Future of transport: rural strategy - call for evidence
Introduction 
 
Thank you for responding to our consultation. We are seeking views and evidence on what could be incorporated into our strategy for transport innovation in rural areas.
The closing date is 16 February 2021.
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Confidentiality and data protection
The Department for Transport (DfT), together with the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy is running a consultation collecting views and evidence on what could be incorporated into our strategy for transport innovation in rural areas.
In this consultation we're asking for:
•	your name and email address, in case we need to ask you follow-up questions about your responses (you do not have to give us this personal information, but if you do provide it, we will use it only for the purpose of asking follow-up questions)	
•	whether you are representing an organisation or yourself	
Additionally for organisations we are asking for the:
•	organisation category which includes, in certain choices, a definition of size, this is to ascertain the organisation relationship to government 	
Your consultation response and the processing of personal data that it entails is necessary for the exercise of our functions as a government department. Any information you provide that allows individual people to be identified, including yourself, will be protected by data protection law and DfT will be the controller for this information.
Your personal data is processed on behalf of DfT by Smartsurvey, with respect that they run the survey collection software only, your personal data will not be shared with any other third parties, even those employed for the purpose of analysis. DfT's privacy policy (opens in new window) has more information about your rights in relation to your personal data, how to complain and how to contact the Data Protection Officer.
Your information will be kept securely and destroyed within 12 months after the closing date. Any information provided through the online questionnaire will be moved to our internal systems within 2 months of the consultation period end date.

Your details 
1. Your (used for contact details only): 

name?  	 	

email?  	 	

 
2. Are you responding: *

  	as an individual? (Go to ‘Future of transport: rural strategy - call for evidence’)	
  	on behalf of an organisation?	
Organisation details 
 
Which category best describes your organisation? 

  	Local or regional government	
  	Academia or research institute	
  	Charity or other non-government organisation	
  	Small and medium-sized enterprises or start-up (fewer than 250 employees)	
  	Large enterprise (250 or more employees)	
  	Other:

	
Future of transport: rural strategy - call for evidence 
 
We are seeking suggestions and evidence from all those with an interest in rural transport on what could be incorporated into our strategy for transport innovation in rural areas. The rural strategy will set out how: 
•	transport innovations and technological developments can be harnessed in rural communities	
•	central government, local authorities, communities and the private sector can influence emerging trends so they can best benefit rural areas   	

Issues facing rural areas 
Rural areas face a range of mobility concerns which can lead to social and economic issues. These include: 
•	dependence on the private car	
•	access to vital services	
•	access to employment	
•	social isolation	

3. What are your views on: 

dependence on the private car?  	 	

access to key services?  	 	

access to employment?  	 	

social isolation?  	 	

 

4. Do you think there are other issues facing rural areas that we should consider in the strategy? 

  	Yes	
  	No (Go to ‘Future of transport: rural strategy - call for evidence’)	
  	Don’t know? (Go to ‘Future of transport: rural strategy - call for evidence’)	
Issues facing rural areas: other 
 
5. What issues? 

	
Trends in innovation for rural transport 
 
Innovation has the potential to transform how people and goods move around rural areas both now and in the coming decades. We are seeing a number of trends emerge. These trends include: 
•	an increase in the use of active travel (including walking, cycling and e-bikes) in rural areas	
•	the potential for micromobility to move within rural areas	
•	more effective integration of journeys between modes for a single journey	
•	the use of digital innovation to provide more flexible services, such as demand responsive transport	
•	new modes of transport being developed, such as self-driving vehicles	
•	sense of rural community spirit, leading to the development of innovative shared community transport services	
Greater detail about these is included in the consultation document.

6. What examples, in rural areas, do you have for the transport trend of: 

increasing use of active travel modes?  	 	

micromobility?  	 	

more effective integration of journeys?  	 	

digital models for more flexible services?  	 	

data and digital improvements unlocking market knowledge?  	 	

new modes of transport?  	 	

strong community links?  	 	

 
7. Do you think there are other trends in innovation we haven’t included? 

  	Yes	
  	No (Go to ‘Encouraging transport innovation in rural areas’)	
  	Don't know? (Go to ‘Encouraging transport innovation in rural areas’)	
Trends in innovation for rural transport: opportunities 
 
8. What trends in innovation? 

	

Encouraging transport innovation in rural areas 
 
We want to be able to harness innovation in transport to encourage a greater range of transport services to become available across rural areas. We recognise that some innovations could be available over the short term, while others will be developed over the next decade. We want to create the conditions to enable near-term innovation to be realised, whilst ensuring that the needs of rural areas are embedded in longer-term technologies and services as they are developed.  

In the 'Future of mobility: urban strategy' [opens in a new window], we provided a set of principles to underpin our approach to transport innovation in urban areas. These include that:
  
•	new modes of transport and new mobility services must be safe and secure by design	
•	the benefits of innovation in mobility must be available to all parts of the UK and all segments of society	
•	walking, cycling and active travel must remain the best options for short urban journeys	
•	mass transit must remain fundamental to an efficient transport system	
•	new mobility services must lead the transition to zero emissions	
•	mobility innovation must help to reduce congestion through more efficient use of limited road space, for example through sharing rides, increasing occupancy or consolidating freight	
•	the marketplace for mobility must be open to stimulate innovation and give the best deal to consumers	
•	new mobility services must be designed to operate as part of an integrated transport system combining public, private and multiple modes for transport users	
•	data from new mobility services must be shared where appropriate to improve choice and the operation of the transport system	
We think these principles are also relevant to guide the application of innovation to rural areas as well to ensure that this innovation can meet wider social and economic policy objectives and limit any unintended consequences.

9. Do you think the future of transport rural strategy should include that: 

	Yes	No	Don't know?	
new modes of transport and new mobility services must be safe and secure by design principle?
	  	  	  	
the benefits of innovation in mobility must be available to all parts of the UK and all segments of society principle?
	  	  	  	
walking, cycling and active travel must remain the best options for short urban journeys principle?
	  	  	  	
mass transit must remain fundamental to an efficient transport system principle?
	  	  	  	
new mobility services must lead the transition to zero emissions principle?
	  	  	  	
mobility innovation must help to reduce congestion through more efficient use of limited road space, for example through sharing rides, increasing occupancy or consolidating freight principle?
	  	  	  	
the marketplace for mobility must be open to stimulate innovation and give the best deal to consumers principle?
	  	  	  	
new mobility services must be designed to operate as part of an integrated transport system combining public, private and multiple modes for transport users principle?
	  	  	  	
data from new mobility services must be shared where appropriate to improve choice and the operation of the transport system principle?	  	  	  	

Which additional principals would you like to see in the strategy?  

	
 
10. Are there specific considerations for testing and trialling new technologies in rural areas you think we should consider? 

	
 
11. In your view what should the role of: 

central government be in encouraging innovation in rural areas?  	 	

sub-national transport bodies be in encouraging innovation in rural areas?  	 	

local authorities be in encouraging innovation in rural areas?  	 	

 

12. Do you think government should encourage the private sector to develop innovative new transport services in rural areas? 

  	Yes 	
  	No (Go to ‘Final comments’)	
  	Don't know? (Go to ‘Final comments’)	
Encouraging transport innovation in rural areas: government 
 
13. How do you think government should encourage the private sector? 

	
Final comments 
 
14. Any other comments?