The implications of technological change for rural transport

Project details

Full project title: The implications of technological change for rural transport

Sponsor: Commission for Rural Communities

Project Manager: Professor Graham Parkhurst

Researcher: Ian Shergold

Start date: December 2007

Finish date: March 2008

Project briefing sheet: Download the briefing sheet document (PDF)

Project summary

In early 2008, the Commission for Rural Communities initiated a number of small-scale "think piece" studies to inform strategic development of its rural transport policies. Centre for Transport and Society has undertaken one of these studies, assessing the impacts on rural transport of emerging technologies in the transport and related sectors over the next fifteen to twenty years.

Rural areas are considered as having potential opportunities - particularly if energy consumption and production are more closely, more locally linked than at present, if genuinely sustainable biofuel alternatives can be developed. However, rural areas may suffer disadvantage if new vehicle or fuel options require extensive new infrastructures, which will be more expensive to provide in rural areas, delaying or limiting network coverage.