Health & Transport
Transport & Social Inclusion: Have we made the connections in our cities?
A new report, 'Transport and Social Inclusion: Have we made the connections in our cities?', published by PTEG.
The report calls for a stronger steer from the Department for Transport on how transport can be best used to promote social inclusion. It argues that there has been a loss of momentum since 2003 when the Social Exclusion Unit published 'Making the Connections' - an influential report on transport and social exclusion which still provides a key reference point for the sector. It finds that although the DfT has been promoting equity as one of its five key objectives there has been no overarching strategy for delivering on this goal.
The report's key findings are that:
- changes to mainstream public transport provision - in particular spiralling bus fares coupled with service reductions - are undermining wider equity goals;
- the DfT lacks an overarching strategy or a clear sense of direction on its priorities in this area;
- there has been a very wide range of successful and innovative transport projects specifically targeted at tackling exclusion, with PTEs often acting as the catalyst or playing a pioneering role;
- 'soft' measures such as 'WorkWise' (which provides jobseekers with travel advice and discounted tickets to access interviews and new jobs) are proving particularly cost effective;
- with a legal framework in place, good progress has been made in improving the physical accessibility of the public transport network.
The report describes the many approaches that PTEs have used to support social inclusion including:
- Simple and affordable flat fares for under 16s in Tyne and Wear allowing unlimited all-day travel on bus and Metro for £1;
- The Merseyside 'scooter commuter' scheme providing discounted scooter hire to connect people with jobs which are outside of normal hours or located on far flung employment sites;
- 'Local Link' buses across Greater Manchester providing lifeline, door-to-door services connecting people to fresh food shops, employment and health facilities;
- Tools to make travel easier for people with disabilities such as talking signs, tactile maps and comprehensive accessibility guides.
The report by pteg 'Transport and Social Inclusion: Have we made the connections in our cities' is available for download from:
http://www.pteg.net/Publications/Reports/Reports.htm
The 2003 Social Exclusion Unit report 'Making the connections' is available for download from:
http://tinyurl.com/SEUreport2003