Debating the 24 hour society
By 2020 it is estimated that every day 13 million Britons will make use of the hours between 6pm and 9am for work, shopping and entertainment. What will be the consequences of this move towards a 24 hour 7 day society for the way that we travel and plan our cities? Will our failure to adapt to 24 hour working patterns affect Britain’s global competitiveness? And what are the obstacles that stand in the way of becoming a truly 24 hour society?
As the Department for Transport launches a new initiative to reduce peak hour traffic and encourage flexible working, these issues are crucial to delivery of government objectives.
The ITC has been exploring these issues in a new Occasional Paper due to be launched in April, which will look at the transport obstacles to a truly 24 hour society.
This will be followed with a special Discussion Evening on 14 April to tackle these big issues from a wide range of perspectives in transport and planning as well as specific implications for the auto, rail, bus, aviation and logistics industries. Kris Beuret OBE will lead a panel including Steve Agg, Chief Executive of the CILT, Professor Marion Roberts of the University of Westminster, and John Worthington, Director of the Academy of Urbanism.
Join the debate on the consequences of a 24 hour society by adding your own questions in the comment box below!