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Prof Charles Musselwhite

@charliemuss.bsky.social

1.3K followers 220 following 150 posts

Professor & Head of Psychology at Aberystwyth Uni. Fellow of Academy of Social Sciences. Research interests in how we connect with communities around us as we age inc transport, tech & built env. Loves prog rock, football (Swansea & Gosport fan) & cricket. .. more

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Charles Brian Alexander Musselwhite FAcSS is Professor and Head of Psychology at Aberystwyth University.

Source: Wikipedia

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Public Health 20%

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Prof Charles Musselwhite @charliemuss.bsky.social · Dec 11

My presentation at the excellent, TRANSPORT Smart Class, Wales & West of England, Cardiff, last week.
This is my keynote presentation highlighting that we need to see transport much more from a person-based perspective, bring in the social and bring in community.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-J6...

Putting Communities and People at the Heart of Transport Decision-Making

YouTube video by Charles Musselwhite

www.youtube.com

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Prof Charles Musselwhite @charliemuss.bsky.social · 7d

Overview of some of my research with older people & transport:
🚌Redesigning public transport - better signage, lighting, and staff training
🚷Making it easier to cross the road
🤖 Future transport involving automation & AI must involve older people in tech development
www.aber.ac.uk/en/rbi/resea...

Transport and mobility challenges facing older people : Research, Business & Innovation , Aberystwyth University

www.aber.ac.uk

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Prof Charles Musselwhite @charliemuss.bsky.social · 19d

New book chapter out:ageing, transport & decarbonisation in an excellent new edited collection Towards Transport Net Zero
Take-home message:older people want to be part of the decarbonisation agenda. We need supportive policy to help with active & public transport use www.emerald.com/books/edited...

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Reposted by Charles Musselwhite

Wouter Poortinga @wouterpoortinga.bsky.social · Sep 8

Do you remember Twitter/X before it went off the rails?
Not too long ago it was a useful digital town square for public debate. We used it to track public opinion when the UK Emergency Active Travel Fund was introduced in May 2020

🔓Open access article can be found here👉 doi.org/10.1016/j.tb... (1/)

Redirecting

doi.org

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Reposted by Charles Musselwhite

Gil Greengross @giligg.bsky.social · Sep 5

Wit Happens: A Light-hearted Dive into the Science of Humour. A free public lecture on the psychology of humour at the start of Aberystwyth Comedy Festival. Friday, October 3. Tickets at abercomedyfest.co.uk/show/2025/dr... (via @machcomedyfest) @charliemuss.bsky.social @prifaber.bsky.social

Aberystwyth Comedy Festival | Dr Gil Greengross - Free Public Lecture – Wit Happens: A Light-hearted Dive into the Science of Humour

abercomedyfest.co.uk

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Prof Charles Musselwhite @charliemuss.bsky.social · Aug 13

I like it, I enjoy walking! But important to remember the correlation and causation relationship is always an issue here… there is no way of separating it, we can try but it’s never perfect…

Jon Owen @anotherjon.bsky.social · Aug 13

Newly published research quantifies the health benefits of walking fast:

Study participants who fast walked for at least 15 minutes every day saw a nearly 20% reduction in premature deaths.

edition.cnn.com/2025/08/11/h...

Fast walking is a key to longevity, research shows | CNN

Walking fast for a minimum of 15 minutes a day can reduce mortality by 20%, according to new research

edition.cnn.com

Prof Charles Musselwhite @charliemuss.bsky.social · Aug 13

What a dreadful article from the Independent. Wrong on every front. If you think autonomous vehicles is going to save the world then you’re hugely mistaken. Also I’ve studied transport and ageing for 25 years, eyesight is the only test that makes a difference to road safety…

Cyclegranny @cyclegranny.bsky.social · Aug 13

This piece couldn’t be more wrong. I work in ophthalmology and if optometrist in the UK were allowed to legally stop people with reduced vision from driving it would really make a difference. All people not just elderly need a driving eye test. Source: The Independent share.google/8cZb6lrY4iDo...

Testing elderly drivers’ eyesight won’t make our roads much safer – but this might…

If the government really wants to shake up Britain’s driving laws, banning the over-70s who fail compulsory eye tests barely scratches the passenger’s side, says Sean O’Grady

share.google

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Reposted by Charles Musselwhite

Peter Stefanovic @peterstefanovic.bsky.social · Aug 13

Free bus passes should be given to all under 22-year-olds in England MPs say

In a new report today, the Commons Transport Committee said giving free bus passes to all under 22-year-olds would improve young people's access to 'work and skills opportunities'
www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...

Free bus passes should be given to all under 22-year-olds in England, MPs say

In a new report today, the Commons Transport Committee said giving free bus passes to all under 22-year-olds would improve young people's access to 'work and skills opportunities'

www.mirror.co.uk

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Reposted by Charles Musselwhite

Institute for Public Policy Research @ippr.org · Aug 13

🚘 NEW RESEARCH | What do people in Britain really want from transport? From safer streets to better buses, the public’s priorities are clear and they’re ready for change. Read our new research with @moreincommonuk.bsky.social ippr.org/articles/everyday-concerns-what-people-want-from-transport

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Reposted by Charles Musselwhite

Cyclegranny @cyclegranny.bsky.social · Aug 13

Testing elderly drivers’ eyesight won’t make our roads much safer – but this might…

If the government really wants to shake up Britain’s driving laws, banning the over-70s who fail compulsory eye tests barely scratches the passenger’s side, says Sean O’Grady

share.google

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Reposted by Charles Musselwhite

Jon Owen @anotherjon.bsky.social · Aug 13

Fast walking is a key to longevity, research shows | CNN

Walking fast for a minimum of 15 minutes a day can reduce mortality by 20%, according to new research

edition.cnn.com

Prof Charles Musselwhite @charliemuss.bsky.social · Aug 12

Hanging out with architectural designer and urban planner le Corbusier today!

Prof Charles Musselwhite @charliemuss.bsky.social · Aug 11

Couple of radio interviews from a balcony on the South of France
BBC radio 5 live (at 2h40) www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
BBC radio Wales (at 1h10mins www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
Sight tests a good thing for older drivers there is evidence they work: www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

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Prof Charles Musselwhite @charliemuss.bsky.social · Aug 9

And the city centre itself has train. For a city of 91000 population. The equivalent of somewhere like Chester, Bath or Hartlepool having a tram.

Prof Charles Musselwhite @charliemuss.bsky.social · Aug 9

Avignon by train. Everything a lesson in planning the UK needs to learn.
Avignon TGV station concedes a lot of passenger last/first mile to the car but area around it includes hotels, residential areas, training centres, small goods and a huge rail-road freight depot with containers.

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Reposted by Charles Musselwhite

Nürnberg steigt ab 🚳 @nbg-steigt-ab.bsky.social · Aug 7

Woran man erkennen kann, dass sich was tut?
Dieser Radverkehrs-Zähler wurde so 2020/2021 installiert, mit einer Skala bis 500'000. Dieses Jahr steht er schon in der ersten Augustwoche bei 380'000 und es ist nicht klar, ob der Rest noch fürs Jahr ausreicht.

Säule eines Radverkehrs-Zählers vor der Stadtmauer von Avignon. In der Anzeige der Tageswert (am Abend kurz nach halb sechs 1'121) und ein Säulendiagramm der Jahressumme (auf der Skala bis 500'000 aktuell bei etwa 380'000).

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Reposted by Charles Musselwhite

Nürnberg steigt ab 🚳 @nbg-steigt-ab.bsky.social · Aug 7

Französische Städte sind auch weit außerhalb von Paris viel weiter mit der Verkehrswende als wir.
Hier wurde z.B. in Avignon auf einer der Hauptrouten (Brücke) gut 1/3 der ursprünglichen Fahrbahn zu einem relativ großzügigen 2-Richtungs-Radweg. Auf dem Hochbord ahnt man noch die alte Markierung.

Hochbord-Gehweg, der bis vor wenigen Jahren je zur Hälfte ein sehr schmaler Gehweg und ein sehr schmaler Radweg war, daneben der neue 2-Richtungs-Radweg, dann eine schmale Betonkante von ca. 10 cm Höhe und Breite. Die verbleibende Fahrbahn reicht gerade noch für den Begegnungsverkehr von 2 Bussen.

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Prof Charles Musselwhite @charliemuss.bsky.social · Aug 1

New retro BBC clock, second hand smoothly gliding along, in my home office, reminding me of years past as it counts forwards! Thanks @hiddenbritain.bsky.social

Reposted by Charles Musselwhite

Dustin Benton @dbenton.bsky.social · Aug 1

For the £49bn cost of a 3rd runway at Heathrow, the Spanish could build more than 3 high speed rail lines.
- London-Glasgow in 3h (linked to HS1 to Paris)
- Bristol-Newcastle in 2h
- London-St Ives in 2.5h

Plus they'd be near zero carbon. Explain to me why a 3rd runway is good value?

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Reposted by Richard S.J. Tol, John Drury, Alistair Munro , and 3 more Richard S.J. Tol, John Drury, Alistair Munro, Pierre Bataille, Charles Musselwhite, Federica Genovese

Wouter Poortinga @wouterpoortinga.bsky.social · Aug 1

After 3 desk rejects and 2 major rewrites (with a 17-page rebuttal (!), and cutting word count by 25%), I am pleased that my paper on policy appraisals and second-order beliefs in climate policy has found a home in @climate-policy.bsky.social: (1/) @cast-centre.bsky.social
doi.org/10.1080/1469...

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Prof Charles Musselwhite @charliemuss.bsky.social · Aug 1

Early start to the day discussing older drivers safety and issues around reporting health conditions to the DVLA on BBC Radio Wales. Who reports health conditons to DVLA, who doesn't. Should healthcare practitioners play a role? www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m... (43 mins in or so)

BBC Radio Wales - Radio Wales Breakfast, With Oliver Hides and Catrin Heledd

Everything you need to know as you wake up.

www.bbc.co.uk

Reposted by Tim Schwanen, Charles Musselwhite

learavensbergen.bsky.social @learavensbergen.bsky.social · Jun 5

🚐 New paper out! My final paper on community transport with @timschwanen.bsky.social at @tsuoxford.bsky.social is now published open access in Journal of Rural Studies.

What’s it about? See 🧵 below!

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Reposted by Charles Musselwhite

Transport and Health Science Group @transporthealth.bsky.social · Jul 24

The Melbourne Declaration on Transport, Health and Inequalities www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

The Melbourne declaration on transport, health and inequalities

www.sciencedirect.com

Reposted by Dorothy Bishop, Charles Musselwhite, R. M. Wilson , and 1 more Dorothy Bishop, Charles Musselwhite, R. M. Wilson, Katherine Brickell

The Canary @thecanaryuk.bsky.social · Jul 18

DWP boss just said Universal Credit gives disabled people 'perverse incentives' not to work

Liz Kendall's shocking comments came just as a new report slams the DWP for failing vulnerable claimants.

So which is it???
www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/...

DWP boss just said Universal Credit gives disabled people 'perverse incentives' not to work

Liz Kendall believes people on benefits are incentivised not to work - yet a new report slams the DWP for failing vulnerable claimants

www.thecanary.co

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Reposted by Charles Musselwhite

Academy of Social Sciences @acadsocsciences.bsky.social · Jul 16

Are you interested in how social science insights can inform transport policy🚆? Watch the recording of our webinar with Dr Matthew Niblett, @charliemuss.bsky.social, Dr Siobhan Campbell (nmisgroup.bsky.social) & @iaindocherty.bsky.social to find out more📽️➡️

Transport: Bridging the gap between research evidence and political/public action

In this webinar, chaired by Dr Matthew Niblett, Professor Charles Musselwhite FAcSS, Dr Siobhan Campbell FAcSS and Professor Iain Docherty FAcSS, discussed the potential carbon, health and social benefits of reduced car use and how these can be delivered in transport policy.

www.youtube.com

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Prof Charles Musselwhite @charliemuss.bsky.social · Jul 8

New article - are rural drivers different to urban drivers:

🏞️ Rural drivers have high internal & low external demands = more risky driving

🌆 Urban drivers get frustrated with internal & external demands = more lapses & more anger, but fewer severe collisions

www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Improving road safety in rural areas: An examination of the traffic safety climate in rural Wales

Although there is a body of research conducted on traffic safety and driver behaviors in the UK, studies on traffic safety climate, particularly in ru…

www.sciencedirect.com

Reposted by Charles Musselwhite

Quintin Lake @quintinlake.bsky.social · Jul 7

I took a break from the Cambrian mountains to look at the National Library of Wales in Aber today and here’s some punchy artwork on display that caught my eye in the There’s ‘No Welsh Art’ exhibition. A thread

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Reposted by Charles Musselwhite

Gil Greengross @giligg.bsky.social · Jul 7

Our new study on the heritablity of humor ability. Surprising result, no heritablity for humor production, only for self-assessed humor. Possible null effect due to low power, skewed sample, artificial tasks, and other factors. First study on the topic. See: www.cambridge.org/core/journal...

Heritability of Humor Production Ability — A Twin Study | Twin Research and Human Genetics | Cambridge Core

Heritability of Humor Production Ability — A Twin Study

www.cambridge.org

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Reposted by Charles Musselwhite

Stephen Frost @sfrost.bsky.social · Jul 6

Interesting new study from @smfthinktank.bsky.social finds a correlation between car dependency & loneliness, particularly in rural towns.

This might be due to there being “fewer ways to reach others” and space given to cars creating “barriers in what might have been walkable neighbourhoods.”

People lacking good public transport more likely to feel lonely, UK study finds

Research finds correlation between car dependancy and loneliness, particularly in rural towns

www.theguardian.com

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David Ho @davidho.bsky.social · May 4

I think a lot about what Carl Sagan said in one of his final interviews.

"WE'VE ARRANGED A society based on science and technology, in which nobody understands anything about science technology. And this combustible mixture of ignorance and power, sooner or later, is going to blow up in our faces. Who is running the science and technology in a democracy if the people don't know anything about it?"
"Science is more than a body of knowledge, it's a way of thinking. A way of skeptically interrogating the universe with a fine understanding of human fallibility. If we are not able to ask skeptical questions, to interrogate those who tell us that something is true, to be skeptical of those in authority, then we're up for grabs for the next charlatan, political or religious, who comes ambling along."

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Prof Charles Musselwhite @charliemuss.bsky.social · Jul 3

Enjoyable day back where much of my career begun with the excellent Centre for Transport & Society at University of the West of England - delighted to be a panel member at their excellent annual transport research symposium