The problem. . .

People living in outlying areas face increasing difficulties in accessing jobs and essential amenities, unless they have the use of a car. This is especially true for those in the more remote, scattered communities.

Declining availability of local shops and facilities, along with centralisation of services, means that rural residents now have further to travel.

At the same time, because rural populations are less concentrated than those in towns and cities, conventional public transport can be difficult to sustain.

The problems are sometimes compounded by inadequate information, poor co-ordination, lack of community-based transport and the prohibitively high cost of travel for people on below-average earnings.

As a result, large sections of the community are excluded from social activities and denied equal access to things like health care that most people take for granted. The erosion in quality of life is often felt most acutely by groups with particular needs. Young people, for example, miss out on interaction with their peers. Residents whose mobility is impaired by age or infirmity are hit by both lack of services and lack of specific provision.

Meanwhile, the livelihood of the whole community is undermined by barriers to employment and learning opportunities outside their area.

The challenge for public authorities, service providers and the wider community is to provide convenient and affordable transport options, throughout rural areas, that give equality to all.