The critical role of transport in alleviating short and long-term pressures on the energy system

Jillian’s current research direction investigates ‘the future of the car’ – bringing together technological and societal developments including electrification and new mobility services to explore the concept of ‘car usership’. She applies socio-psychological theories and methods to the understanding of variations in car ownership, mobility patterns and resulting energy demands over time and space. This includes the design of qualitative and quantitative surveys and secondary data analysis to evaluate transport policy interventions at local and national scales.

As a social scientist, I have a specific interest in how we can transition our energy, housing and transport systems to help create a just and fair net zero society. This means ensuring equal benefits from low carbon technologies and practices for everyone, as well as a fair distribution of costs. My current research focuses on the interlinkages between fuel poverty and transport poverty, and I am leading a large project on this topic for CREDS in the UK, as well as examining these topics in other regions.

James Dixon is Lecturer in Transport at the Dept of Civil & Environmental Engineering at the University of Strathclyde. His research interests are in transport-energy system modelling to support pathway development for sustainable transport futures in different global contexts, and e-mobility renewable energy integration to support low-carbon energy systems. He has worked as a research fellow at Oxford University’s Transport Studies Unit, and as an Energy Systems Technical Specialist at BEIS (now DESNZ), advising policy units and ministers on issues relating to low-carbon transport and energy systems. James is a chartered engineer and has worked in the aerospace (Rolls-Royce) and nuclear (UK Atomic Energy Authority) industries.