Geodemographics and public service delivery: a case study of vulnerable road users

Applications of geodemographics to public service delivery have been prolific in the UK in recent years. This paper seeks to firstly review how geodemographics has been integrated into the public agenda by providing a brief review of geodemographics in the UK and international arena. Increasingly academics and researchers alike place a great deal of emphasis on the use of a predominantly private sector marketing tool for determining public agenda. It attempts to explain the policy shift in which the use of geodemographics has integrated the public service sphere and gives a critical appraisal of these trends. The second part of the paper focuses on a case study of road collisions in London and how the use of geodemographics can assist to identify vulnerable road users, and therefore potentially policy development in this area. The nature of this case study also explores the theme of risk and geodemographics, specifically applied to, in the context of road collisions, but also its use in crime and health applications of geodemographics. By questioning the quantification of risk in this nature and how this can be effectively applied to public service agenda, this paper aims to critically appraise geodemographics, using empirical evidence.