Public Transport Failing Older People

Transport providers in the UK are generally failing to meet the needs of the over 50s in the UK. Social interaction is said to be one of the key factors to the health and happiness of older people, yet poor public transport is creating a road block with 42% of older people saying that improvements to public transport would have a positive affect on their social lives. And with an estimated 50% of the population going to be over the age of 50 by the year 2020, changes will need to begin now.

The Oddfellows Transport & Social Life Survey 2001, commissioned by the Oddfellows and conducted by MORI, reveals that 51% of the over 60s said they would use their car less if public transport services in their area improved. As the Government desperately tries to get people out of their cars and onto public transport by methods such as raising costs of car ownership and road tolls, what people actually want is a viable alternative - efficient and effective public transport.

The Oddfellows, who organise social events and care support for their members, found that many of their members are not attending social events either because public transport in their local area is inadequate or simply because they feel unsafe on public transport. In the Transport & Social Life Survey, of the respondents who complained of having transport problems, 47% said it was due to services running at the wrong times, 32% said the transport services are unreliable and 22% said they are fearful of using public transport.

The Oddfellows also makes recommendations in response to the survey for the improvement of public transport to the benefit of older people. These include; providing services outside the core times of morning and evening rush hour; providing more bus stops with better lighting; providing more low level 'kneeling' buses; re-introducing bus conductors; and allowing people to take a seat before the bus moves off.

Spokesperson for the Oddfellows, Phillip Broeders says, "As socialising is a vital part of our membership and for the over 50s as a whole, the Oddfellows are concerned that poor public transport in many areas around the country is restricting older people from getting involved in their local community. The survey will hopefully reach the people who can influence this situation to address public transport from an older person's perspective".

To order a free copy of The Oddfellows Transport & Social Life Survey 2001 call 0800-028 1810.

Technical details

MTS conducted 500 interviews with the general public aged 60+ across England, excluding London, by telephone between 26 January and 1 February 2001.