Authors

Karen Lucas

Document Type

Conference Paper

Publication Date

2005

Subject Area

Location - UK, Social Issues - social inclusion, Transport accessibility - Access to services, Transport policy - Transport poverty, Transport programs - Inclusive transport service

Abstract

As in most western countries, both car ownership and car use has progressed from a minority form of transportation for the privileged to the main way in which the majority of people now travel. The average UK citizen now travels 10 times the distance that was travelled 50 years ago. Transport policy makers generally describe this ownership use in positive terms. It has been argued that car ownership has been a great liberator of women having a role to play in their increased participation in the workforce. It also allows older drivers to maintain their independence for longer. However, increased car dependency has encouraged dispursed and car-oriented patterns, reduced the viability of other modes, significantly contributed to a poorer local environment and has a role to play in the exclusion of the already disadvantaged sectors. This paper critically evaluates the policies that are currently emerging to address the problems of transport exclusion and poor accessability in the UK