THE UK-REGIONAL-RESEARCH-LABORATORY INITIATIVE 1987-1991

The Economic and Social Research Council in the United Kingdom (U.K.) established the Regional Research Laboratory (RRL) Initiative in 1987 to improve facilities for data processing in the social sciences. The Trial Phase in 1987, which was modestly funded for 18 months, established four trial sites and a National Co-ordinator. The Main Phase of the Initiative, covering 8 laboratories at 10 locations, was launched in October 1988, following submission and selection of proposals. Although not originally planned as such, the initiative became a Geographical Information Systems (GIS) programme because the best proposals came from geographers and planners skilled in the processing of spatial data and because of interest stimulated by the influential Chorley Report. This article reviews the major aims of the Initiative and the progress reached after two years to September 1990. The initiative was highly effective in stimulating new research and development work that had regional, national and international dimensions. Nevertheless, with the exception of one RLL, funding has not been continued beyond 1991 and the initiative has been replaced by a network of University Departments working to continue the academic work with GIS in the U.K. for the next three years.