TRANSPORT DISADVANTAGE IN RURAL NORTHERN IRELAND

Transcription

1 TRANSPORT DISADVANTAGE IN RURAL NORTHERN IRELAND Scott Mackey, Tranport and Road Aement Centre (TRAC), Univerity of Ulter at Jordantown, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom Julian Hine, Tranport and Road Aement Centre (TRAC), Univerity of Ulter at Jordantown, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom RURAL TRANSPORT EXPERIENCES, ACCESSIBILITY, CONSTRAINTS AND BARRIERS Abtract The link between tranport diadvantage and ocial excluion, namely the ability to acce good and ervice i a key public policy concern. Work in England and Scotland ha identified the extent of the problem and ome of the key pattern (DETR, 2000; Hine and Mitchell, 2001, 2003; Social Excluion Unit, 2003). To date, limited reearch ha been undertaken on thi relationhip in Northern Ireland. In 2000 the General Conumer Council (GCCNI) produced a hort dicuion document on tranport diadvantage. Thi i problematic given the tatement of concern in national tranport trategy and planning document (DRDNI, 1998, 2002). The purpoe of thi reearch i to addre the lack of knowledge and undertanding of the relationhip between ocial excluion and tranport diadvantage in Northern Ireland. By and large, the relationhip between tranport and ocial excluion i little undertood by local authoritie who are truggling to target reource at the problem (DETR, 1998). There i a clear need, therefore, to identify pattern of tranport need. Tranport diadvantage and ocial excluion in the rural area of Northern Ireland i an important iue. The recent Regional Development Strategy (RDS) and Regional Tranportation Strategy (RTS) have included a commitment to create an acceible countryide with a reponive tranport network that meet the need of the rural community (RDS for NI 2025, 2002). A part of the reearch dicued in thi paper, four cae tudy area at electoral ward level have been elected. Focu group meeting and in-depth individual interview within the rural community were carried out to explore the linkage between tranport proviion and lifetyle deciion. The outcome of thee focu group meeting and interview have highlighted the impact that poor tranport ha on the quality of acce to good and ervice in each of the four elected cae tudy ward.

2 Introduction Tranport diadvantage i a key determinant of the level of acce that are enjoyed by individual. Thi ha important conequence for participation in key activitie uch a education, employment; and alo acce to good and ervice (Church et al, 2000; Gaffron, Hine and Mitchell, 2001; Hine and Mitchell, 2003; Social Excluion Unit, 2003). In Northern Ireland no tudie of the linkage between tranport acce and participation have been undertaken in rural area, although limited tudie of travel time in different rural area ha been undertaken (Fawcett, 2001; National Travel Survey, 2002). In Belfat work ha been undertaken on ocially neceary ervice, public tranport ervice and level of acce reulting from change in ervice tructure (Hine and Wu, 2003; Wu and Hine, 2003). Alo work for the Community Relation Council ha looked at the effect of egregation on tranport (Smyth, 2000); while the General Conumer Council for Northern Ireland ha looked at tranport poverty (GCCNI, 2000) The reearch reported in thi paper i part of the firt tage of a tudy looking at travel pattern in different rural communitie. Thi paper conider the outcome of focu group and individual interview held acro four cae tudy area, Ballyward, Glenarm, Glenavy and Plumbridge, a hown in Figure 1, and the iue raied by people in thee pecific rural area. [Figure 1 Location of Cae Study Ward]

3 Ballyward The firt ward under conideration here i Ballyward in South County Down, approximately 35 mile from Belfat. The bu ervice proviion conit of two bue each day except during July and Augut when the ervice increae to 5 bue daily in either direction, paing through the area in an eat-wet direction between the main town of Newcatle and Banbridge). Thi bu ervice (Ulterbu ervice number 32) i funded by the Rural Tranport Fund for Northern Ireland and i operated by a low floor eay acce Optare Solo Minibu. Table 1 Population Data for Ballyward (Adapted from 2001 Cenu) Area Population Denity Male Female Peron Houehold (hectare (number of people ) per hectare) % % Table 2 Car Ownerhip Statitic for Ballyward (Adapted from 2001 Cenu) No One Three Four or car or car car Two car Houehold car or more car van in the or or or van van or van area van van Plumbridge The econd ward area, Plumbridge i ituated in County Tyrone, which i a largely rural county. Here there i poor and infrequent bu ervice proviion only one bu a day on the route 92 to Omagh (the nearet regional centre, approximately 12 mile away, and two bue back from Omagh (one of which i a dedicated School Bu). Thi combined with a relative ditance from Belfat (around 60 mile), but cloer to the City of Derry/Londonderry (approximately 20 mile), make for a relatively remote location. Recent development have, however, een the introduction of the Rural Tranport Fund upported Sperrin Rambler operating between Omagh and Magherafelt/Catledawon (ervice 182). Strabane Ditrict Rural Tranport Partnerhip (Eailift) operate in the Plumbridge area, offering Community Tranport, upport ervice and infratructure improvement (treet lighting and bu top etc.) Table 3 Population Data for Plumbridge (Adapted from 2001 Cenu) Area Population Denity Female Male Houehold (hectare (number of people Peron ) per hectare) % %

4 Table 4 Car Ownerhip Statitic for Plumbridge (Adapted from 2001 Cenu) Four or One Two Three car or No car more Houeh car or car or car or van in the or van car or old van van van area van Glenavy The third area, Glenavy i in cloer proximity to Belfat. Here there i relatively frequent bu ervice proviion ervice 103, 106, 109 leading to Crumlin, Belfat and Antrim. An additional bu ervice on the Route 109A (topping only at railway halt, including the halt in Glenavy village) ha recently been introduced a a reult of the withdrawal of many train ervice operating on the Knockmore to Antrim Line. Table 5 Population Data for Glenavy (Adapted from 2001 Cenu) Peron 4305 Male % Female % Houehold Area (hectare ) Population Denity (number of people per hectare) Table 6 Car Ownerhip Statitic for Glenavy (Adapted from 2001 Cenu) No One Two Three Four or car or car Houehold car or car or car or more car or van in the or van van van van area van Glenarm Glenarm, on the cenic Antrim Coat Road and in the Larne Ditrict Council Area i decribed a rural due to it parely dipered population (0.17 people per hectare), but i not too far from the Belfat Metropolitan Area (approximately 30 mile) and Larne (approximately 10 mile). Bu ervice operate from Glenarm village to Ballymena in one direction and Carnlough in the other direction. (ervice 128), and Larne (outh) or Cuhendun (north) along the coat road (ervice 162). The 162 ervice run throughout the day in both direction. The Antrim Coater Rural Quality Bu Corridor (Goldline Expre ervice 252) alo run along the coat road through the village and ward area. Thi ervice i upported and part financed by the Rural Tranport Fund and operate the route twice a day between Coleraine and Larne. Although the Antrim Coater i primarilly aimed and marketed at tourit, it i ignificant in term of the local population a well a being the firt Rural Quality Bu Corridor. The North Antrim Community

5 Tranport Conortium traddle the northern mot tip of Glenarm ward, but i confined to thi area. Community bue operate here, a do ervice for group hire, but the influence on the Glenarm area i extremely limited a it i, largely, outide thi partnerhip juridiction. Table 7 Population Data for Glenarm (Adapted from 2001 Cenu) Area Population Denity Female Male Houehold (hectare (number of people Peron ) per hectare) % % Table 8 Car Ownerhip Statitic for Glenarm (Adapted from 2001 Cenu) Houehold No car or van One car or van Two car or van Three car or van Four or more car or van car or van in the area Contraint, Opportunitie and Experience The overwhelming feeling in Ballyward wa that public tranport ervice in the area are virtually non-exitent. It wa a firm conviction amongt participant that the Ulterbu ervice erve no ueful purpoe operating a it doe, olely in the afternoon. Thi, it wa uggeted, contrain or prevent people who cannot drive from acceing job opportunitie and even education. If you can t drive, there no way of getting anywhere! Mot people were, however, atified with chool bue provided by both Ulterbu and the Southern Education and Library Board (SELB) all chool children are well catered for, a long a they don t have to tay late. On the other hand, there wa a general acceptance that bu ervice in the Glenavy area are conidered to be better than many other imilar area. Thi i mainly due to the withdrawal of railway ervice from the area in Depite thi, many people felt the bue are le than atifactory and people had to adapt their live ignificantly to fit in around the timing. In term of contraining people opportunitie, the main problem wa that the majority of bu ervice in the morning go to Liburn and Belfat, with little or no in the way of proviion to take people to Crumlin or Antrim. The ame problem exit in the afternoon, with the majority of bue coming from both Liburn and Belfat and few vehicle coming from Antrim or Crumlin. Moreover, there wa a general conenu in the Plumbridge group that the ervice provided by Ulterbu between Plumbridge and Omagh erved little more purpoe than to take children to chool. There are two bue that operate the 0800 departure but the number of chool children that require tranport to chool in Omagh mean that there i no room for any member of the public! People requiring tranport to Strabane are unable to avail of an Ulterbu ervice, a Omagh i the only town erved from Plumbridge.

6 Wetern Education Board (WELB) chool bue provide tranport for pupil travelling to and from chool in Strabane and it wa agreed that thi, and the Ulterbu ervice to and from Omagh catered ufficiently for the requirement of thee tudent. In Glenarm, people tated a lack of ue of bu ervice - Bu ervice are not that bad, but they do not help me or many other people, mainly becaue of journey time and thing like that. The fact that all bu ervice only operate the coat road, mean there are large area unerved here and iolation become a problem a ditance from the main route increae. Major problem were highlighted regarding acce to the Antrim Area Hopital. Bue operate from Larne, but thee take a long time and people need to get a bu into Larne firt to connect It wa reinforced throughout the dicuion that the proviion of chool bu ervice in Ballyward and Plumbridge wa more than atifactory through ervice provided by Ulterbu and the repective Education Board. In term of chool bu proviion in Glenavy, it wa treed that there i only one primary chool in the area (Ballymacrickett Primary) and no econdary chool. One participant tated, Ballymacrickett i ituated jut outide the village along a very buy main road, but becaue it i le than 3 mile away, pupil either have to walk along thi dangerou road or pay to ue the bu. The majority of pupil, however, are bued to chool in many area (both primary and econdary) uch a Belfat, Liburn, Crumlin, Antrim and even Lurgan. Depite there being large number of dedicated chool bue, pupil till tend to overcrowd the ervice bue, thu placing capacity contraint for member of the general public wihing to ue thee bue. School bue in Glenarm were conidered adequate for travel to both Larne and Ballymena, and dicuion were limited. The lack of a public Ulterbu ervice to Strabane wa cited a a major problem for people attempting to ecure further education and employment opportunitie. People need a car to get to Strabane, there jut no other way. In term of contraint placed upon local people in Ballyward, it wa widely agreed that the cheduled bu ervice doe not help in any ignificant way for people to do or achieve anything. It wa uggeted that the time were inadequate and people feel they could not rely on the bu to get them to appointment or to go hopping. On the other hand, however, iue were highlighted where people indicated they ue the bu ervice for pleaure. An elderly lady tated he could head off to Newcatle to viit friend a never before, although the time normally meant he would need to tay overnight! Contraint are alo faced in term of the exiting timing of bue in Glenavy. People travelling into Belfat city centre were, on the whole, atified with the ervice provided in the morning. Concern were raied regarding the ue of ervice bue by chool children. The timing on the ervice 106 from Belfat via Hannahtown in the afternoon were widely conidered to be totally diatifactory. There are regular bue on thi route departing Belfat at

7 1430 and 1530, but there i nothing ele until 1755 treed a regular traveller on thi route. Thi i alo the lat bu and mean that many people feel they cannot ue the ervice, a the timing are totally unuitable. The lat ervice 103 that run through Liburn leave Belfat at The railway ubtitution bu ervice (109A) that top olely at railway halt wa not conidered in a very favourable light. The fact that it only top at thee halt wa dicued in depth and conidered to render the ervice quite uele to many people who would have to travel ignificant ditance to get to a halt. Thi, it wa felt, ignificantly contrained people from uing thi ervice a a whole. In term of contraint placed on local people in remote area of Plumbridge and Glenarm and barrier faced, the lack of public tranport mean ignificant excluion from many opportunitie and experience. It wa uggeted that the Sperrin Rambler and Antrim Coater i nothing hort of good publicity for Tranlink a both ervice frequently have very few people on them. The majority of participant in Ballyward and Glenavy tated they have never ued cheduled bu ervice and rely on car or lift if unable to drive. [Figure 2 - The Railway Subtitution Bu at Glenavy (Author Picture 2003)] People in thee two area do not appear to mi out on education opportunitie. The Department for Education enable free tranport for people in chool or college living three mile or more away from the place of education. Thi mean that young people can ue both education board bue and Ulterbu a neceary to acce thee opportunitie. Ulterbu chool ervice do not cover large area of Ballyward, but yellow SELB bue do, while Ulterbu chool ervice provide good geographical cover in Glenavy. On the other hand, however, in Plumbridge and Glenarm it eem employment opportunitie can uffer. Dicuion of ituation whereby people who are unable to drive have not been able to accept employment in local place a they have no way of getting to and from work, alo took place. Thi would eem to be a problem, albeit hort term, for chool leaver at 16. It wa uggeted that once they learn to drive, the problem i removed or reduced. It wa agreed that the withdrawal of train from the Glenavy area preented evere barrier for many people wihing to hold down a job or avail of education opportunitie in Belfat, Liburn and Antrim. The journey time by train into Belfat wa 25 minute and proved an effective mode by which people could eaily get to and from uch opportunitie, ervice and facilitie. The ame applied to travel into Liburn. The bu doe not provide a uitable

8 or viable alternative to the train in thi intance. Journey time are ignificantly increaed on the bu, overcrowding i a common factor and people often have to tand, but when they do get a eat, the low floor bu on the railway replacement i conidered very uncomfortable on country road. Some opportunitie exit however, mainly for people holding down a day job and working 9am to 5pm. For thoe wihing to acce evening educational or vocational coure or working hift work, the ue of a car i eential. Since the withdrawal of the train ervice, many people have reorted to uing their car or taking ownerhip of a car. It wa conidered that people in the Glenavy and Glenarm area do not uffer a much from tranport diadvantage a thoe in Plumbridge and Ballyward if unable to drive. The cloet hopping town for the reident in Plumbridge village i Strabane, but there i no way in which people who cannot drive or who do not have acce to a private car, can get to and from Strabane other than a ervice provided by Eailift on Monday and Thurday. Eailift minibu take many people into Strabane for hopping on thee day, but thi cot 3.00 per peron, even for thoe with Tranlink Senior Citizen Conceionary Pae. It wa, however, agreed that the ervice provided here i very atifactory and aitance i given when carrying hopping bag etc. The only problem uggeted were one of cot a well a that the ervice only erve Plumbridge village. The group were informed, however, that telephone requet can be made regarding pickup point and drop off point. Thi eemed to remove ome of what many people conidered contraint and barrier to the ue of the Community Tranport ervice provided. Reference wa made to the minibu that i owned and operated by Glenelly Development Trut under Rural Tranport Fund aitance in the village and the ue made of it by many group, but concern wa alo drawn to the cot incurred by individual people each time it i ued. The fact that many people who live outide the village, mainly along the Glenelly valley, cannot acce ervice in the village itelf wa alo raied. There i no mode by which uch people can travel to ue the Pot Office or grocer hop tated one uch reident. A the valley toward the Sperrin Mountain i extremely parely populated, it wa alo uggeted that the majority of people who do live there are well off the beaten track and, without a car they are everely contrained and very iolated a bu ervice cannot acce many area with c cla road or long lane. A a reult of thi, many people preent pend ignificant time trapped in their houe. There wa ignificant concern expreed regarding thee people in term of ocial excluion and the fact that many individual pend all day every day in their home. The main contraint or barrier faced here wa the cot each time the bu wa ued a well a the fact that, under contractual, legal and inurance obligation, the vehicle i only available for group private hire. Regarding opportunitie, it wa agreed that the tranport ytem doe not facilitate many in Plumbridge. Once again, the ervice provided by Ulterbu were not conidered conducive to anyone other than chool pupil. Eailift make other opportunitie available in term of hopping and organiing

9 tranport for people requiring hopital acce at Altnagelvin (Londonderry), Omagh or Antrim. Without uch ervice offered by the RTF partnerhip, it wa agreed that people in the area would uffer ignificantly. Knowledge and Acce to Information The upply of information in Ballyward about bu ervice i conidered to be a major problem in the area. The participant all tated there are no timetable diplay at bu top in the area, nor are there any timetable available in the local pot office. It wa widely agreed that people tend to ue the Tranlink call centre telephone number to enquire about timetable and fare. [Figure 3 109A timetable diplay at bu top in Glenavy. (Author Photograph 2003)] The upply of information in Glenavy and Glenarm wa alo conidered to be a ignificant difficulty, depite Glenarm poition on the Antrim Coater Route. It wa felt that any information provided here i olely for tourit. The only timetable in the village of Glenavy are for the railway ubtitution ervice and are ituated in the helter at the railway halt bu top. Thee would appear to be the only diplay available and are not alway accurate and up-to-date tated one participant. Nobody in Ballyward wa aware that the Rural Tranport Fund for Northern Ireland upport the Ulterbu ervice financially and that it i aimed at erving the pecific requirement of people in rural area. It i felt that the aim of the Rural Tranport Fund to reduce ocial excluion by improving/providing tranport opportunitie for people with reduced mobility in rural area ha not been fully achieved in thi area, a mot people had never become aware of the Fund exitence. It wa uggeted, however, that the RTF had achieved limited ucce in thi a elderly people have found it poible to ue the bu for ocial activitie a never before. Recent change to the timetable in both Ballyward and Glenavy have taken place, and nobody in the group had any knowledge of thee. There wa alo no awarene of Rural Tranport Fund aitance with bu ervice in the Glenavy area, although there wa an indication that ome people in the group were aware that there had been ome daytime ervice enhancement. The idea that Ulterbu wih to create an acceible countryide wa alo dicued in detail. The feeling wa that it cannot be acceible if there i little or no up-to-date information available.

10 Information regarding Ulterbu ervice in the Plumbridge area wa again conidered to be le than atifactory. The only exception here eem to be the Sperrin Rambler. Leaflet and timetable are quite widely available and mot of the people preent had a good knowledge of the ervice. In term of the ervice number 92 to and from Omagh, it wa agreed that when change are made here, it take a long time for thi information to filter through. There wa alo ignificant confuion a to whether the 92 operate during chool holiday or whether all ervice on thi route were provided olely for the ue of chool pupil. The vat majority of people preent indicated that they had received information regarding Strabane Eailift ervice. There wa alo knowledge of the Rural Tranport Fund and it input into the Sperrin Rambler and Eailift a well a providing aitance to the Glenelly Development Trut minibu. People were not aware that the ervice could be contacted and a pick up point requeted before hand, there wa alo limited awarene of the voluntary car cheme provided to tranport people to and from hopital appointment in Altnagelvin, Omagh or even Antrim. participant agreed that they deire to receive information about bu ervice, including connection that may be made with other ervice in Banbridge or Newcatle. Thi wa reinforced by a greater deire to provide a ervice on the ervice number 32 route in the morning. Barrier to Travel The key iue raied in Ballyward wa, depite the inadequacy of the cheduled Ulterbu ervice, that ome barrier have been removed through the introduction of the ervice and the low floor eay acce vehicle dedicated to it. Elderly people particularly appreciate the low entry and floor level of the bu. Once again, barrier have been removed for people who do not need to travel to meet pecific deadline or appointment. Barrier till remain though. The ditance mot people have to travel to reach the bu top from their home remain great. Even for thoe living cloe to the A50, barrier remain in term of acceing the bu top on foot. Further barrier exit due to the timetabling of the ervice. The feeling amongt participant in Glenavy wa that the low floor acce afforded by the railway ubtitution bu removed ome quite ignificant barrier, epecially amongt the older people preent, other elderly people in the area and the diabled. One of the key barrier faced i that of ditance to be covered to acce the railway ubtitution bu that top at railway halt only. Further barrier faced by many people include thoe impoed a a reult of the timetabling of many of the ervice. Barrier faced regarding travel in Plumbridge appear to be ignificant. The ditance to be travelled to reach bu top i one of the major problem. Depite the fact that the Sperrin Rambler travere the entire ward area in an eat wet direction, there are many more remote area in the Sperrin and Glenelly valley that are imply too far away from the bu.

11 Not withtanding the hort turnaround time at Omagh and Catledawon for people uing the Sperrin Rambler, the ue of a tandard 53 eater high-floor bu on thi route provide barrier for thoe le phyically able people. In Glenarm, barrier exit for thoe who live ome ditance from the coat road. The timetabling of ervice to Ballymena wa alo conidered a eriou problem a there i only one early morning departure. Dicuion on the iue of being let down by the public tranport ytem in Ballyward wa hort and concie in it manner. It wa agreed that thi i becaue people in the area don t tend to rely on the bu ervice provided, thu enuring no reliance lead to not being let down. The elderly and other people who ue the cheduled ervice at their leiure agreed that they have alway been able to ue the bu when deired with little or no delay and the ervice provided in thee intance ha alway been acceptable. In term of feeling let down by their public tranport ytem, all participant in Glenavy cited the withdrawal of the railway ervice a the key to a feeling of being let down a uch. A number of people relied on the train to get to and from work, epecially in Belfat. Many of thee people have had to change job or reort to the ue of a car to acce their workplace. When the railway ervice wa being run down with only 3 train a day, it i the widely held belief in the meeting that thi wa in order to deliberately make up an excue for it cloure. The elderly, thoe who are le phyically able, young people and women, however, face the mot eriou barrier. Thi i mainly due to the inability of many uch people to drive or a lower likelihood that they have regular acce to a car. Many of thee people are, therefore, confined to their houe for much of the time a a reult of thee factor. Young people le than 17 year old in the Plumbridge and Glenarm area tend to face barrier to ocialiing, further education opportunitie and employment, with many relying on parent, other family or friend to take them place a and when required. The elderly and diabled tend to become increaingly iolated and frequently require people to take them place or bring upplie to them. Such ituation are not helped in the winter month when the more remote area become increaingly inhopitable and many people are confined to their home for day at a time. Significant barrier in Plumbridge, however, have been removed by the etting up of Eailift. The ervice provided here enable people to travel to Strabane two day a week where thi wa previouly not poible. Phyical effort for the elderly and diabled i kept to a minimum a the volunteer driver alo ait with the carrying of bag and requet for pick up and drop off point can alo be made. In Glenarm reident appear to be omewhat more atified with the bu ervice and their ability to ue it, provided they live in the village or on one of

12 the main route. If thi i not the cae and driving i out of the quetion, mot people are tuck in the houe until omeone come to them. Concluion The fact that certain ocial group experience difficultie regarding tranportation and acceibility, epecially in rural area ha been highlighted and reinforced throughout thee focu group. The elderly, diabled people, young people (children and teenager), young mother (both married and ingle) all experience ignificant difficultie in getting around. The problem of tranportation for thee people a well a for other are particularly compounded in the two cae tudy area with poorer public tranport proviion (Ballyward and Plumbridge). Depite the fact that Ballyward ha a higher level of car ownerhip than average, problem are till rife for thoe who cannot drive due to age, health, diability or income. Furthermore, the ame problem are increaingly evident in Plumbridge, an area with both very poor public tranport proviion and low car ownerhip level. Eentially, people in thi iolated area rely on car to get around. Thoe unable to drive are totally reliant on people to give them lift and take them place. The only bu ervice proviion conidered to erve the population of both Ballyward and Plumbridge i that operated by the Education and Library Board in thee area. Sufficient bue are available for the ole ue of chool children, but not for anybody ele. Although the ame problem exit in Glenavy and Glenarm, it would eem that they are not a eriou. The elderly, diabled people and young people till experience tranport diadvantage, but thi i omewhat alleviated by the proviion of lightly better public tranport. There appear to be a number of eriou hortcoming in thi proviion, however relating to timing, journey duration, routing and cot. Depite a higher than average level of car ownerhip in Glenavy, a ignificant number of younger people and more elderly reident till have problem regarding getting around with particular conequence ince the withdrawal of the railway ervice in Tranport diadvantage eem to remain a problem here, but perhap le o than in the other area. Even in region with higher than average car ownerhip and better or more frequent bu ervice proviion, acceibility and tranport problem are till rife amongt many people, but more pecifically the elderly, diabled people, children and teenager and young mother. Rural Tranport Fund ervice in Ballyward (Ulterbu route no.32) and Plumbridge (Sperrin Rambler, Ulterbu no.403) have relieved ome iolation and acceibility problem, but the focu group and individual interview have highlighted the fact that the impact of uch ervice ha, indeed, been minimal. Many people, particularly among the group mentioned, eem to uffer ignificantly from tranport induced ocial excluion, a a combined

13 reult of an inability to drive a well a poor public tranport or a bu ervice with what are conidered to be ignificant hortcoming (timing, journey duration, route and ditance from people home and the cot of fare). The iue of tranport diadvantage have a recurring pattern throughout the focu group carried out. Specific problem till exit, depite the development of the Rural Tranport Fund and it aociated initiative that have gone ome way to alleviate thee problem. The overwhelming reult of thi tage of the reearch i that much remain to be done and many people in area with higher or lower than average car ownerhip and frequent or infrequent public tranport proviion till uffer from tranport diadvantage and ocial excluion a a reult. Bibliography Church, A, Frot, M and Sullivan, K (2000) Tranport and Social Excluion in London: Exploring Current and Potential Indicator, London Tranport Planning Hine, J. and Wu, B.M (2003), Appraial of ocially neceary ervice, Tranlink, Report Unavailable. Department for Regional Development (2004) Draft Equality Impact Aeement (EQIA) on the Rural Tranport Fund for Northern Ireland Department for Regional Development (2003) Rural Tranport Fund Annual Review 2002/03 Department for Regional Development (2002) Regional Development Strategy for Northern Ireland 2025 Department for Regional Development (2001) Regional Tranportation Strategy for Northern Ireland Fawcett, L (2001) One the Move: Attitude to Tranport in Northern Ireland Northern Ireland Life and Time Survey Gaffron, P, Hine, J.P. and Mitchell, F (2001) The Role of Tranport and Social Excluion in Urban Scotland, Scottih Executive Central Reearch Unit General Conumer Council for Northern Ireland (2000) The Tranport Trap How Tranport Diadvantage Poorer People Hine, J.P. and Mitchell, F (2003) Tranport Diadvantage and Social Excluion, Excluionary Mechanim in tranport in Urban Scotland Ahgate National Travel Survey (2002) NTS Key Statitic for Urban and Rural Area Abtract of Statitic Diget of Northern Ireland Statitic Social Excluion Unit (2003) Making the Connection: Final Report on Tranport and Social Excluion Smyth, A. (2000), The Implication of Segregation for Tranport in Northern Ireland, Community Relation Council. Tranlink (2004) Better Service for More People a partnerhip approach Tranlink Corporate Plan 2004/05 Wu, B.M. and Hine, J.P. (2003), A PTAL approach to meauring change in bu ervice acceibility, Journal of Tranport Policy, Vol 10. Number 4, pp