Introduction to Jamie
This blog is brought to you by Jamie Smith, Transport Planner at Arup. Jamie was the winner of the Transport Planning Society Bursary Competition 2022 for writing a paper on the topic: 'Buses – how do we ensure they take their rightful place as a key player in the UK’s public transport network?'
His paper titled ‘Changing the parameters of Community Transport to deliver greater economic and social value to rural areas across the UK’ can be read on the TPS website here.
Unlocking the Potential of Community Transport in Rural Areas
Poor public transport and bus provision can negatively impact rural populations, with common themes including intermittent frequency, lack of geographic coverage and the limited economic viability of running traditional fixed bus services. The bus sector across the rural UK has endured sustained decline over the past 10 years in terms of frequency, coverage, service quality and patronage[1]. Evidence shows that declining bus services impacts vulnerable groups that depend on them most, including individuals in rural populations[2].
My paper ‘changing the parameters of community transport to deliver greater economic and social value to rural areas across the UK’ presents Community Transport (CT) as a key part of the solution in rural areas and aims to provide practical solutions to many of the mobility issues facing rural populations. The inspiration for writing this paper came from my passion for rural transport, sustainable transport and my involvement in the development of transport strategies in rural areas such as the Highlands and Islands of Scotland.
The paper includes:
A review of bus and community transport policy, legislation and best practice across the UK and globally;
Engagement with stakeholders and transport planning and bus technical experts; and
Development of a CT action plan, which identifies opportunities to make CT services more economically viable and attractive for all users in rural areas.
Currently, there are wide-ranging benefits that CT services bring to individuals and communities, particularly in rural areas. Benefits include improved connectivity, opportunities for social interaction and lower cost travel which helps to reduce private car dependency. The benefits for wider society include better public transport coverage, greater journey flexibility, lower operating costs, reduced healthcare costs, environmental benefits through reduced private car trips and increased opportunities for rural communities related to employment and education. The National Bus Strategy recognises the social and economic value of CT, outlining that every £1 invested in community bus services generates between £2.70 and £3.70 in benefits.
However, despite the benefits that CT services bring to rural areas, there are numerous challenges connected to delivery of these services. One challenge relates to the public perception of CT, which is often considered as transport only for groups such as the elderly and disabled people. There are also challenges around the permit system required for running CT services throughout the UK. CT organisations must apply for a Section 19 or Section 22 permit, which must be approved by the local traffic commissioner. The permit system can reduce the potential of CT by preventing the sharing of resources such as fleets across different sectors such as health and education. Other challenges include funding, bus driver shortages and a general lack of understanding among decision makers of the social and economic value that CT brings to rural populations.
There are a number of solutions presented in my Community Transport Action Plan which strive to unlock the potential of CT. Solutions include:
the delivery of CT awareness campaigns locally and nationally
a review of the current permit system to potentially simplify and expand
provision of a dedicated rural CT fund across the UK and
delivery of a national CT strategy.
There are different stakeholders identified as responsible for delivery of each action, including national transport bodies, local authorities, CT operators and the Community Transport Association (the organisation that represents most CT providers across the UK).
In summary, I believe that key elements of CT provision can and should be adapted to deliver better outcomes for rural areas. CT has the potential to tackle many of the transport and geographic issues faced in rural locations. CT also has the potential to reduce the pressure on other sectors such as health and social care and education through undertaking social care trips, taking people to health appointments and sharing resources such as bus fleets.
My paper shows that CT services will reach their highest potential if they operate as demand responsive. This would reduce costs by avoiding the operation of highly subsidised fixed bus services whilst also providing the flexibility required to serve the needs of rural communities. My research also shows that CT is only part of the solution to transport issues in rural locations and should therefore be considered alongside other solutions such as rural mobility hubs, community car sharing and digital technology such as Mobility as a Service (MaaS).
I believe that my CT action plan should be used by key stakeholders across the sector, who must work closely together to unlock the potential of CT and improve provision in rural areas across the UK.
[1] https://www.arup.com/perspectives/publications/research/section/tomorrows-public-transport-system
[2] https://sestran.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/SEStran-Demand-Responsive-Transport-Strategic-Study-Final-Report.pdf
Jamie Smith, Transport Planner
Arup