Poor transport links are isolating older people

A WRVS report suggests thousands of older people are being negatively affected by the cuts in spending on public transport services across the UK.

The report highlights the role that transport plays in older people’s lives, by keeping them connected to social networks, leisure activities and voluntary roles within their community.

Warning that 342,000 over 75-year-olds have said they feel trapped in their own home, the report shows an older person’s ability to remain independent is being compromised by a lack of suitable transport.

David McCullough, WRVS chief executive said: "Older people shouldn’t be confined to their own homes simply because they can’t access transport. Getting out and about is a basic necessity that many of us take for granted but this report shows it isn’t so straightforward for older people who may have mobility issues and we know this can have a devastating impact on wellbeing.”

The report revealed that although bus travel is free for people aged over 60 in Wales and Scotland and 62 in England, 17 per cent of older people do not use the transport because it is not suitable to their disabilities.

People aged 70 and over are making on average 215 fewer trips per year in any kind of transport than the general population it was also shown. Mr McCullough said: "Helping older people to stay active is vital for their good health and ensuring they remain connected is a really important factor in an inclusive society.

“Organisations such as WRVS can provide door-to-door community transport services so that older people can maintain an excellent quality of life and stay connected to their local communities which is why community transport schemes are so important."

The report described how being unable to get out of their homes due to a lack of public transport has resulted in nine per cent of older people feeling that they have lost their independence, leading to six per cent of people describing feeling of loneliness and five per cent of isolation.

WRVS is reacting to the report by urging transport providers to consider the needs of older people, by training drivers to know how to ensure that older people are helped correctly and considering the placement of bus stops so that people do not have to walk long distances to reach local services.