Transport-Related Social Exclusion and Mobility Access
Summary
Transport-related social exclusion arises when individuals or communities lack sufficient means to participate fully in economic, social and civic life due to inadequate transport provision. This phenomenon encompasses spatial barriers, such as distance from key services; temporal constraints, including limited service hours; and socioeconomic factors, such as affordability and personal mobility impairments. Mobility access refers to the degree to which people can reach employment, education, healthcare and social activities within acceptable time, cost and comfort thresholds. Research across urban, suburban and rural contexts highlights persistent inequalities in access that can reinforce poverty, hinder social cohesion and undermine wellbeing. Recent work has drawn attention to the ways in which transport planning, land-use policies and emerging mobility technologies can both alleviate and exacerbate exclusion. Practical applications range from targeted public transport investments and demand-responsive services to integrated land-use and mobility planning that prioritises the needs of marginalised groups. A growing emphasis on data-driven indices and participatory methods seeks to ensure that interventions are evidence-based and socially equitable, while also contributing to climate-friendly mobility transitions.
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Transport-Related Social Exclusion and Mobility Access publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in transport-related social exclusion and mobility access across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Transport-related social exclusion: A multidimensional condition in which limited transport options prevent full participation in social, economic and civic activities.
Transport poverty: The state in which individuals cannot afford or physically access essential transport services, leading to deprivation of opportunities.
Mobility access: The degree to which people can reach desired destinations—such as jobs, schools and healthcare—with reasonable ease, cost and time.
Activity space: The geographical area within which an individual conducts daily activities, reflecting real-world patterns of movement and access.
Transport Poverty Risk Index (TPRI): A composite spatial index integrating affordability, accessibility and mobility dimensions to identify areas at greatest risk of transport poverty.
Car dependency: A condition in which private automobile use is the primary or sole means of travel, often resulting from inadequate alternatives and potentially leading to forced vehicle ownership.
References
- Transport poverty risk – A composite spatial index to support policy design and investment targeting as part of a just climate transition. Environmental and Sustainability Indicators (2023).
- Definitions matter: investigating indicators for transport poverty using different measurement tools. European Transport Research Review (2023).
- Transport poverty meets car dependency: A GPS tracking study of socially disadvantaged groups in European rural peripheries. Journal of Transport Geography (2022).
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