Public transport deteriorating; Work, facilities less accessible by train, bus: PBL

Facilities like hospitals, supermarkets, schools, and also work have become less accessible by public transport in recent years. Research by the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (PBL) confirmed this picture. “The effects are particularly severe for people who live in rural areas, on the outskirts of cities, and in villages,” the researchers wrote. “Especially in the evenings and at weekends, facilities for these groups have become less accessible.”

Reduced accessibility is closely linked to cuts in public transport. At the same time, many facilities were relocated from rural areas to the city during the studied period, from 2012 to 2022. These developments have increased the differences between people who have a car and those who do not.

“Accessibility of work, facilities, and social contacts is essential to be able to fully participate in society,” the researchers stressed. They mainly see reduced accessibility to hospital locations, but the accessibility of schools and supermarkets by public transport has also decreased. Cycling can sometimes be a solution, but the distances are often too great for that.

Because the supply of public transport has decreased, many people are also struggling more to get to work. “It is mainly the less educated who suffer from the deterioration of public transport in reaching work. The type of jobs for this group are more often in places that are more difficult to reach by bus,” wrote the PBL. Higher-educated people suffer less from this.

The researchers showed some understanding for concentrating facilities in cities. It has advantages, and it is “not always possible, or desirable, to offer the same level of accessibility of facilities and jobs in all regions,” they said in their report.

The Schoof Cabinet has put improving accessibility on the priority list. PBL researcher Jeroen Bastiaanssen sees several “knobs” that politicians could turn on that front. “Investing in public transport and the cycling network is obvious, especially in places where many people have been affected by the reduced accessibility,” he suggested. In addition, the government could focus on building even more facilities and employment near public transport hubs. “Housing at such locations can also offer high accessibility.”