Millions have found it impossible to get out and about this week as rail strikes grind the nation to a standstill.
As well as being frustrating, being stranded at home due to poor public transport is bad for our health, researchers have found. Scientists at University College London questioned more than 3,000 adults in the north of England about how often they travelled at least 15 miles away from their home.
Those who did regular day trips or frequently travelled on the train to see friends and family reported better overall health, with that finding particularly true for older adults. The researchers said the study showed the importance of good public transport for helping people to stay fit, healthy and independent as they age.
People over 55 who reported difficulties travelling, such as poor train links, saw friends and relatives less often and were less likely to be members of social clubs.
Dr Paulo Anciaes, the lead author of the study, said: “We expected to find that restrictions on travel through a lack of access to suitable public transport or to a private car would be linked to residents’ perception of their health because of the lack of social participation. We explored the links between constraints to travel more than 15 miles from home, demographics and location and social participation in how residents perceived their own health, finding that the key variable is the number of different places people visit outside their local area. This links to more social participation and better health.”
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Loneliness puts people at greater risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, depression and dementia. It is linked to a 26 per cent higher risk of early death and experts say loneliness should be regarded as a public health problem similar to smoking and obesity. Anciaes said: “Those aged over 55 are more likely to face other constraints to travel such as limited mobility. They are also more likely to suffer from loneliness. In the north of England, rural and suburban areas with limited access options are more likely to experience population loss as young people move to the cities in search of work and good travel options.
“Meanwhile, older generations are left behind in these areas with limited transport options. The range of places they can visit is low, leading to less social participation and lower levels of general health. The results of this study emphasise the need for public policies that reduce constraints to travel in the region, by providing better options for private and public transport.”
The study, published in the journal Transport & Health, said poor public transport also damages health as people struggle to get to doctors’ surgeries and hospitals, leading to missed appointments and later diagnoses.
Researchers said the results showed the need to invest in improving trains and buses.
They said this was particularly true in northern England, which has been badly hit by rail cancellations, with experts warning that millions are relying on “creaking Victorian infrastructure”.
