Rural Transport Policy and Equity

Panel: Panel 5: Land use,Transportation and infrastructure (urban and regional planning, approaches to change in well entrenched systems)

Author:
Brenda Boardman, Environmental Change Unit

Abstract

Curbing emissions from the transport sector is an important component of climate change policies in most countries, because travel-related emissions are growing faster than most other sectors. Opposition from rural residents and the risk of causing hardship to low-income households are constraints on the political acceptability of many policies, particularly when they increase the cost of travel. This is because these two groups of the population have few travel choices.

The challenge is to integrate policies so that the rural poor benefit, whilst creating pressure on the rural rich to reduce their travel. The rural poor without a car visit only a third of the places visited by rural car owners, so those on low-incomes may need more accessibility, not less travel.

Data from the UK are used to identify the issues and explore the solutions. Evidence is provided of the number of people who live independently of cars and the overlaps between income levels and car ownership. The solutions include a greater emphasis of the provision of local facilities, as well as an examination of what is defined as adequate public transport. An important dimension is an emphasis on local decision-making, with greater responsibility being given to regional authorities. The role of household travel audits could be important in providing local councils with information and in assisting the householder make environmentally-friendlier choices. The results of a pilot study on travel emission profiling for car-drivers are utilised.