People living in rural areas could benefit from more connected and more frequent transport, thanks to new Government funding announced on 6 November. Small businesses have won a share of £1.2 million as part of the Rural Transport Accelerator Fund, which has been designed to support the development of ‘innovative concepts’ that will improve rural transport, in partnership with local authorities. The scheme aims to boost the well-being of communities, support rural jobs and kick-start local economies.
Winners include a digital tool to predict rural transport demand and deliver on-demand services, as well as a journey mapping tool to support health providers in delivering hospital transport for patients.
The eight projects, which have won £150,000 each, are spread across the UK’s rural areas and will be trialled from Norfolk to Herefordshire and Suffolk to south east Scotland.
Future of Roads Minister Lilian Greenwood said: “People who live in rural areas have unique needs when it comes to transport and we’re always looking for ways to improve connections across the country. Through our funding, these projects will shake up the way rural transport is delivered, using the latest innovations to help residents see their friends and family, do their weekly food shop or attend hospital appointments.”
The winning projects include:
- You.Smart.Thing – development of a digital tool to offer shared, demand responsive or community transport options for those without car access, trialled in Warwickshire
- UrbanTide – mapping rural hospital patient journeys to identify barriers to accessing health services in rural areas and support health providers in enhancing rural transport services, trialled near Fife
- Alchera Technologies – use of data insights to create a behavioural travel model to help local authorities with rural mobility decision making, trialled in Norfolk County Council
- Civil Water Management – installation of new drainage systems using recycled car tyres to aid safer cycling along flood-prone sections of cycle routes, trialled in Milton Keynes County Council
