Young People and transport in rural areas

It is often difficult for rural youth to have access to transport. This study, carried out by Pamela Storey and Julia Brannen at the Thomas Coram Research Unit, Institute of Education, examines young people's experience of transport in rural areas. Three representative cross-sections of young people aged between 15 and 24 and living in rural locations in South West England were studied. Some results of their studies show that Young people need transport to get education and work, and to some extent, to maintain a social life.

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In rural areas, most sixth forms and further education colleges are located in towns so that staying on in post-16 education often means having to travel further afield.

Young people who leave school at 16 are severely disadvantaged when they are searching for employment and training opportunities. As new entrants to the labour market, they often find employers reluctant to negotiate flexible working hours agreeing with public transport hours, whose often missing. 

For most young people, use of public transport is limited to the school bus. Around a quarter of journeys are made on foot or by bicycle. Both methods offer the freedom to travel without parental supervision. Young people depend on their family, friends or employers to get them to work on time. 

When young people are 17, many have experienced a good deal of difficulty and inconvenience with transport. Consequently, they learn to drive as soon as they can. Driving is perceived as a key step to achieving personal freedom and being in charge of one's own life, the solution to dependency on parents for transport. Some take up driving more reluctantly, concerned about environmental damage from cars. They consider that their rural situation gives them a stark choice - either gets their own transport or move away to town.

Source: Joseph Rowntree Fundation website