The Commission for Rural Communities (CRC) has announced that it intends to publish five studies into transport challenges faced by rural areas including how potential road pricing and reduced public services are affecting life in Britain’s countryside. The studies including one entitled “Sustainable rural accessibility’ ─ is it really possible? (In collaboration with Integrated Transport Planning), aim to assess how rising motoring cost and the environmental issues associated with transport are particularly challenging to out-of-town areas.
Rural people travel around 10,000 miles each year compared with around 7,000 for all residents, and use of cars is significantly higher in rural areas.
Graham Russell, Director of Practice at the CRC said: “Transport is a key concern for rural communities. With a continuing decline in local services, rural residents need to travel greater distances, and because of significant gaps in public transport much more of their travel is by car. What’s more, rising fuel prices are hitting rural areas hardest, especially less well-off households where a higher proportion of income goes on essentials including transport costs. Greater car use in rural areas also contributes to higher overall carbon production rate per person than in urban areas.
“The studies we are publishing today provide a much-needed reminder of the critical transport challenges that face rural communities and the urgent need to find new solutions. More efficient and environmentally beneficial ways for rural people to move around in our rural areas now need to be found. Community collaboration must play a crucial part, and there are already excellent examples of initiatives taking place around the country some of which are highlighted in the studies.
“We are anxious for these studies to provide thought-provoking insight into the possibilities for the future of rural transport and to stimulate further interest and discussion ─ one of the studies, for example, suggests the possibility of ‘rural life without carbon’. We want to position transport at the heart of the debate on climate change and the creation of sustainable rural communities. As part of our continuing dialogue with policy-makers across government we will take forward these contributions to ensure that transport policies and practices take account of the needs of rural communities.”
