Tackling transport-related barriers to employment in low-income neighbourhoods

Abstract

Transport can be a major barrier to finding work; this report looks at the transport issues facing out-of-work residents in six low-income neighbourhoods across England and Scotland, and how these issues might be overcome. The report presents findings and recommendations from six case study areas: Harpurhey (Manchester), Hattersley (Tameside), Seacroft (Leeds), Dewsbury Moor (Kirklees), Port Glasgow (Inverclyde) and Castlemilk (Glasgow). We interviewed 79 residents across these areas to find out the length of time and distances that residents were willing and able to travel to work. We also considered the extent to which local transport systems were available, reliable and affordable to potential places of work. Our key finding is that public transport is all too often seen as something that constrains rather than enables a return to work, because of a lack of affordable and reliable transport that gets people to locations where there is suitable work.