Source: BikeBiz

Residents of rural areas in the UK could benefit from smoother and more frequent transport, following a recent announcement of government funding

Small businesses representing eight separate projects have each won £150,000, as part of the Rural Transport Accelerator Fund, which aims to support the development of innovative concepts for improved rural transport, and in turn boost community well-being, and help to support rural jobs and local economies.

Lilian Greenwood, Minister for the Future of Roads, said, “People who live in rural areas have unique needs when it comes to transport, and we’re always looking for ways to improve connections across the country. Through our funding, these projects will shake up the way rural transport is delivered, using the latest innovations to help residents see their friends and family, do their weekly food shop or attend hospital appointments.”

The £1.2m grant is delivered in collaboration with Connected Places Catapult (CPC), the UK’s innovation accelerator for cities, transport and place leadership. CPC CEO, Erika Lewis, said, “I am delighted to welcome eight exciting companies onto the Rural Transport Accelerator. Their innovations and technologies promise to make a real impact for people living in rural areas, and I look forward to following their progress through the programme over the coming months.”

This year, the scheme called for solutions to several challenges that rural areas face, including the importance of rural roads for everyday journeys, aiming towards a sustainable future, enabling innovation in rural mobility, advancements in agricultural transportation, and driving adoption of technology in rural areas.

Among the winning projects:

You.Smart.Thing: trialled in Warwickshire, the development of an AI tool to offer shared, demand-responsive or community transport options for those without access to cars.

UrbanTide: trialled near Fife, mapping rural hospital patient journeys with the aim of identifying barriers to health services access, and to support health providers in enhancing rural transport services.

Alchera Technologies: trialled by Norfolk County Council, the use of data insights to create a behavioural travel model, with the aim of helping local authorities with rural mobility decision making.

Civil Water Management: trialled by Milton Keynes County Council, the installation of new drainage systems utilising recycled car tyres, to aid safer cycling along flood-prone sections of cycle routes.