Expert committee: Flexible transport solutions can address mobility issues in rural areas. The government’s expert committee on collective mobility has just presented the first interim report, which highlights the need for more flexible transport solutions in sparsely populated areas. Helga Theil Thomsen, chair of the expert committee and former director of traffic and planning at the Road Directorate, emphasizes that traditional route-based solutions such as buses alone cannot solve the transport challenges in rural areas. “We need to think in terms of more flexible and user-driven solutions, especially in rural areas and small towns,” says Helga Theil Thomsen in a press release from the Ministry of Transport.
Although the first interim report does not contain concrete new solutions, an idea catalogue is presented, which suggests more lenient regulations for privately paid transport in these areas. The expert committee, established by Transport Minister Thomas Danielsen (V) in May 2023, will provide more specific recommendations in upcoming reports. At a press conference at Lemvig Station, Thomas Danielsen received the first report and pointed out that the current collective transport in many parts of the country is not sufficient. “It’s no use painting windows on a house that is cracking,” said the minister, who has also previously opened up discussions about including private cars more in collective transport.
The expert committee highlights that about 180,000 citizens do not have access to a bus stop or a train station within three kilometers. This lack of collective transport options particularly affects children and young people in rural areas. The upcoming phases of the committee’s work will focus on pricing and operational economics, before the final phase will present concrete recommendations. The last reports are scheduled to be published by the end of the year.