Skills, transport and economic development: evidence from a rural area in England

This article explores the impact of low population density and transport constraints on skills development and the take up of learning and training opportunities in a rural area of eastern England. It draws on analyses of secondary data sources, qualitative interviews and a focus group discussion with employers, trainers and other actors in the labour market, and a survey of young people in their penultimate year of compulsory schooling. Using the concept of the low skills equilibrium', it discusses how a relatively poor transport infrastructure and a dispersed population combine to present challenges for local economic development. It concludes that transport and travel play a crucial 'cause' and 'effect' role in exacerbating poor skills and low productivity, through thwarting attempts to improve access to learning and training that would help the local economy to achieve higher levels of productivity and economic growth. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.