The health implications of inequalities in travel

The purpose of this paper is to examine whether some groups in society have poorer travel opportunities or are affected adversely by transport more than others with consequent implications for their health. The following potential inequalities in access to travel are considered: income, ethnicity, gender, rurality and disability. The impacts of two externalities of the transport system are considered: casualty rates and atmospheric emissions. Access to a car is found to be a key factor. Generally, the inequalities are decreasing over time as those with lower incomes increase their car ownership towards the levels of those with higher incomes. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.