Development and Evaluation of the Transport to Employment (T2E) Service: Overcoming Transport Barriers to Job Opportunities Leading to More Sustainable Rural Communities in Highland Scotland

Abstract

We highlight the specific problem of lack of transport as a significant barrier to local job seekers finding work in rural areas with a focus on the Sutherland and Easter Ross area of Highland Scotland. The paper describes the Transport to Employment (T2E) scheme: a novel solution to overcoming transport barriers to job opportunities. Evaluation of the scheme has revealed an effective, reliable and popular transport service for job seekers in rural areas that produces an excellent return on investment for funding bodies, healthy economic benefits to individuals, employers and the State. The scheme also contributes to sustainable community development, by reductions in depopulation amongst young local job seekers.

Notes

¹ http://www.communities.gov.uk/communities/sustainablecommunities/whatis/

² T2E was devised and developed by Highland Council Economic Development Department and James Cooper, Head of Taxi Studies Group at Napier University. The Service operation is provided by ‘T2E Ltd’, a Social Enterprise Company established for this purpose.

³ Independent evaluation of the project was conducted by researchers at Newcastle University: Prof John Nelson, Dr Steve Wright and Mrs Stephanie Murphy. Prof Nelson and Dr Wright are now at the new Centre for Transport Research at Aberdeen University.

⁴ http://www.businessxl.co.uk/businessxl-magazine/expansion/32582/part_2/relocation-special-home-of-the-brave.thtml

⁵ It is also possible to identify a number of movements away from UK call centres altogether, with the Tiscali service centre, previously handled by Manpower in Alness moving to service centres in the Philippines.

⁶ http://www.essentiagroup.com/UserFiles/File/News%20Releases/BroraJobs.pdf

⁷ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/07/17/nrural117.xml

⁸ http://www.hotelmanagement-network.com/features/feature853/

⁹ The combined benefit to the client and the State for each new employee using T2E is approximately £9,000 per annum (Wright et al., 2008) based upon net increased income, i.e. client's wages minus lost welfare benefits and increased taxes and reduction in welfare payments offset against increased tax contribution to the State.

¹⁰ Average cost of a six month moped loan benefiting one person was £1910 (SDG, 2004) increased to £2,133 in 2007 using average Annual Earnings Index.