Back on track
Unreliable public transport can have a health consequences for those without a car
Social isolation
17% of Scotland's population live in rural communities. 20% of these are without a car. They will rely on public transport to get around. Fares and availability vary greatly and this can limit many to where and how often they can travel. These limitations can lead to isolation and isolation can result in mental health issues.​
People talk about isolation in Newburgh. Without a car you rely on infrequent buses are expensive taxis.
Transport poverty​​​​​​​
Public Health Scotland use five criteria to determine if a transport service is acceptable.
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Available - Transport options connect people, at the required times and frequency.
Reliable - Transport options are sufficiently reliable so individuals feel confident they can reach destinations at the required time.
Accessible - Transport meets everybody’s physical, sensory, mobility, cognitive and mental health needs.
Affordable - Transport must be a cheap enough for those with low incomes.
Safe - Transport is maintained to a high standard.
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Failing to meet these criteria is a case of transport poverty.
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​A report published in May 2024 by the Scottish Parliament’s Cross-Party Group on Poverty states 'higher costs for fuel, energy, transport, food, and housing are pulling too many people in rural Scotland below the poverty line. It goes on to state that -'poor, expensive and non-existent public transport often cuts people off from employment, education, social connections, and other important public services like healthcare and childcare'.
Lack of decent public transport is regarded as a contributor to rural poverty.
​Newburgh's public transport
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Set against the criteria for transport poverty, the town's transport service, while not being the worst, is not good enough either. A 2018 Newburgh-wide survey asked what people thought of Newburgh public transport.
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"As a temporary worker, I feel I am limited to where I can work due to no local train station in Newburgh. I therefore have to reject certain jobs due to distance in travel and locations".
Newburgh Resident
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"I don't drive so rely on my husband who works long hours. About to have my third child. Bus timetable is awful and takes forever! Very difficult to travel...".
Newburgh Resident​
How does transport poverty affect health?
Public Health Scotland, state on their website that a lack of transport options can influence health and health inequalities.
It can, they say -
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​limit access to the building blocks of good health, such as good work, training and education
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reduce access to health and care services
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increase exposure to transport-related health harms, such as pollution and injury from collisions
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reduce community engagement
Declining bus provision in Scotland makes it hard for the Scottish government to meet its commitment to reduce car miles by 20 per cent by 2030, relative to a 2019 baseline. While bus miles have decreased by 27 per cent, the total distance travelled by passengers has dropped precipitously by 44 per cent.
The effects on health​
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'The poor service can isolate the 20% of those living in Scottish rural communities who do not drive. Being without affordable and regular transport can cause significant physical and mental health issues.
Transport poverty has important health and social implications because it means not everyone has equal access to the building blocks of good health'.
Transport Poverty - Public Health Scotland
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'Transport availability, particularly public transport, affects wellbeing because it facilitates social connectedness. A lack of access to transport or a withdrawal of public transport services has been found to reduce social networks and social relationships, as can transport infrastructure if it leads to individuals being disconnected from the community'
Health needs of people from Newburgh​​
The main hospitals at Perth and Dundee are not so far away and no problem to reach - IF you have a car.
The local GP surgery is well regarded. Things get trickier if you need to get advice or help further afield. Getting to any hospital can be difficult and take time if you are travelling by public transport.
​According to Public Health Scotland​ -
'Transport is important for health. It gives us access to amenities, services and employment, and it promotes socialisation'.​
In terms of accessibility and mobility issues, buses are not always the easiest of vehicles to get on and off. The bus service to Glenrothes uses buses with very modest suspension. On some of the roads, passengers, if only for the briefest of moments, become airborne. Amusing for the fitter, perhaps. But this is NOT acceptable for those with muscular/skeletal challenges.
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"I have significant mobility and energy issues. A frequent, integrated, publicly owned and regulated, local & national transport system with easy access would be ideal. I would happily use rail/bus, were there to be services from Newburgh to Perth UHI and frequent reliable services to the cities of Scotland."
Newburgh resident
​​​Educating Newburgh
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We have good primary schools here in North-East Fife. Getting to secondary school outside the area is well managed by bus. Travel problems begin when wanting to study at further education colleges or universities. To continue to live in Newburgh means limiting your choice of where to study. Journey times to Edinburgh, Stirling or Glasgow are long and cost money. Again, the student either moves away from the town or relies on a car (their own or their parents'). They RARELY rely on buses.
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And bus travel to night schools are more or less a no-no since you cannot easily get back from college in the evening - leaving only the car or an expensive taxi as a means of travel.
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Yes, thank heavens for online instruction. A problem, however, learning from an online welding course!
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Where to work
For all of us, where we work (or where we might like to work) will be influenced by ease of travel.
Living in Newburgh and relying on public transport can therefore be a sharp stop on ambition.
Getting to Edinburgh and Dundee sounds fairly straightforward. Climb on a bus from Newburgh to Cupar then onto a rail service - north to Dundee or south to Edinburgh. But with no coordination of timetables, it is not untypical to have to wait an hour to get a train or bus from Cupar. A journey time back from Edinburgh to Newburgh can take up to 2 hours and 40 minutes, this covering a distance of just 42 miles!
These journey times are not acceptable to those wanting to work or study in Edinburgh. The only realistic solution is to leave Newburgh to live closer to work or college: a real loss to Newburgh.
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"Due to lack of a decent bus service and non-existent train service, commuting has to be done by car. Unable to get back and forward to work otherwise. Last bus leaves town at 18.10 hrs, start work at 2000hrs. Leave by car at 1930 thus saving hanging around in the cold by 1hr 20 mins".
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"I find it really difficult being stuck in Newburgh because I don't have a car and rely on bus and trains to help get me mainly to work or even looking for a job and for visiting family as they are spread out every where".
Newburgh Residents
