Abstract
Current transport strategy in the UK is strongly urban-focused, with assumptions that technological advances in mobility will simply trickle down into rural areas. This article challenges such a view and instead draws on rural development thinking aligned to a “Smart Countryside” which emphasises the need for place-based approaches. Survey and interview methods are employed to develop a framework of rural needs associated with older people, younger people and businesses. This framework is employed to assess a range of mobility innovations that could most effectively address these needs in different rural contexts. In presenting visions of future rural mobility, the article also identifies key infrastructure as well as institutional and financial changes that are required to facilitate the roll-out of new technologies across rural areas.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 586-608 |
Number of pages | 23 |
Journal | Local Economy: The Journal of the Local Economy Policy Unit |
Volume | 35 |
Issue number | 6 |
Early online date | 1 Nov 2020 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | E-pub ahead of print - 1 Nov 2020 |