ABSTRACT
Undeniably, policy concerns at this time have been principally that of car dependence and modal shift - the switch from private car to public transport (DETR, 1998a; Hine and Scott, 2001). The dilemma for policy and practice is the marriage of these objectives as now enshrined in statute, as for example in the Transport Act (Scotland) 2001, and the reduction of social exclusion through improvements to transport infrastructure. This chapter establishes the circumstances and policy context of three case study areas: Leith in Edinburgh, Castlemilk in Glasgow and Coatbridge in North Lanarkshire. Information presented in this chapter also extends to a description of the population and their characteristics in terms of tenure, household structure, income, health and perception of neighbourhood.
