Good, convenient transport services are vital for people living in countryside areas, but this is often poorly provided.
Surveys have shown that 13% of rural parishes have no bus service, and the ability of people to get a job is often hindered by lack of public transport.
A report from the Rural Development Commission* shows how buses, taxis, private cars, Royal Mail vans and trains can be used to meet the differing needs of country people. Schemes include those for older or disabled people who find it harder to use conventional transport, for those who need transport to get health or community care services, weekly markets or to work, and for young people who want late-night services to enable them to enjoy a full social life.
Featured in the report are: a volunteer-run minibus that provides vital links with health services for those who live in the Peak District, a postbus in rural Leicestershire, a reopened railway station in Gloucestershire and co-ordinated transport services in Devon.
*Country lifelines – good practice in rural transport. Rural Development Commission, 141 Castle Street, Salisbury SP1 3TP.
