Better transport key to quality of life in rural areas

The need to improve transport services to ensure they are frequent and reliable is one of the key issues facing those responsible for improving the quality of life in the countryside, Rural Affairs Minister Alun Michael will tell the International Rural Network Conference in Inverness today.

Mr Michael is due to address delegates from more than 30 countries across the world. He will tell the conference: "The lack of access to frequent and reliable transport is a key factor in contributing to disadvantage and social exclusion in rural areas. "It can prevent access to work, training, shops, education and childcare, as well as social and leisure facilities. That is why, in England, we are providing the means for people in rural areas to get the transport services they need: #239m during three years will provide for a range of new and improved services. But the challenge is to find new and more flexible approaches as with the Wheels to Work scheme and various community transport schemes. The emphasis is on flexibility and making services more responsive to local need."

Mr Michael was due to visit the Badenoch and Strathspey Transport Company on Thursday 26 June to view its pioneering work in the highlands. The company, which has charitable status, runs a range of innovative transport initiatives, of which the most widely recognised is the Community Car Scheme: 100 volunteer drivers enable 525 registered clients, who do not have convenient access to transport, to make journeys they would not otherwise be able to make. Alun Michael will also talk about Defra's initiatives on parish councils, rural businesses, broadband, affordable housing and a range of other policies designed to improve the quality of life of those living in rural communities.

The conference features talks and discussions about rural community empowerment, health, education and policy. Speakers from all over the world, including the US, Canada, Hungary, have gathered to share research and experiences during the five- day conference, which began on Monday.