It’s official, access to transport is essential to beating loneliness. A new study by the Social Market Foundation showed that there is a very real link between transport or the lack thereof, and loneliness. 

The think tank used data from the Department of Transport and cross-referenced that with another major study, the DfT’s national travel survey. They found a correlation between people with transport, (a car) and those who didn’t, who felt left out – lonely.

Dependence on a car throughout life, meant that people could often, in effect self isolate themselves, as to do anything means travelling, whether you’re in a town or the countryside this can run true. But it raises the question for us ( a dedicated community transport provider) about the impact of not being able to drive independently once you reach a certain point, whether that’s due to illness or mobility. The impact fallout from not driving can be life changing, forcing us to re-think how, and where we live at a time in our lives when the last thing one wants to do is move, even if we were able to, and an option not financially open to everyone.

While the study highlights that it’s more prevalent in rural areas than urban, because there is more public transport available in urban areas, but when it comes to towns that’s not the case if you can’t access it due to your age, frailty, anxiety or mobility issues. Or, if where you live generally means you need a car to get around to meet people and do most things, which is most of us.

Put simply they said:

“Failing to provide alternatives to cars is making people more lonely and more isolated.”

This is storing up more health issues that communities are already working hard to address. The impact of loneliness and self isolation on an older persons physical and mental well being are well documented. Society’s focus on car driving as a main form of transport does not serve us all well in later life. We need community transport, and volunteer car schemes to support mainstream public transport for those who can’t use it but need it, and to help people feel better, and to live well.

Check out how we can help you or someone you know here: What we do