EPSRC DLA: e-cargo bikes in rural areas for decarbonisation and equitable transition

One full scholarship is available in the Institute for Transport Studies for 2025/26 entry for a Home fee rated applicant. This is a highly competitive EPSRC Doctoral Landscape Award Studentship offering the award of UK fees, together with a tax-free maintenance grant (currently £19,237 for academic session 2024/25) for 3.5 years. This award is only available to Home fee rated applicants. Training and support will also be provided. Please note that whilst you may be successful in securing an academic offer for this project, this does not mean that you have been successful in securing an offer of funding. Funding is awarded on a competitive basis.

<p>To sufficiently reduce the carbon emissions of transport, car use reduction of at least 20% is required (Marsden 2023 <a href="https://www.creds.ac.uk/publications/reverse-gear-the-reality-and-implications-of-national-transport-emission-reduction-policies/">https://www.creds.ac.uk/publications/reverse-gear-the-reality-and-implications-of-national-transport-emission-reduction-policies/</a>) . e-bikes and e-cargo bikes have potential to make an important contribution to transport energy reduction generally (Climate Change Committee 2022 : <a href="https://www.theccc.org.uk/publication/2022-progress-report-to-parliament/">https://www.theccc.org.uk/publication/2022-progress-report-to-parliament/</a> and decarbonisation of rural areas specifically ( Philips et al 2022 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tranpol.2021.11.019 Philips et al 2024 <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtrangeo.2024.103813">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtrangeo.2024.103813</a>).</p> <p>Rural e-micro mobility and Active Travel are under studied. (Brand 2021 https://doi.org/10.16997/ats.1036 , Bobcic 2024 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2024.144346 Philips et al 2024 <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtrangeo.2024.103813">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtrangeo.2024.103813</a>). The need for more research on e-bikes / e-cargo bikes in rural areas was a key finding on future research areas from the Mobility Theme of the CREDS EPSRC funded research centre (EP/R035288/1). Existing decision-making tools for planning active travel infrastructure are overly focussed on urban areas and are unsuited to rural applications [Emma Moody Lake District National Park Authority pers. Comm 2024].</p> <p>Understanding where and for whom specific technologies are viable for achieving transport energy demand reduction is important in order to make efficient and equitable use of resources in the decarbonisation transition, and according to research commissioned by UKRI a place based approach may be more effective and have significantly lower costs than a top down approach (PWC et al 2022 <a href="https://www.ukri.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/IUK-090322-AcceleratingNetZeroDelivery-UnlockingBenefitsClimateActionUKCityRegions.pdf">https://www.ukri.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/IUK-090322-AcceleratingNetZeroDelivery-UnlockingBenefitsClimateActionUKCityRegions.pdf</a>).</p> <p>Our hypothesis is that e-cargo bikes and other e-micromobility can enable a sub-group of those living in rural areas to achieve considerable reductions in their transport energy demand and carbon emissions, supporting the low carbon transition. The aim of this studentship is to provide evidence for or against this hypothesis. The project objectives are to understand:</p> <ul> <li>Where and for whom are e-cargo bikes a viable means of transport energy reduction in rural areas?</li> <li>What are the carbon reduction savings of E-cargo bikes in rural areas from car substitution and destination shift?</li> <li>What engineered infrastructures (e.g. charging, storage and route infrastructures) facilitate e-cargo bikes contributing to securing a low-carbon future?</li> <li>What are the effects on travel costs and overall levels of mobility of rural access to rural e-cargo bikes?</li> </ul> <p>A small fleet of c 12 e-cargo bikes (extending the research usage of equipment bought during the ELEVATE project) is available to enable empirical primary data collection e.g. through a research trial which would generate valuable empirical data. A range of quantitative and qualitative methods may be applied, developed or synthesised here (techniques may include surveys, GPS trace analysis, travel diaries, interviews, participatory mapping). The supervision team would be able to provide guidance on a range of methods and encourage the candidate to explore and develop an appropriate methodology that compliments their research questions.</p> <p>Links to relevant organisations: Philips has built a useful working relationship with Lake District National Park Authority as a potential partner offering support as benefit in kind. They may also act as a facilitator of relations with other National Parks and rural areas. Pangbourne is on the Advisory Board of the Scottish Rural and Islands Transport Community. Both supervisors have strong networks of academic and practitioner contacts in rural transportation across the UK and beyond. Though the time frame for submitting a proposal has been too short to get formal letters of support from non-academic organisations, Philips has met with Lake District National Park Authority and Active Travel England staff who are enthusiastically supportive of the proposal and would likely be able to provide benefits in kind. They see work like this as being relevant to informing policy through forthcoming Rural Design Guidance, and ongoing collaborations between ATE and National parks through the National Parks fund <a href="https://activetravelengland.gov.uk/funding/national-parks">https://activetravelengland.gov.uk/funding/national-parks</a>.</p>

<p>Formal applications for research degree study should be made online through the <a href="https://www.leeds.ac.uk/research-applying/doc/applying-research-degrees">University's website</a>. You will need to create a login ID with a username and PIN. <strong>Please follow these instructions carefully or your application may not be considered.</strong></p> <ul> <li>For ‘Application type’ please select ‘Research Degrees – Research Postgraduate’.</li> <li>The admission year for this project is 2025/26 Academic Year.</li> <li>You will need to select your ‘Planned Course of Study’ from a drop-down menu. For this project, you must scroll down and select ‘<strong>EPSRC DLA Environment</strong>’. If you do not apply under this programme code, your application cannot be considered.</li> <li>Please state the funding you wish to be considered for is <strong>EPSRC Doctoral Landscape Award 2025/26: Environment</strong>.</li> <li>The project start date for this project is October 2025, please use this as your Proposed Start Date of Research.</li> <li>Please state clearly in the research information section that the research degree you wish to be considered for is <strong>EPSRC Doctoral Landscape Award: e-cargo bikes in rural areas for decarbonisation and equitable transition</strong> as well as <a href="https://environment.leeds.ac.uk/transport/staff/972/dr-ian-philips">Dr Ian Philips</a> as your proposed supervisor.</li> <li>You must provide the following documents in your application: <ul> <li>Full transcripts of all degree study, or if in final year of study, full transcripts to date</li> <li>Personal statement outlining your interest in the project</li> <li>CV</li> </ul> </li> </ul> <p>If English is not your first language, you must provide evidence that you meet the University's minimum English language requirements (below).</p> <p><em>As an international research-intensive university, we welcome students from all walks of life and from across the world. We foster an inclusive environment where all can flourish and prosper, and we are proud of our strong commitment to student education. Across all Faculties we are dedicated to diversifying our community and we welcome the unique contributions that individuals can bring, and particularly encourage applications from, but not limited to Black, Asian, people who belong to a minority ethnic community, people who identify as LGBT+ and people with disabilities. Applicants will always be selected based on merit and ability.</em></p>

Applicants to research degree programmes should normally have at least a first class or an upper second class British Bachelors Honours degree (or equivalent) in an appropriate discipline. A Master's degree is also desirable. Applicants who are uncertain about the requirements for a particular research degree are advised to contact the PGR Admissions Team prior to making an application.

The minimum English language entry requirement for research postgraduate research study is an IELTS of 6.0 overall with at least 5.5 in each component (reading, writing, listening and speaking) or equivalent. The test must be dated within two years of the start date of the course in order to be valid. Some schools and faculties have a higher requirement.

<p>This competitive EPSRC Doctoral Landscape Award offers the award of tuition fees at the Home rate, together with a tax-free maintenance grant (currently £19,237 for academic session 2024/25) for 3.5 years. Training and support will also be provided. This award is only available to Home fee rated applicants.</p> <p>Please note that whilst you may be successful in securing an academic offer for any project linked to this funding advertised project or own research proposal, this does not mean that you have been successful in securing an offer of funding. Funding is awarded on a competitive basis.</p> <p>Please refer to the <a href="https://www.ukcisa.org.uk/">UKCISA</a> website for information regarding fee status for Non-UK Nationals.</p>

<p>For further information please contact the Postgraduate Research Admissions team: <a href="mailto:env-pgr@leeds.ac.uk?subject=EPSRC%20DLA%3A%20Promoting%20Healthy%20Ageing%20through%20Diverse%20Mobility%20Options">env-pgr@leeds.ac.uk</a>. </p>