This week, the Rural Services Network’s chief executive Graham Biggs published a second article in FE News with Young Somerset chief executive Nik Harwood

They focused on the issue of accessibility of accessing further education from rural areas. In terms of transport, rural young people face the twin challenges of distance and cost.

Transport is crucial to life opportunities and poor links compound disadvantages. The article reported that when pupils do find somewhere with an inspiring course they want to study, those in rural areas face journeys almost triple the distance than their urban counterparts (7.9 miles compared with 2.7 miles).

In addition, in London, 16 and 17-year olds enjoy free bus and tram travel but in 2018, 20,000 rural pupils saw free school transport cut as county councils had no choice but to strip funding in order to balance the books. The article concluded by calling on the Government to implement free travel for all young people across the country, up to the age of 18.

Full article:

FE News - #LevelUp FE - Poor transport links compound the disadvantages rural young people face