The MATISSE project identified a range of transport measures, which, as a cocktail, customised to local needs can assist in reducing exclusion.

ECLIPSE has identified good practice examples where measures relating to affordability have been successfully introduced and a selection of these are summarised below:

• WorkWise - West Midlands (UK)
• Job Link - Merseyside (UK)

WorkWise - West Midlands (UK)

In the West Midlands there are concerns about the ability of people from specific deprived communities to benefit from the employment and training benefits offered by regeneration and growth across the region. To help jobseekers access major out-of-town employment areas (e.g. the Birmingham NEC/International Airport area) that have poor public transport provision and operate during hours when commercial public transport services cannot operate, a pilot ‘WorkWise' scheme was implemented (the first WorkWise scheme, initiated in Nottingham , was the Community Links and Liaisons Project, led by Centro).

The WorkWise concept comprises four specific transport measures which are intended to help unemployed people access training, interviews and jobs which they might otherwise not have been able to access. The measures demonstrated are as follows:

•  tailored door to door travel information package

•  public transport tickets to interviews and for the first month of employment

•  cycle pools

•  a guaranteed taxi ride home .

A major element of the scheme was to improve accessibility, promote green travel and enhance social inclusion. The scheme was implemented in Sparkhill in Birmingham and Chelmsley Wood in Solihull.

The scheme's first year in Birmingham and Solihull was highly successful in achieving its annual targets and objectives. It helped over 300 people gain access to work compared to a target of 113; retention rates amongst those achieving employment was high with over 80% of WorkWise users still in employment after 4 weeks; over 400 unemployed people accessed job interviews using free public transport day passes and journey plans compared to a target of 358 and 17 unemployed people accessed training with a guarantee of employment.

The achievements of WorkWise achievements have been recognised both locally and nationally.

Job Link - Merseyside (UK)

The objective of the project was to broaden travel horizons of individuals / groups at risk of social exclusion and provide improved public transport for those seeking new employment, training and work-based learning opportunities.

Joblink uses timetabled bus services to link deprived residential areas of high unemployment to key employment sites. Offering transport where there are no conventional rail or bus services, it operates across Merseyside as well as in Halton and Deeside. Where there are no fixed routes in operation, a demand responsive, door-to-door service is offered to people referred by key partner organisations. The fleet consists of 20 dedicated low-floor buses, operating a 19-hour day and fares on Joblink cost no more than 50p (approximately 0.73€ ).

The service addresses the gaps in conventional bus and rail transport provision with timetabled fixed route services that coincide with key employers' shift patterns and many Joblink passengers have stated that the service has helped them to take up a new job or training opportunity.

For more information on the above, please select the 'Deliverables' icon on the top left hand side of this page and download Deliverable 3.