Last week's poll: replicating the Bloodhound education effect

The dynamic tests gave the Bloodhound team a chance to assess the performance of the vehicle’s steering, brakes, suspension, data systems and other functions. They also marked a key milestone in the team’s efforts to break and then shatter the world land speed record at Hakskeen Pan in South Africa in 2019.

The vehicle represents a remarkable feat of engineering and its outreach programme has reached 6,000 schools - 130,000 pupils per year - in Britain, leading us to ask if Bloodhound – as impressive as it is – is the right sort of project to enthuse the next generation of engineers.

The visceral thrill of a 1,000mph land vehicle managed to vitalise just over a fifth (21%) of respondents who agreed that we need more of the same. This was followed by 30 per cent who thought a project with the goal of exploration would replicate the Bloodhound effect, and 39 per cent who saw a clean energy project as the best way to engage with young people. Of the remainder, only five per cent took the view that a project in the medical sector would work, and seven per cent chose none of the above.