Improving access to work through transport

For many across South East Scotland, finding a job is only part of the challenge – getting to it can be just as difficult. In our latest blog, our Programme Manager Michael Melton, talks about our new Transport to Employment work which is looking to tackle some of the transport barriers that prevent people accessing employment and training opportunities in our region.

Transport barriers, such as cost and availability of services that do not match shift patterns, can prevent people from accessing or sustaining employment. This has a direct impact on household incomes and on child poverty.

Our Transport to Employment programme is focused on tackling these challenges. Supported by Scottish Government funding, our programme is designed to improve access to work and training, helping more parents into employment and supporting better outcomes for families across the region.

A framework for action

Our programme is built around six key areas of work, which together shape a coordinated, regional response to transport barriers.

• The first focus is school communities. Schools have an important role to play in engaging with parents, so through this theme we will work with parents on a range of initiatives, including bespoke travel advice and training, paid work experience placements in the transport sector, and engaging with parents around transport as a career option.
• Our second theme looks at transport to large workplaces. Many major employment sites, especially those on the edge of urban areas, are not well served by public transport. This is often even worse outside traditional working hours. We are therefore supporting new or extended bus services, such as from communities in Midlothian to the Bioquarter in Edinburgh, by addressing geographic gaps or providing additional services more closely with actual working patterns.
• We are also tackling challenges for those living in rural areas, where limited public transport can make accessing opportunities especially difficult. For example, we are supporting Fife Council to provide demand responsive transport in South West Fife and Levenmouth. This will create more flexible connections, improving access to jobs, healthcare and onward travel in areas that have historically been underserved.
• Another key strand is supporting Local Employability Partnerships (LEPs), helping to connect transport solutions with wider employability services.
• Our programme also includes pilot projects to improve transport options to healthcare settings, recognising that healthcare sites are not only essential services but also major employers. Improving access to hospitals and training facilities can open up new employment opportunities while also supporting access to care.
• Finally, we are supporting dedicated roles within local authorities and partner organisations which focus on engaging employers, coordinating delivery and ensuring that transport solutions are designed around real needs.

Turning ideas into impact

Across the region, these themes are being translated into practical projects that will make a difference on the ground.

In the Scottish Borders, a coordinated programme is combining new bus services with employer engagement and behaviour change initiatives, helping parents access jobs, training and education. In West Lothian, a new Sunday bus service is addressing gaps in weekend provision, supporting shift workers who previously had limited transport options.

We are also supporting more personalised approaches. Through a pilot project being delivered by FEL Scotland in Clackmannanshire and Grangemouth, a dedicated link worker is helping parents navigate transport options, build confidence and overcome practical barriers. This kind of tailored support can be critical for people who are returning to work or accessing training for the first time in years.

Alongside this, projects like The Bike Station are creating new pathways into employment through paid placements and accredited training, while programmes such as Powering Futures are raising awareness of careers in the transport sector and linking this with access to opportunity.

A more connected region

By bringing together local authorities, employers and delivery partners, we are able to link individual projects into a wider strategy that improves connectivity across South East Scotland.

This matters because transport challenges are rarely isolated. A missing bus connection, a lack of affordable options, or services that do not align with shift work can all prevent people from accessing opportunities. By addressing these issues in a coordinated way, we can create a system that works better for everyone.

Ultimately, this is about ensuring that transport connects people to opportunity, helping to tackle child poverty as well as ensuring no one is held back simply because they cannot get where they need to go.