ABSTRACT
Social exclusion reflects the existence of these barriers which make it difficult or impossible for people to participate fully in society (Social Exclusion Unit, 1998). Studies have identified a number of factors that are seen to contribute to social exclusion including differentials in education and training opportunity and attainment, socio-economic circumstances, local environment as well as access to information and physical accessibility to a wide range of opportunities including employment, shopping and recreation. Access to an adequate transport system is central to all of these. In the UK the focus of the debate has been concerned with the gap between poor neighbourhoods and the ‘rest’ where social and economic changes have resulted in mass joblessness, as a consequence of the decline of manufacturing industry and the need for new skills; concentration of vulnerable people in deprived neighbourhoods; family breakdown; poor core public services and public service failure; and the declining popularity of social housing. The problem in these areas has been compounded by a lack of attention to links between poor neighbourhoods and local and regional economies, and poor links between planning and economic development which can accentuate the barriers to work, education and child care (Social Exclusion Unit, 2001).
