In this episode David and Mike unpack the demographic shifts reshaping local economies. From the Bank of England’s warning on economic inactivity to the ONS’s mid-year population estimates and the so-called fertility crisis, the data paints a complex picture of ageing populations, challenges of out-migration in places, and worryingly low rates of labour market participation. How might transport policy, spatial planning, and extending access to further education reverse economic decline and better support people into work?