Episodes
| Episode | Title | First Broadcast | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Night Time Street Cleaners | 20110307 | In this series of The Generation Gap, two people from different generations discuss how 'The Road' has changed and how those changes reflect shifts in society. The two people in each programme are linked in some way - either they both do the same job in different eras, or they share the same passion, or they are two generations of the same family working in the same profession. The series sheds light on changes of society over the last 40 - 50 years. In this series, we look at a day in the life of our roads -from the night time workers who prepare the street for the day ahead to the different kinds of vehicle drivers via the people who provide services along the road. In 5 montage-style programmes, we hear from night time street cleaners, lollipop people, motorcyclists, service station owners and truck drivers. We speak to 2 street cleaners - Vince Smith and Lawrence Foley to see how the road at night has changed. As our city centres operate 24/7 there is a constant need for cleansing teams to clear up after us, but what is our attitude to the night time street cleaner and in a more environmentally conscious Britain, has our attitude to litter changed? Are the people who do the job now different and do they still take pride in their work and what of the night-time communities such as the homeless? Reporter: Sara Parker Producer: Laura Parfitt A Juniper production for BBC Radio 4. Two people from different generations discuss the changes society has seen on our roads. People from different generations discuss how approaches in a certain field have changed |
| 02 | Lollipop People | 20110308 | We hear a street-eye view on how drivers' attitudes have changed towards pedestrians across generations. Road crossing patrols in Somerset like Helen Bailey are piloting a CCTV camera in their lollipop stick because of the problem of cars which drive through regardless of safety and road rage. In the past Terry Cross experienced fewer and friendlier motorists, more cyclists and even a horse and cart using the road. Reporter: Sara Parker Producer: Laura Parfitt A Juniper production for BBC Radio 4. Two people from different generations discuss the changes society has seen on our roads. People from different generations discuss how approaches in a certain field have changed |
| 03 | Bikers | 20110309 | Bruce has a passion for motorcycles and as soon as he was 16, he bought his first bike from his uncle for £25. For him in the late 1950s, a motorbike was an economic necessity as he couldn't afford a car but it soon became his life. He used it to travel to work and then when he married and had his first two children, used his bike as family transport with a sidecar and a trailer for when they went on holiday. They even took the dog. He compares his passion with that of Steve Willis who only got into bikes 8 years ago and has ended up with a company which sells bikes for up to £35,000 to people who have bikes as a consumerist bauble but hardly dare to take them out of the garage. This change reflects societal shifts in income and attitude. Reporter: Sara Parker Producer: Laura Parfitt A Juniper production for BBC Radio 4. Two people from different generations discuss the changes society has seen on our roads. People from different generations discuss how approaches in a certain field have changed |
| 04 | M People | 20110310 | When the M6 was built through the Dunning family farm near Penrith in the 1960s, John Dunning decided to build Tebay Motorway service station even though he was told there wouldn't be enough passing traffic. Now the motorway is very busy and his daughter Sarah has taken over and modernised the business. She now plans to open a new motorway services on the M5. The family pride themselves on good quality food sourced locally including from the farm's herd of Galloway cattle. (The Dunnings still run the farm) However some customers complain there is no 'Burger King' .We talk to father and daughter about how expectations of the service station have changed and how motorways have opened up travel for all of us - as well as bringing employment and sustainability to a remote rural area. Reporter: Sara Parker Producer: Laura Parfitt A Juniper production for BBC Radio 4. Two people from different generations discuss the changes society has seen on our roads. People from different generations discuss how approaches in a certain field have changed |
| 05 | Hgv Drivers | 20110311 | The Woodall family have been running their road haulage business near Birmingham since the 1930s. It has grown from a one-man truck driving operation to a company employing long and short haul lorry drivers. It has gone from transporting Dunlop tyres to carrying palettes of all manner of things. John Woodall started driving for his father in the 1960s when the roads were very different - now traffic jams and fuel efficiency are part of the transport business. John compares what it was like when he started as a truck driver to the experiences of a present day driver - Andy Anderson, who now trains other drivers in safe and efficient trucking, including fuel conservation and tighter legislation. Reporter: Sara Parker Producer: Laura Parfitt A Juniper production for BBC Radio 4. Two people from different generations discuss the changes society has seen on our roads. People from different generations discuss how approaches in a certain field have changed |