Authors

Karen Lucas

Document Type

Conference Paper

Publication Date

2003

Subject Area

Location - Europe, Location - UK, Social Issues - Low Income, Social Issues - Social exclusion, Social Issues - Social Transit, Transport accessibility - Lack of access

Abstract

The paper reports on the Phase I scoping study to provide a synthesis of the position of G7 member states on transport and social exclusion and to identify a suitable assessment framework for quantitative and qualitative comparisons in the Phase II analysis. In large part the problem of poor transport and accessibility and its knock-on effects for social exclusion have arisen because there has been no robust, transparent and accountable framework for assessing whether people are able to safely and affordably access the places they need to go. National surveys collecting data on transport tend to look at people's travel behaviour but do not explain why that behaviour occurs or the outcome of that behaviour on people's wider quality of life. At the level of local delivery, Public Transport Executives and other transport authorities produce transport plans for their areas, but in Europe, are not directly required to undertake analyses to assess whether people, especially those without cars, can access key services. The paper aims to synthesise the position of the seven member states in order to assess whether there are lessons which can be transferred for future policy and practice both at the national and EU level of transport decision-making.