Prof Charles Musselwhite
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charliemuss.bsky.social
Prof Charles Musselwhite
@charliemuss.bsky.social
1.3K followers 220 following 160 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
Engineering 34%
Public Health 20%
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charliemuss.bsky.social
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

charliemuss.bsky.social
Prof Charles Musselwhite @charliemuss.bsky.social · 1d
Free full paper link for 50 days here:
authors.elsevier.com/c/1m4Iq56Waj...
authors.elsevier.com

charliemuss.bsky.social
Prof Charles Musselwhite @charliemuss.bsky.social · 1d
👥 For politicians & policymakers: early backlash to 20 mph limits is normal - but it fades.
As people see safer streets & clearer info, negativity drops and support grows.
✅ Communicate local benefits
✅ Tackle misinformation early
✅ Link 20 mph to wellbeing, not restriction
#20mph #PublicPolicy

charliemuss.bsky.social
Prof Charles Musselwhite @charliemuss.bsky.social · 1d
💡 Key takeaway: even controversial policies can gain acceptance when:

The benefits become visible (e.g., fewer crashes, safer streets)

People have time to adapt

Communication is open & evidence-led

Behaviour change takes time — but it does happen.

#PublicPolicy #Transport #Wales

charliemuss.bsky.social
Prof Charles Musselwhite @charliemuss.bsky.social · 1d
📊 Using Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) & VADER sentiment analysis, we explored how public debate evolved.

At first, the 20 mph policy was framed as “political” — but over time, talk shifted toward safety, children, and urban mobility.

People began seeing the benefits 🚸

charliemuss.bsky.social
Prof Charles Musselwhite @charliemuss.bsky.social · 1d
🚗 New paper out!
We analysed 70k+ tweets about Wales’ new 20 mph speed limit
Public negativity dropped & positivity rose over 6 months — showing attitudes adapt with time 🕒
“Public perspectives on the 20 mph speed reduction in Wales”
🔗 doi.org/10.1016/j.js...
#20mph #RoadSafety #BehaviourChange
Redirecting
doi.org

charliemuss.bsky.social
Prof Charles Musselwhite @charliemuss.bsky.social · 17d
Loved teaching our MSc Behaviour Change students this week — great ideas on how psychology can shape more sustainable and inclusive transport! 🚴‍♀️🚌 #BehaviourChange #TransportPsychology

charliemuss.bsky.social
Prof Charles Musselwhite @charliemuss.bsky.social · 17d
A great chat on BBC Radio Wales about driving etiquette — it’s not just about rules, but norms.

We could all slow down a bit. It barely adds time to our journey, but makes driving calmer, more civil, and less stressful for all.🚗✨

1h10m in www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
#DrivingEtiquette #RoadSafety
The Phone In - Oliver Hides takes your calls on the Caerphilly by-election, motorists' disrespect for funerals and Jess Fishlock. - BBC Sounds
Caerphilly by-election, motorists' disrespect for funerals and Jess Fishlock.
www.bbc.co.uk

charliemuss.bsky.social
Prof Charles Musselwhite @charliemuss.bsky.social · 23d
I haven’t heard this before either … great to hear the middle of side 1 live! Love the end section to Heart of Lothian - curtain call
mattcohenbass.bsky.social Matthew Cohen @mattcohenbass.bsky.social · 23d
This is simply amazing. I’ve never seen this footage before, and so glad I found it. I really wish I could have seen the band during this era. A special time, and a very special album for me 🥰✨

youtu.be/2p_6W6PDKr0?...
Marillion London the Marquee Club 10th December 1985
YouTube video by The Archive Channel
youtu.be

Reposted by Charles Musselwhite

mattcohenbass.bsky.social
Matthew Cohen @mattcohenbass.bsky.social · 23d
This is simply amazing. I’ve never seen this footage before, and so glad I found it. I really wish I could have seen the band during this era. A special time, and a very special album for me 🥰✨

youtu.be/2p_6W6PDKr0?...
Marillion London the Marquee Club 10th December 1985
YouTube video by The Archive Channel
youtu.be

charliemuss.bsky.social
Prof Charles Musselwhite @charliemuss.bsky.social · 23d
Back to see Port Talbot Town play football for the first time in 5 and a half years. It was as if I hadn’t been away. Such a sense of community in that area, like I don’t know anywhere else, despite what the town goes through. What a win over local team Lido 2 divs higher, 3-1 in the cup. #forzaptt

Reposted by Charles Musselwhite

huwmarshall.substack.com
Huw Marshall 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 @huwmarshall.substack.com · 24d
Do you know what? It IS working. It hasn't caused tailbacks, quite the opposite actually. More importantly it's saved the lives of at least a dozen kids. Reform are actually campaigning for the return of more deaths and injuries. Absolutely bonkers.

charliemuss.bsky.social
Prof Charles Musselwhite @charliemuss.bsky.social · 24d
Also this week I had the pleasure of visiting Surrey Uni and delivering a talk on Wales' 20mph to the Business School. Thanks Nikolas Thomopoulos for hosting. Talked about the successes (fewer collisions) alongside the challenges (selling it to the public and how it becomes a political football)

charliemuss.bsky.social
Prof Charles Musselwhite @charliemuss.bsky.social · 24d
Giving up driving isn’t just about getting around — it’s about independence, identity & confidence. I spoke National Office of Traffic Medicine, Ireland, about how we can make this transition kinder, tackling both the practical and emotional sides. #Ageing #Mobility

Reposted by Wouter Poortinga, Charles Musselwhite, Gary Polhill

iaps2026.bsky.social
IAPS 2026 Conference @iaps2026.bsky.social · 26d
🎉 The Call for Submissions for IAPS 2026 Conference is now open!

📅 Submission deadline: 9 January 2026 (23:59 GMT)

📝 For guidance on how to submit, and full details of the conference, visit our website: surrey.ac.uk/iaps2026

@iaps-association.bsky.social @eprg-surrey.bsky.social

charliemuss.bsky.social
Prof Charles Musselwhite @charliemuss.bsky.social · 27d
🐴 New paper:
Equestrian Road Safety

- 1.5M riders on UK roads, yet policy rarely includes them.
- Close passing + speeding are key risks — & horses aren’t vehicles, they’re sentient road users.

#RoadSafety #EquestrianSafety #ActiveTravel
Read it here:
authors.elsevier.com/a/1lx1f7tR-3...
authors.elsevier.com

charliemuss.bsky.social
Prof Charles Musselwhite @charliemuss.bsky.social · Oct 2
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

charliemuss.bsky.social
Prof Charles Musselwhite @charliemuss.bsky.social · Sep 20
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...

Reposted by Charles Musselwhite

wouterpoortinga.bsky.social
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

Reposted by Charles Musselwhite

giligg.bsky.social
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

charliemuss.bsky.social
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…
anotherjon.bsky.social 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

charliemuss.bsky.social
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.bsky.social 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

Reposted by Charles Musselwhite

peterstefanovic.bsky.social
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

Reposted by Charles Musselwhite

ippr.org
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

Reposted by Charles Musselwhite

cyclegranny.bsky.social
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

Reposted by Charles Musselwhite

anotherjon.bsky.social
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

charliemuss.bsky.social
Prof Charles Musselwhite @charliemuss.bsky.social · Aug 12
Hanging out with architectural designer and urban planner le Corbusier today!

charliemuss.bsky.social
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...

charliemuss.bsky.social
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.

charliemuss.bsky.social
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.

Reposted by Charles Musselwhite

nbg-steigt-ab.bsky.social
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).