Nicholas J. Williams

Non-motorised transport and sustainable development: evidence from Calcutta

The important role that non-motorised transport plays in urban sustainability is discussed with particular reference to the developing world and to the links between environmental and poverty issues. The significance of non-motorised transport in terms of reduced pollution, income maintenance for the poor and providing transport for vulnerable groups is stressed and placed within the general context of sustainable development. More specifically, evidence is presented for rickshaws in Calcutta, which demonstrates the vital role that non-motorised transport must play if sustainable development objectives are to be met. This evidence indicates that if rickshaws were to disappear from Calcuttas streets there would not only be significant increases in air pollution but also a substantial increase in the numbers of people living in poverty.

Locals, incomers and second homes—the role of resold public sector dwellings in rural Scotland

Privatization of public rental housing has been a key element of Government housing policy in Britain since 1979, and the longer term consequences are now becoming apparent. In particular the role that the former public rental dwellings plays in the housing market on resale is becoming clearer. This article examines resales in rural Scotland and concludes that the dwellings are not being used as second homes or retirement homes and that most are being bought by locals on moderate incomes. Most incoming buyers, however, are elderly with property to sell and they can outbid local buyers. The dwellings will not be meeting the housing needs of the poorest households, however, as they are no longer available to rent. In the absence of new rented housing to replace dwellings lost to the rented sector through the Right‐to‐Buy, the housing choices of some of those who need to rent may have been seriously diminished.

Moving on and moving up: The experience of households who resell public sector dwellings

Abstract The long‐term consequences of the sale of public sector dwellings to sitting tenants are under‐researched; in particular, the experience of tenant purchasers in the housing market subsequent to purchase is little known. This paper reports research designed to fill this gap in knowledge. Over 200 tenants who had bought their dwelling from the Scottish Special Housing Association and subsequently resold on the open market were traced using the Register fo Sasines and the Land Register and interviewed. Most had made considerable capital gains on resale and had used some of the realised capital to trade up in the housing market. They were, on average, slightly more affluent and younger than sitting tenant purchasers generally; they represented a group of households who were privileged within the public sector through living as tenants in the best stock and who were enabled by the Right to Buy to convert that good luck into hard cash and move into mainstream owner occupation. This good luck compounded...

Life cycle analysis of housing

Abstract This paper reports the findings of a project to assess the costs and benefits of adopting environment‐friendly construction practices for social rented housing in Scotland. Two contrasted dwelling specifications — one for a conventional building (the Control) and one for an environmentally responsible building (Eco‐Type 1) — are compared using Life Cycle Analysis and Life Cycle Costing methodologies. An assessment is made of the environmental and economic implications of adopting environmentally conscious construction practices in social rented housing. It is concluded that the provision of environmentally responsible dwellings could bring large‐scale reductions in the environmental burden of housing, and economic savings for housing providers and tenants over the life cycle of a dwelling with only a small increase in capital costs.

Council house sales and the electorate: Voting behaviour and ideological implications

Abstract The voting behaviour and general ideological values of samples of purchasers and non‐purchasers of council houses were investigated against the general theoretical debate concerning the relationship of tenure and political attitudes. It was hypothesised on the basis of this debate that purchasers would have been more likely than non‐purchasers to switch from Labour to Conservative between 1979 and 1983 and that they would be more likely to favour privatised and individualistic attitudes in general. It was found that purchasers were indeed more likely to vote Conservative than non‐purchasers, but that desertions from the Labour Party were more in favour of the Alliance than the Conservatives. Purchasers were more likely than non‐purchasers to favour privatised and individualistic political attitudes, but when controlling for social class this relationship was restricted to manual social classes only.

Crime patterns in Aberdeen

Abstract The distribution of crime within the city of Aberdeen for the years 1981 and 1982 was analysed, both in terms of total numbers of crimes in each police beat and in terms of crime rates per 1000 resident population. Crime rates were also analysed in conjunction with selected variables from the 1981 Census. Distinctive patterns were found in which crime rates were shown to be statistically related to social class, tenure and unemployment. High crime rates were found in the city centre, and areas of public sector housing, and low crime rates were found in the more affluent owner‐occupied suburbs.

Geography in the Scottish universities: Current position and future prospects

Abstract Recent years have seen rapid and continuing change in education in general and in higher education in particular. This paper reviews the implications of these changes for teaching and research in geography in universities in Scotland. It concludes that geography departments in universities in Scotland may look to the future with optimism. The review is based on statistics collected by Professor D.E. Sugden from Heads of Departments of Geography in universities in Scotland. The assistance and cooperation of Professor Sugden and other departmental heads are gratefully acknowledged.

Recent developments in Scottish housing policy

Abstract The recently published Housing Bill for Scotland proposes major changes in the way rented housing is provided north of the border and a much reduced role for local authorities. This short paper summarises the proposed legislation and offers a brief assessment of its possible consequences.