreases in car ownership level. The contribution of this panel data analysis is to identify the predictors of different types of car ownershi... Read More about Changes in level of household car ownership: The role of life events and spatial context.

Do randomised control trials offer a solution to 'low quality' transport research? (2015)
Presentation / Conference
Melia, S. (2015, January). Do randomised control trials offer a solution to 'low quality' transport research?. Paper presented at 47th Annual UTSG Conference, London, UK

This article responds to Graham-Rowe et al. (2011), which categorised 77 evaluations of transport interventions into 5 levels of ‘quality’. This article focuses on Graham-Rowe et al.’s treatment of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and their recom... Read More about Do randomised control trials offer a solution to 'low quality' transport research?.

Shared space: Research, policy and problems (2014)
Journal Article
Moody, S., & Melia, S. (2014). Shared space: Research, policy and problems. Proceedings of the ICE - Transport, 167(6), 384-392. https://doi.org/10.1680/tran.12.00047

Shared space is an approach to street design which minimises demarcations between vehicles and pedestrians. It has become particularly influential in the UK, where a comprehensive study of shared space schemes has informed recently published nationa... Read More about Shared space: Research, policy and problems.

Examining the relationship between life transitions and travel behaviour change: New insights from the UK household longitudinal study (2014)
Presentation / Conference
Clark, B., Chatterjee, K., Melia, S., Knies, G., & Laurie, H. (2014, January). Examining the relationship between life transitions and travel behaviour change: New insights from the UK household longitudinal study. Paper presented at 46th Universities' Transport Studies Group Conference, Newcastle University

Recent research has indicated that changes in travel behaviour are more likely at the time of major life events. However, there remains much to learn about the extent to which different life events trigger behavioural change and the conditions under... Read More about Examining the relationship between life transitions and travel behaviour change: New insights from the UK household longitudinal study.

Life events and travel behavior exploring the interrelationship using UK Household Longitudinal Study data (2014)
Journal Article
Clark, B., Chatterjee, K., Melia, S., Knies, G., & Laurie, H. (2014). Life events and travel behavior exploring the interrelationship using UK Household Longitudinal Study data. Transportation Research Record, 2413, 54-64. https://doi.org/10.3141/2413-06

Recent research has indicated that changes in travel behavior are more likely at the time of major life events. However, much remains to be learned about the extent to which different life events trigger behavioral change and the conditions under whi... Read More about Life events and travel behavior exploring the interrelationship using UK Household Longitudinal Study data.

Potential for carfree development in the UK (2013)
Journal Article
Melia, S., Melia, S., Barton, H., & Parkhurst, G. (2013). Potential for carfree development in the UK. Proceedings of the ICE - Urban Design and Planning, 166(2), 136-145. https://doi.org/10.1680/udap.10.00048

Carfree residential areas have been developed in a number of cities in Europe, with clear social and environmental benefits, but the concept has not been widely adopted in the UK. This paper aims to assess the potential consumer demand for housing in... Read More about Potential for carfree development in the UK.

Filtered and unfiltered permeability: The European and Anglo-Saxon approaches (2012)
Journal Article
Melia, S. (2012). Filtered and unfiltered permeability: The European and Anglo-Saxon approaches. PROJECT: Journal of the Department of Planning and Architecture, 4, 6-9

Unfiltered permeability refers to road layouts which provide equal permeability for all modes. Filtered permeability means separating the sustainable modes from private motor traffic in order to give them an advantage in terms of speed, distance and... Read More about Filtered and unfiltered permeability: The European and Anglo-Saxon approaches.

Sharing or separation: Which way for streets of the future? (2012)
Presentation / Conference
Hamilton-Baillie, B., & Melia, S. (2012, May). Sharing or separation: Which way for streets of the future?. Presented at Sharing or Separation: Which way for streets of the future? A debate with Ben Hamilton-Baillie and Steve Melia, University of the West of England, Bristol, UK

This debate will be of particular interest to transport planners, spatial planners, urban designers and anyone interested in the future of our streets and our towns and cities. The ‘shared space’ approach to street design has become very influenti... Read More about Sharing or separation: Which way for streets of the future?.

Carfree, low-car - what's the difference (2011)
Journal Article
Melia, S., Parkhurst, G., & Barton, H. (2011). Carfree, low-car - what's the difference. World Transport Policy and Practice, 16(2), 24-28

The paradox of intensification (2011)
Journal Article
Melia, S., Parkhurst, G., & Barton, H. (2011). The paradox of intensification. Transport Policy, 18(1), 46-52. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tranpol.2010.05.007

Urban intensification as part of a smart growth strategy can facilitate low-energy transport modes and reduce overall car use, with benefits to the global environment, but evidence suggests the effect will be less than proportional. Hence, in locatio... Read More about The paradox of intensification.

The paradox of intensification (2010)
Presentation / Conference
Melia, S. (2010, December). The paradox of intensification. Presented at Centre for Transport and Society Winter Conference, University of the West of England, Bristol, UK

Intensifying cities, increasing their population density, reduces overall car use with benefits to the global environment, but also increases concentrations of traffic, worsening local conditions, unless it is accompanied by constraints on car owners... Read More about The paradox of intensification.

Carfree, low car - what's the difference? (2010)
Presentation / Conference
Melia, S. (2010, October). Carfree, low car - what's the difference?. Paper presented at European Transport Conference, Glasgow, Scotland

This paper aims to propose a definition and typology of carfree development and to assess the benefits and problems associated with it. It aims to contrast these with the concept and practice of ‘low car’ development. Through a review of the litera... Read More about Carfree, low car - what's the difference?.

Potential for carfree development in the UK (2009)
Thesis
Melia, S. Potential for carfree development in the UK. (Thesis). University of the West of England. Retrieved from https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/989644

Rising car ownership and use has been associated with: pollution, resource depletion, waste of land, social exclusion and health problems. Carfree development is a relatively recent response to these problems in urban areas. There are several examp... Read More about Potential for carfree development in the UK.

Potential for carfree development in the UK
Presentation / Conference
Melia, S. Potential for carfree development in the UK. Paper presented at 42nd Universities Transport Study Group Conference, Plymouth, UK

This paper aims: to propose a definition and typology of carfree development, to assess the benefits and problems associated with it, to assess the potential demand for ‘European style’ carfree housing in the UK and the circumstances under which it m... Read More about Potential for carfree development in the UK.