Presentations from the launch of ILC-UK's report on 'The Future of Transport in an Ageing Society', at the House of Lords on 18/06/2015

1. 18th June 2015
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#FutureofTransport
The Future of Transport in an
Ageing Society

2. Welcome
Baroness Sally Greengross
Chief Executive
ILC-UK
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3. Helen Creighton
Policy and Research Officer
ILC-UK
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4. Travel is beneficial to wellbeing
• Reduces social isolation
• Physical exercise
• Benefits to the local economy

5. The car remains the most common mode
of transport for people aged 70 and over
People over 70 make on average 315
trips per year driving a car and 162
trips as a passenger in a car. This
compares to just 140 trips on foot.

6. But we cannot rely on the car…
• Not everyone can drive
• Cars are expensive to run
• Health problems force some older people to
stop driving
• There are more ecological transport options

7. …yet public transport doesn’t meet
older people’s needs either
Despite free bus travel, one third of over 65s in
England never use public transport. And over
half either never use public transport or use it
less than once a month.

8. Public Transport fails the oldest old
Among the over 80s less than 55% report finding
it easy to travel to a hospital, a supermarket or a
post office.

9. Public Transport fails to get people to
health services
1.45 million over 65s find it quite difficult or very difficult to
travel to a hospital, whilst 630,000 over 65s find it difficult or
very difficult to travel to their GP.

10. Ease of travelling to see GP among those 65 and over
Average
Age
Proportion in fair
or poor Health
Average weekly
household
Income
Proportion
with a
Free Bus Pass
Very easy 72.4 22.0% £526 87.6%
Quite easy 74.4 36.2% £470 85.9%
Quite difficult 77.7 60.7% £355 82.6%
Very difficult 80.0 71.1% £313 69.1%
Unable to go 85.5 68.6% £336 48.0%
Source: The English Longitudinal Study of Ageing and author’s calculations

11. Public Transport fails older people in
rural areas
Just 20% of those aged 70-74 living in rural areas
use public transport weekly, compared to 38%
of those who live in an urban setting.

12. Reasons cited by the over 65s for not
using public transport in 2012-13
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
Fear of crime
Too dirty
Too expensive
Unreliable
Prefer to walk
Difficulties with mobility
Their health prevents them
Infrequent
None is available
Does not go where they want
Not convenient
Source: English Longitudinal Study of Ageing
Urban Rural

13. How can we improve older people’s
travel options?
• Making it easier to continue driving
• Improving public transport
• Facilitating active travel

14. Three key opportunities
1. Technology
2. Localised decision making
3. Volunteering

15. 1. Technology
• Driverless cars and
assistive technology
• Apps to coordinate peer
to peer transport
provision

16. 2. Localised Decision Making
• Greater flexibility and
integration through devolution
• Age friendly infrastructure -
design of road networks, cycle
lanes, safe crossings, level
pavements, and the location of
amenities and services.

17. 3. Volunteering
• Active travellers
• Community car
schemes

18. Charles Musselwhite
Associate Professor
Swansea University
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19. Providing for fun for functional
mobility in later life
Dr Charles Musselwhite
Associate Professor
Centre for Innovative Ageing
Swansea University
c.b.a.musselwhite@swansea.ac.uk
www.drcharliemuss.com
Report Launch: The Future of Transport in an Ageing Society
Thursday 18th June 2015; 15:00 - 17:00;
Committee Room G, The House of Lords, Westminster, London

20. • Contents
– Background: Needs
– Methods
– Findings
– Solutions
• Spaces
• Services
– Conclusion

21. Background:
Needs

22. Needs for
mobility
PRIMARY MOBILITY NEEDS
Practical/utilitarian Needs
e.g. get from A to B as safely, reliably, cheaply and comfortably as
possible.
SECONDARY MOBILITY NEEDS
Social/affective Needs
e.g. The need for independence, control, to be seen as normal.
Linked to status, roles, identity, self-esteem. Impression management
TERTIARY MOBILITY NEEDS
Aesthetic Needs
e.g. The need for the journey itself, for relaxation, visit nature.
No explicit purpose.
(Musselwhite, C. and Haddad, H. 2010)

23. The need for
discretionary
travel
End product is discretionary
The journey itself is discretionary
View Intrinsic Third space
and

24. “I have no social life since my
widowhood ... and would like
reasonable transport evenings to go out
to theatre, or dances,... or going to pub
to meet friends and socialise” (Parkurst
et al., 2014; GAPL)
“I have friends in the village who it
would be nice to have lunch with
sometime and none of us has a car and
we are too far away to walk to and far
too expensive to get a taxi... so all we
can do is phone each other” (Parkhurst,
et al., 2014; GAPL)
End product is discretionary

25. “Until I moved into my [retirement] flat, I
loved looking at my garden, how it
changes throughout the seasons. With my
car, at least, I can still visit parks and the
forest regularly to watch them change”
(Female, driver, aged 78) (Musselwhite
and Haddad, 2007, 2010; SPARC)
“We go down to the coast regularly to see
the sea. I love being by the sea. We
couldn’t do it if we didn’t have a car.”
(Male, driver, aged 80) (Musselwhite and
Haddad, 2007, 2010; SPARC)

26. “Sometimes I take the long way round to drive past the forest
and see the trees, especially in Autumn” (Male, driver, aged
75) (Musselwhite and Haddad, 2008; 2010; SPARC)
“The bus doesn’t really go where you
would want. The route isn’t pretty. It just
does the houses and the shops. The views
are ordinary” (Female, gave-up driving at
80)
(Musselwhite & Haddad, 2008; 2010;
SPARC)
The journey itself is discretionary
View

27. “That’s what the car does you see. Takes
you where you don’t need to go, you
see. And for me that’s life”. (male,
driver, interview)
(Musselwhite & Haddad, 2010; SPARC)
“Driving allowed me to go where and
when I wanted to, even if that was just for
a drive about. We can’t do that now.”
(Male, gave-up driving at 72)
(Musselwhite & Haddad, 2007; SPARC)
“[on the bus] and he said “it’s different
up here you can see …. get a good view
and see the world go by ….. Is sort of
relaxing “(Female)
(Calcraft et al., 2015;Driving Hands)
The journey itself is discretionary
Intrinsic

28. “I enjoy being on the buses with other
people, it’s a social thing... there’s always
somebody I know on the buses...whereas
driving is a little more enclosed personal
thing.” (Female, Powys, aged in 70s)
(Shergold et al., 2012; GAPL)
“I enjoy going on the bus to the shops.
They are fun. You get to go out, see
people, chat to people, see the world
going round” (female, gave-up driving at
72)
(Musselwhite & Shergold, 2013; GuD)
The journey itself is discretionary
Third space

29. Solutions

30. Walking
SPACES

31. • Outdoor environments to support walking
Functional Fun
Accessible space
-Benches
-Toilets
-Well lit & maintained
-Clear safe space from
traffic
Attractive spaces
-Fountains
-Trees/greenery
Desirable spaces
-Aesthetics
-Prospect/refuge
-Mystery/intrigue
-Playful spaces

32. • Interchange: Walking/bus (or public transport)
Functional Fun
Accessible space
-Seating
-Shelter
-Real-time information
-Level kerb onto bus
-Bins
Attractive spaces
-Quality
Desirable spaces
-Aesthetics
-Sense of place
-Playful spaces

33. • Crossings: Pedestrian/vehicle
Functional Fun
Accessible space
-Enough time to cross
-Appropriate kerb
height
-Confidence vehicles
will stop
- Confidence pedestrian
has the crossing
Attractive spaces
Better information and
signage
Shorter waiting time
prior to crossing
Countdown to cross
Desirable spaces
-Aesthetics
-Playful spaces (Street Pong)
-Pedestrian priority

34. Services and technologies

35. • Support for driving
Functional Fun
Accessible service
Driver skills training
Cognitive screening and
training
Attractive service
Advanced Vehicle
Control and Safety
Systems
Desirable service
-Driverless vehicles
-More on-demand services,
sharing services for better
provision
-Independent Transport Network

36. • Community transport
Functional Fun
Accessible service
Provision for primary
services
Comfortable and
accessible
Helpful and supportive
Attractive service
Days out just for fun!
Bus as a third space
Desirable service
-Aesthetics – improve bus looks
-More on-demand services,
sharing services for better
provision
-Independent Transport
Network

37. • Other mobility technologies
Functional Fun
Accessible service
Cycling
Mobility scooters
Attractive service
Cycling (support and
education)
Mobility scooters
(training and advice)
Desirable service
Electric bikes (cheaper and
lighter)
Hybrid scooter – cars
What else?

38. • Things we’re getting
wrong

41. Conclusion

42. • Remember transport isn’t just
functional...
• Yet in making spaces and services fun
you improve the functionality
• Wider social benefits than economics
• Different models for local transport
needed
• Listen more to what older people want
– involvement in decision making.
• Look at innovations from users
themselves
• Let’s get it right.

43. • References
• Calcraft, M. J., Fox, R., Musselwhite, C., Swinkels, A., Young, S and Turton, P. (2014). An investigation of factors
influencing the resumption of driving by patients with one forearm immobilised in a below-elbow cast. A report
for the British Association of Hand Therapists. University of the West of England and North Bristol NHS Trust.
• Musselwhite, C. (2011) Successfully giving up driving for older people. Discussion Paper. International Longevity
Centre - UK
• Musselwhite, C.B.A. (2010). The role of education and training in helping older people to travel after the
cessation of driving International Journal of Education and Ageing 1(2) , 197-212 ISSN 2044-5458
• Musselwhite, C. and Haddad, H. (2010). Mobility, accessibility and quality of later life. Quality in Ageing and
Older Adults. 11(1), 25-37.
• Musselwhite, C. and Haddad, H. (2008). Prolonging safe driving through technology. Final Report. UWE research
report
• Parkhurst, G., Galvin, K., Musselwhite, C., Phillips, J., Shergold, I., Todres L. (2014). Beyond Transport:
Understanding the Role of Mobilities in Connecting Rural Elders in Civic Society in Hennesey, C., Means, R.,
Burholt, V., (Eds). Countryside Connections: Older people, Community and Place in Rural Britain. Policy Press,
Bristol.
• Shergold, I., Parkhurst, G., Musselwhite, C., (2012). Rural car dependence:an emerging barrier to community
activity for older people? Transport Planning & Tech.,35 (1), 69-85

44. Bill Freeman
Chief Executive
The Community Transport Association
This event is kindly supported by Age UK
#FutureofTransport

45. Jane Vass
Head of Public Policy
Age UK
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46. Panel Debate and Q&A
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47. 18th June 2015
This event is kindly supported by AgeUK
#FutureofTransport
The Future of Transport in an
Ageing Society