Community-based flexible transport as a method for addressing community inclusion: developing and evaluating specialist DRT in Highland Scotland
The development of specialist flexible transport may allow for specific community solutions to be targetted to observed and stated needs. Access to jobs and services is a key issue in the delivery of inclusive mobility, progressive and economically sustainable communities. In no other environment is this as distinct as in remote and rural communities, such as those in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. Allied to this, the likelihood to secure and maintain employment, as well as getting to and from a place of work declines rapidly the more remote an individual is. The Transport to Employment (T2E) initiative of East and Central Sutherland may demonstrate a potential method of reducing the barrier represented by a lack of transport, and prove to be an appropriate method for stepping out of the transport poverty trap. This paper introduces the concept of, and methods by which rural mobility and inclusive access may be enhanced through the application of innovative demand responsive transport solutions. Using experiences drawn from the pilot Transport to Employment project operating in the East Sutherland area, the paper addresses lessons learned, issues and transferability. The cost model applied to the scheme is presented and scrutinised and an assessment of the benefits to society is presented using Social Return On Investment (SROI) analysis as a means of quantifying this. From this analysis the sustainability of such schemes can be judged and the case for attracting cross-sectoral funding streams informed. The paper concludes that specific and targetted solutions may be possible without reliance on long term public funding, and in the case of the T2E pilot offer a high ratio of social return to small levels of investment. For the covering abstract see ITRD E135582.
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Availability:
- Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://etcproceedings.org/conference
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Corporate Authors:
Association for European Transport (AET)
1 Vernon Mews, Vernon Street, West Kensington
London W14 0RL, -
Authors:
- COOPER, J M
- NELSON, J D
- WRIGHT, S D
- MCINNES, K
- EDWARDS, R
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Conference:
- European Transport Conference (ETC)
- Location: Strasbourg , France
- Date: 2006-9-0 to 2006-9-0
- Publication Date: 2006
Language
- English
Media Info
- Pagination: 16p
- Monograph Title: Proceedings of the European Transport Conference (ETC) 2006, held September 2006, Strasbourg, France
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Conferences; Evaluation; Investments; Mobility; Public transit
- Geographic Terms: United Kingdom
- ITRD Terms: 8525: Conference; 9020: Evaluation (assessment); 227: Investment; 9105: Mobility (pers); 744: Public transport; 8119: United Kingdom
- Subject Areas: Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 01087206
- Record Type: Publication
- Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
- ISBN: 1905701012
- Files: ITRD
- Created Date: Jan 29 2008 9:56AM