The Importance of Transport for Social Inclusion

Abstract

Links between mobility, social exclusion and well being, and matters related thereto, have been an important focus of research, planning and policy thinking in the land use transport field for about the past two decades, in places such as the UK, Australia, South Africa, North America and parts of South America. This introductory paper to the journal volume on Regional and Urban Mobility: Contribution to Social Inclusion summarizes some of the key literature in the field during that period, illustrating how research sometimes takes a place-based approach and at other times focuses on groups of people likely to be at risk of mobility-related social exclusion. The ten articles in this journal volume explore aspects of these relationships, mainly through the lens of at risk groups, across a number of social-spatial settings. Articles draw on case studies from the Philippines, UK/Germany, UK/Colombia, Lisbon, Gilgat-Baltistan, Turkey and Japan, providing a broad set of contexts. The different language and frameworks used by researchers from different professional backgrounds, as illustrated in this volume, highlights some of the barriers that need to be confronted in progressing policy to improve the lot of people experiencing mobility-related social exclusion.

Transport Poverty in Thailand: Concept, Measurement and Data Availability

“…People who avoid highly-priced accommodation in the city centres must live in suburban areas, far from economic and employment opportunities. While housing in suburban areas might be more affordable, public transport provision and job opportunities are often low, causing people living in the area to become car-dependent and sometimes forced to own a car (Stanley & Stanley, 2017). As public transport provision is challenged by the increasing trip distance caused by low urban density, it is not always possible to provide service to everyone, and sometimes public transport is not an affordable option for the lowincome earners.…”

Transport justice in the suburbs: leveraging social capital to reduce transport disadvantage

“…Despite transport infrastructure and service innovations and investments to address transport disadvantage, the problem of transport disadvantage still exists for many urban citizens, communities and locations. Transport disadvantage is closely associated with social disadvantage and wellbeing; this makes the investigation of transport disadvantage a major concern for urban researchers, government and nongovernment agents (Currie, Richardson, Smyth, Vella-Brodrick, Hine, Lucas & Stanley, 2010;Currie, Stanley & Stanley, 2007;Dodson, Buchanan, Gleeson, & Sipe, 2006;Dodson, Gleeson & Evans, 2007;Lucas, 2012;Lucas, 2011;Lucas, Wee & Maat, 2016b;Currie & Delbosc, 2010;Delbosc & Currie, 2011a;Currie, 2009;Lucas, 2011;Schwanen, Lucas & Akyelken, 2015;Stanley & Stanley, 2017).…”

“…al., 2007;Lucas, 2016b;Delbosc & Currie, 2011a;Currie, 2009;Schwanen et. al., 2015;Stanley & Stanley, 2017). Most transport disadvantage research identifies…”

“…Fear (and cultural and social exclusion) can also inhibit a traveller's effective use of the transport system (Church et. al., 2000;Stanley & Stanley, 2017;Gholamhosseini, Pojani, Mateo Babiano, Johnson & Minnery, 2018). When these systemic and individual factors coexist, then transport disadvantage can result for individuals, communities and places.…”

“…Many of the accepted indicators of social disadvantage are also constraints to the effective use of the transport system; they are the factors that underpin transport disadvantage for individuals (Stanley & Stanley, 2017). To clarify this link, it is helpful to describe these social indicators and their relationship to transport disadvantage.…”