Prepared for the All-Party Parliamentary Group for ‘left behind’ neighbourhoods by Campaign for Better Transport with data from Oxford Consultants for Social Inclusion (OCSI), this research explores issues faced by residents in 225 neighbourhoods in England as a result of poor physical connectivity.
It looks at the way steady bus service decline, combined with rail closures have led to these places being disconnected and cut off from essential services and amenities and suggests ways in which hyper-local targeted investment could support them to get back on track.
Key findings:
- 84% of ‘left behind’ neighbourhoods have worse overall connectivity than the England average
- 40% of households in ‘left behind’ neighbourhoods have no car, compared to 26% – the England average
- Local authority-supported bus services in ‘left behind’ areas declined by 35% over the last six years, while commercial services declined by 11%