Transport projects are complex; the interface with different policy areas can often lead to significant challenges to ensuring that long-term value outcomes are achieved. This thesis seeks to explore the challenges associated with the effective provision of transport services from a social exclusion perspective. It uncovers a number of key factors that can affect the successful delivery and provision of such schemes by examining the consequence of the decisions and actions taken by service providers and commissioners. Using a case study approach conducted on three local authority projects across the United Kingdom, the study is exploratory in nature through an in-depth qualitative data analysis. In order to address the aim of the thesis, six key objectives are defined: to understand how transport projects may act as a vehicle for delivering policy aimed at addressing social exclusion in the United Kingdom; to understand and investigate the impact of deregulation of the bus industry on the provision of transport services, particularly for the socially excluded; to critically examine the process underpinning decisions that guide the provision of transport schemes to address social exclusion; to examine the propensity for service users to be actively involved in the decision making process; to conduct a case study research in order to explore the challenges to the successful provision and delivery of the transport services to the socially excluded as a consequence of the decisions and actions taken by the service providers in the case study areas; and to characterise the factors that should be considered in the provision and delivery of transport services, particularly for the socially excluded.Semi structured interviews were carried out with the service providers in three locations– West Midlands, Sheffield, and Manchester. These interviews seek to determine the challenges to the effective provision and delivery of transport services as a consequence of the decisions and actions of the service providers. Overall, some challenges that could inhibit the provision and delivery of transport services were identified. These include constraint on the provision and delivery of transport services for the socially excluded due to the Competition Act, lack of accessible information, lack of close working relationship between service providers, lack of trust and mutual respect between service providers, too much focus in reducing the number of benefits claimant, service accessibility – inflexible access criteria, lack of support for bus drivers, lack of cultural diversity in the workforce and marketing of services, resource constraints on scheme performance, tendency on the service providers to focus getting output rather than outcomes, partnership issues - lack of commitment, poor communication, lack of common understanding of social exclusion, tendency on the service providers to focus on economic aspect, and lack of willingness to fully engage with citizens in the delivery and provision of transport services.These challenges identified were then further analysed in order to examine the underlying reasons why those challenges existed. Having identified and examined the challenges that could hinder the provision and delivery of the transport services, particularly for the socially excluded, some recommendations were made based on the identified issues that should be considered in the provision and delivery of transport services, particularly for the socially excluded.The findings that emerged contribute toward the social exclusion and transport provision domain in four areas:• Highlighted and provided an understanding of the difficulties surrounding the role of bus drivers and how it affects transport provision for the socially excluded;• The importance and the need to have the local knowledge in delivering transport service;• Understanding service provider’s attitude towards engaging with the community in the provision of transport services; and, • Inadequate funding and the impacts on transport provision for the socially excluded.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:564343 |
| Date | January 2012 |
| Creators | Jibrin, Usman Isah |
| Contributors | Ling, David; Kirkham, Richard |
| Publisher | University of Manchester |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Source | https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/en/theses/social-exclusion-public-consultation-and-the-role-of-transport-service-providers-the-barriers-to-integrated-transport-provision(c91277f4-e001-4f7b-8499-8534b92198e1).html |
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