Transport and Ageing: An Examination into Digitally Enabled Flexible Public Transport Services and the Opportunities and Barriers for Older Citizens

本研究项目的重点是在英国牛津放松管制的交通市场背景下，研究数字化灵活公共交通服务（FTS）新模式的作用和价值。具体来说，本博士将研究由牛津巴士公司运营的新的需求响应运输服务——PickmeUp，并将其与牛津汽车占用率低的贫困地区现有的固定路线巴士服务联系起来。将特别注意这种新型服务的影响和作用，以及它将如何影响老年人等脆弱公民的生活。该项目还旨在从地方当局的角度了解这项服务对政策和社区运输服务的影响；例如，关于可以确定这些新服务是否有资格或是否应得到优惠旅行资金支助的证据。该项目将分为三个连续的阶段：1)使用参与式方法-德尔菲法-确定在人们的日常生活中与交通和流动性相关的什么是重要的。其目的是首先确定一套以人为本的指标，以审查第二阶段的DRT服务，并将这一本地化调查与现有的全国家庭运输调查进行比较。2. 第二阶段将对牛津一年的DRT客流量进行时空分析。利用第一阶段和第二阶段的发现，博士学位的最后阶段旨在综合前两个阶段，并评估如何使用这些学习来支持具体的社区交通政策决定（第19/22节），以及这项服务如何适应围绕交通和老龄化的更广泛辩论。这项博士研究采用了一种混合方法：定性的公共和私营部门参与活动和基于桌面的文献综述，以及定量的方法来分析匿名公交乘客和汇总交通数据。主要研究问题：在老年人的日常生活中，他们所在社区的交通和流动性对他们有什么影响？牛津现有的固定路线公共交通服务如何满足老年人/弱势公民的需求？牛津新的灵活公共交通服务如何满足老年/弱势公民的需求？新方法/方法:1。a)一种使用德尔菲技术的新方法，根据人们在日常生活中所重视的东西来制定交通/流动性指标；b)一项局部交通研究-新数据2。新的DRT乘客数据集-牛津巴士公司的独家评估，这将增加使用合成数据的先前研究的知识。真实世界的DRT数据（匿名）与现有的公共交通（固定路线）进行比较；与EPSRC保持一致：在EPSRC的“建筑环境”和“基础设施和城市系统”主题下，本博士将在以下战略主题下进行研究：建筑环境和公共健康，重点关注健康和包容性设计。基础设施和城市系统——改善交通网络的性能、容量和连通性；城市及其系统的整体视图，包括它们与关键基础设施之间的依赖关系。这项研究也与医疗保健技术和数字经济（“价值创造和获取”、“数据、信息和知识”的子主题）的主题密切相关。

The focus of this research project is to examine the role and value of new modes of digitally enabled Flexible Public Transport Services (here after FTS) within the context of a deregulated transport market in Oxford, UK. Specifically, this PhD will examine the new Demand Responsive Transport service - PickmeUp - operated by Oxford Bus Company and in relation to the existing fixed route bus services in deprived areas of Oxford with low-car occupancy. Special attention will be given to the impact and roles of this new type of service and how it will impact the lives of vulnerable citizens, such as the elderly. The project will also aim to understand the impact of this service on policy and community transport services from a local authority perspective; for example, in relation to evidence that could determine whether such new services should be eligible or supported with funds for concessionary travel. The project will be divided into three sequential phases: 1) Using participatory methodology - Delphi method - to determine what matters to people in their daily lives in relation to transport and mobility. The aim of which is to first determine a set of people-orientated indicators to examine the DRT service in phase 2, but also to compare this localised survey with existing National Household Transport surveys. 2. Phase 2 will involve a spatial and temporal analysis of 1 year's worth of DRT ridership in Oxford. Using the findings from phase 1 and 2, the final phase of the PhD aims to synthesise the first two phases and assess how such learnings can be used to support specific Community Transport policy decisions (Section 19/22), as well as how this service fits in to the wider debate around transport and ageing. This PhD research adopts a mixed methods approach: qualitative public and private sector engagement activities and desk-based review of literature, as well as quantitative approaches for analysis of anonymised bus ridership and aggregated transport data.Main Research Questions:What matters to older citizens in their daily lives in relation to transport and mobility in their neighbourhood? How does the existing fixed routed public transport service in Oxford meet the needs of older/vulnerable citizens? How does the new Flexible Public Transport Service in Oxford meet the unfulfilled needs of older/vulnerable citizens?Novel Methods/Approaches:1. a) A novel approach using the Delphi technique to develop transport/mobility indicators based on what people value in their daily lives, b) a localised transport study - new data2. New DRT ridership dataset - exclusive assess from Oxford Bus Company which will add to knowledge of previous studies that use synthetic data.3. Real world DRT data (anonymised) to compare with existing public transport (fixed route); ridership, destinations, time of travel, cost of travel reimbursement cost of concessionary travel) Alignment with EPSRC:Within the EPSRC's themes of the 'built environment' and 'infrastructure and urban systems', this PhD will undertake research under the following strategic themes: the built environment and public health, by focusing on design for wellbeing and inclusivity. Infrastructure and urban systems - improving the performance, capacity and connectivity of transport networks; a holistic view of cities and their systems, including dependencies between them and critical infrastructure. This research can also be strongly linked to the themes of Healthcare technologies, and Digital Economy (sub-themes of 'value creation and capture', 'data, information and knowledge').