Edinburgh Napier University

  This review was commissioned by the Countryside Agency to explore the impact of the transport sector, including transport provision, on rural economies in England. The project was carried out with Derek Halden Consultancy. It sought to collate what is known from existing recent literature about the main links between transport and rural economies and the transport needs of rural businesses, and also to validate the relationships through survey work to explain the ways in which transport can most effectively benefit rural economies. It found that relationships between transport and rural economies are defined by accessibility and by the capacity and skills of people and businesses. Key factors influencing these relationships are infrastructure, people and knowledge networks, quality and reliability of service provision, skills and training, culture and expectations, and finally legislation, administration and taxation.