Dr Stephen Parkes
Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Regional Economic & Social Research (CRESR)
Summary
Dr Stephen Parkes is a Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research. As a transport specialist, he has worked on projects covering active travel, urban infrastructure provision, autonomous vehicles, and travel behaviour change.
About
Steve is a mixed-methods researcher based within the Sustainable Futures Cluster in the Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research. His area of expertise is transport but he has also been involved in projects across energy, just transitions, and inclusive growth. His current areas of work encompass the following:
- Active travel: Increasing levels of walking, cycling and other active modes is seen as vital component of the transition to a low-carbon transport system. Achieving behavioural changes towards active modes, underpinned by investment in supporting infrastructure is a key priority for policymakers. Steve has been involved in recent work to develop a Monitoring and Evaluation Plan for the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority Active Travel programme. In addition, he is currently completing a project studying the impacts of Covid-19 on travel behaviour in Sheffield and Lancashire (funded by the DecarboN8 Network).
- High consumers of energy and transport: This programme of work, alongside colleagues in the Sustainable Futures Cluster, is focused on a poorly understood and under researched group of households - those households that consume energy, food and transport in large quantities relative to average households. This work aims to consider the existing evidence in relation to high consumers and to explore, through qualitative and quantitative methods, the extent and nature of this group.
- Autonomous Vehicles: The widespread adoption of autonomous vehicles (or driverless cars) is increasingly being discussed, with proponents heralding their multiple benefits to the transport system. Through two on-going projects, Steve is working with colleagues to explore the potential impacts of AVs on towns and cities, and in particular on other road users, including the more vulnerable pedestrians and cyclists.
Since 2019 he has been a co-editor of the People, Place and Policy journal. Prior to CRESR, Steve worked as a Research Fellow in the School of Geography at the University of Nottingham working within a Leverhulme Trust funded interdisciplinary project on urban sustainability. His PhD (University of Leeds, 2011-2015) focused on the impact of disruptive events on individual travel behaviour, adopting a case-study of the London 2012 Olympic Games.
Research
2022-2027 Active Travel Portfolio Research and Evaluation Programme. Department for Transport. Role: Project Manager.
2022-2023 Everyday travel past and present: A local case study of Sheffield, UK. Sheffield Hallam University. Role: Project Manager.
2020-2022 Local and regional responses to connected and autonomous vehicles. Regional Studies Association. Role: Project team member.
2020-2021 Understanding and engaging with high consuming households: energy, transport, food. Sheffield Hallam University. Role: Project team member.
2020-2021 Room to Move – Impacts of road-space reallocation (REMODEL). Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (DecarboN8 Network). Role: Project Manager.
2020-2021 Active Travel Monitoring and Evaluation Plan (South Yorkshire). South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority. Role: Project team member.
2020-2021 What does a city regional just transition look like? Sheffield City Region. Role: Project team member.
2020-2021 Thematic Review of Local Government Responses to Covid-19 in the UK. Sheffield Hallam University / IGU Commission on the Geography of Governance. Role: Project team member.
2019-2021 Walking with Energy: overcoming energy invisibility through research participation, Swedish Energy Agency. Role: project manager.
2019-2020 South Yorkshire Bus Review Evidence Support. Role: project team member.
2018-2019 Economic Assessment of Assets in Community Ownership, Power to Change. Role: project team member.
2018-2019 Inclusive Growth Strategy Support, Sheffield City Region. Role: project team member.
2018-2019 The Sheffield and Rotherham Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA), Sheffield City Council and Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council. Role: project team member.
2018-2019 Sheffield City Region Active Travel Review, Sheffield City Region. Role: project team member.
2018 Metrolink Community Impact Study (led by Ipsos Mori), Transport for Greater Manchester. Role: policy input.
Publications
Journal articles
Grace, A., Leather, D., & Parkes, S. (2024). Unequal and unjust? Visualising South Yorkshire’s consumption distribution. People, Place and Policy Online, 1-3. http://doi.org/10.3351/ppp.2024.6293492383
Parkes, S., Weston, R., & Gore, T. (2024). The impact of Covid-19 road-space reallocation measures: Insights from the north of England. Active Travel Studies, 4 (1). http://doi.org/10.16997/ats.1444
Ambrose, A., Palm, J., Parkes, S., & Speake, B. (2024). Oral histories of domestic heating transitions in England and Sweden: lessons on how heating transitions play out across place and time. International Journal of Housing Policy, 1-20. http://doi.org/10.1080/19491247.2024.2350135
Gore, T., Bimpson, E., Dobson, J., & Parkes, S. (2023). Path Clearing, Policy Acceleration or Trend Reinforcement: Potential Implications of Selected Local Government Responses to Covid-19 in the UK. International Review of Public Policy, 5 (3), 313-344. http://doi.org/10.4000/irpp.3872
Castano Garcia, A., Ambrose, A., Hawkins, A., & Parkes, S. (2021). High consumption, an unsustainable habit that needs more attention. Energy Research and Social Science, 80. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2021.102241
Parkes, S., Jopson, A., & Marsden, G. (2016). Understanding travel behaviour change during mega-events: Lessons from the London 2012 Games. Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, 92, 104-119. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.tra.2016.07.006
Parkes, S., Marsden, G., Shaheen, S.A., & Cohen, A.P. (2013). Understanding the diffusion of public bikesharing systems: evidence from Europe and North America. Journal of Transport Geography, 31, 94-103. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtrangeo.2013.06.003
Conference papers
Hawkins, A., Ambrose, A., Parkes, S., Arbell, Y., Garcia, A.C., & Rafalowicz-Campbell, M. (2022). High consumers of energy and resources and the work of being wealthy: towards a research agenda. In ECEEE Summer Study 2022, Hyeres, France, 6 June 2022 - 11 June 2022. ECEEE: https://www.eceee.org/library/conference_proceedings/eceee_Summer_Studies/2022/1-dynamics-of-consumption-less-is-more/high-consumers-of-energy-and-resources-and-the-work-of-being-wealthy-towards-a-research-agenda/
Book chapters
Ambrose, A., Palm, J., Parkes, S., & Speake, B. (2024). Histories of heating: looking back, moving forwards. In Horne, R., Ambrose, A., Walker, G., & Nelson, A. (Eds.) Post Carbon Inclusion: transitions built on justice. (pp. 36-52). Bristol: Bristol University Press: https://bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/post-carbon-inclusion
Ambrose, A., Hawkins, A., Parkes, S., Castano Garcia, A., Arbell, Y., & Speake, B. (2024). Uneven Consumption and the Work of Being a High Consumer. In Post Carbon Inclusion: Transitions Built on Justice. Bristol University Press
Books
Parkes, S., & Ferrari, E. (2022). Connected and autonomous vehicles: the challenges facing cities and regions. Taylor & Francis. http://doi.org/10.1080/2578711x.2022.2085919
Reports
Marson, J., Dickinson, J., & Parkes, S. (2023). Autonomous vehicle use in practice: is the UK ready? London: Property Research Trust. http://doi.org/10.52915/RHYD6902
Ambrose, A., Rafalowicz-Campbell, M., Castano Garcia, A., Hawkins, A., & Parkes, S. (2023). High consumption in the UK: an exploration of secondary data. Sheffield Hallam University, Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research. https://www.shu.ac.uk/centre-regional-economic-social-research/publications/high-consumption-in-the-uk
Gregory, M., Ferrari, E., Parkes, S., Barrett, D., Goldsmith, S., & Storey, R. (2023). DfT Active Travel portfolio evaluation - monitoring and evaluation (M&E Plan).
Batty, E., Crisp, R., Gilbertson, J., Martin, P., Pardoe, J., Parkes, S., ... Wilson, I. (2022). Working well early help: final annual report 2022. Sheffield Hallam University, Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research. http://doi.org/10.7190/cresr.2022.6213791987
Ambrose, A., Castano Garcia, A., Hawkins, A., Parkes, S., Rafalowicz-Campbell, M., & Smith, M. (2022). It’s high time to talk about the climate impacts of high consumers. Sheffield Hallam University. https://www.shu.ac.uk/centre-regional-economic-social-research/publications/its-high-time-to-talk-about-the-climate-impacts-of-high-consumers
Eadson, W., Northall, P., Johnston, A., Parkes, S., Wells, P., & While, A. (2022). South Yorkshire low carbon energy supply chains: nuclear sector summary. Sheffield Hallam University, Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research. https://www.shu.ac.uk/centre-regional-economic-social-research/publications/sector-summary-nuclear
Eadson, W., Northall, P., Johnston, A., Parkes, S., Wells, P., & While, A. (2022). South Yorkshire low carbon energy supply chains: insulation sector summary. Sheffield Hallam University, Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research. https://www.shu.ac.uk/centre-regional-economic-social-research/publications/sector-summary-insulation
Eadson, W., Northall, P., Johnston, A., Parkes, S., Wells, P., & While, A. (2022). South Yorkshire low carbon energy supply chains: hydrogen sector summary. Sheffield Hallam University, Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research. https://www.shu.ac.uk/centre-regional-economic-social-research/publications/sector-summary-hydrogen
Eadson, W., Northall, P., Johnston, A., Parkes, S., Wells, P., & While, A. (2022). South Yorkshire low carbon energy supply chains: heat pumps sector summary. Sheffield Hallam University, Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research. https://www.shu.ac.uk/centre-regional-economic-social-research/publications/sector-summary-heat-pumps
Eadson, W., Northall, P., Johnston, A., Parkes, S., Wells, P., & While, A. (2022). South Yorkshire low carbon energy supply chains: heat networks sector summary. Sheffield Hallam University, Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research. https://www.shu.ac.uk/centre-regional-economic-social-research/publications/sector-summary-heat-networks
Eadson, W., Northall, P., Johnston, A., Parkes, S., Wells, P., & While, A. (2022). South Yorkshire low carbon energy supply chains: carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) sector summary. Sheffield Hallam University, Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research. https://www.shu.ac.uk/centre-regional-economic-social-research/publications/sector-summary-carbon-capture-utilisation-and-storage-ccus
Eadson, W., Northall, P., Johnston, A., Parkes, S., Wells, P., & While, A. (2022). Low carbon energy supply chains, employment and skills in South Yorkshire: headline findings. Sheffield Hallam University, Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research. https://www.shu.ac.uk/centre-regional-economic-social-research/publications/low-carbon-energy-supply-chains-employment-and-skills-in-south-yorkshire-headline-findings
Parkes, S., Gore, T., Weston, R., & Lawler, M. (2021). Room to move: impacts of road-space reallocation. Sheffield Hallam University, Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research. http://doi.org/10.7190/cresr.2021.0383487418
Batty, E., Crisp, R., Gilbertson, J., Martin, P., Pardoe, J., Parkes, S., ... Wilson, I. (2021). Working well early help annual report 2021. Sheffield Hallam University, Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research. http://doi.org/10.7190/cresr.2021.1032611143
Ambrose, A., Parkes, S., Eadson, W., Bull, R., Thidell, Å., Kojonsaari, A.-.R., ... Smith, M. (2021). Walking with energy: overcoming energy invisibility through research participation. Energimyndigheten. https://www.shu.ac.uk/centre-regional-economic-social-research/publications/walking-with-energy-overcoming-energy-invisibility-through-research-participation
Eadson, W., Harris, C., Parkes, S., Dobson, J., & Dempsey, N. (2021). Why should we invest in parks? Evidence from the Parks for People programme. Heritage Lottery Fund. https://www.shu.ac.uk/centre-regional-economic-social-research/publications/why-should-we-invest-in-parks-evidence-from-the-parks-for-people-programme
Gregory, M., Parkes, S., Ferrari, E., & taylor, C. (2021). SCR’s Active Travel Implementation Plan monitoring and evaluation plan.
Gore, A., Bimpson, E., Dobson, J., & Parkes, S. (2021). Local Government Responses to the COVID-19 Pandemic in the UK: A Thematic Review. Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research, Sheffield Hallam University. https://www.shu.ac.uk/centre-regional-economic-social-research/publications/local-government-responses-to-the-covid19-pandemic-in-the-uk-a-thematic-review
Archer, T., Parkes, S., & Speake, B. (2020). The English Village and Community Hall Survey 2020. Sheffield: Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research, Sheffield Hallam University. https://www.shu.ac.uk/centre-regional-economic-social-research/publications/the-english-village-and-community-hall-survey-2020
Batty, E., Ceolta-Smith, J., Crisp, R., Gilbertson, J., Martin, P., Parkes, S., ... Scullion, L. (2020). Working Well Early Help: annual report 2020. Sheffield Hallam University, Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research. http://doi.org/10.7190/cresr.2021.4065181353
Gregory, M., Parkes, S., Hamilton, N., & Haake, S. (2019). SCR Active Travel Strategy Review.
Archer, T., Wilson, I., Parkes, S., Batty, E., & Harris, C. (2019). Our assets, our future: the economics, outcomes and sustainability of assets in community ownership. Power to Change. https://www.shu.ac.uk/centre-regional-economic-social-research/publications/our-assets-our-future-the-economics-outcomes-and-sustainability-of-assets-in-community-ownership