Rural residents in North Yorkshire being deprived of their 'fundamental human right' of public transport, meeting hears

The report said residents outside towns had little option but to use cars due to a lack of bus services. (Credit: North Yorkshire County Council)

Rural residents are being deprived of their “fundamental human right” of public transport by a local authority which does not recognise bus services as an essential part of life in the country, a meeting has heard.

A meeting of North Yorkshire County Council's transport, economy and environment scrutiny committee was told while rural areas in the county desperately needed solutions to enable safe active travel such as walking and cycling, residents outside towns had little option but to use cars due to a lack of bus services.

Responding to a long-awaited report by the authority's officers on rural transport provision in the county, resident Bill Bracknell told members the only positive section of the document was where it highlighted how the North Yorkshire and York devolution proposal called for fresh approach to supporting public transport.However, he said there were numerous opportunities for the council to take action, such as integrating policies and practices so all new schemes create improved facilities for buses and their passengers, such as bus shelters and longer bus stops to encourage connections between local bus services.