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A recent study has found that poor families in North England struggle to find jobs because of unreliable and expensive public transportation.
The study, conducted by Sheffield [SHEF-eeld] Hallam University and the University of Sheffield, involved low-income residents from Greater Manchester and Leeds. The researchers found that low-income families in these cities depend heavily on riding buses as a relatively cheaper alternative to taking the train or driving a car.
Through a series of interviews, the researchers discovered that the participants have difficulty attending job interviews due to the erratic schedule of bus services. Job seekers cannot guarantee their punctuality for job interviews because the buses sometimes arrive late. Unfortunately, this results in the rejection of the job seekers’ applications.
Aside from this, some job seekers also find bus fares to other cities very expensive, with their projected commute expenses greater than their expected income. This causes them to turn down offers from other cities.
Given these points, the researchers called for improvements in transportation in the affected cities. Some of the improvements they proposed include integrating transport and employment policies, which can help workers find better commute options. Another proposal is the creation of new bus franchises that will serve areas with problems on accessible and affordable transportation.
In response to the issue, a spokesperson from the UK Department for Transport said that transportation reforms are already underway in North England. These reforms have a budget exceeding £13 billion, which is the largest reform investment ever made by any government.