Women’s equality in the UK – A health check

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14.7
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disabled and lesbian and bisexual women, to social isolation because of higher levels of poverty,
lone parenthood, lack of mobility (being unable to drive or to own a car), longer life expectancy
and fear of going out alone. 11
Cuts to public transport can also have an impact on women’s health. (See Article 12) Over a
twelve-month period, 1.4 million people fail to attend, turn down or choose not to seek medical
help because of transport problems. Women in rural areas and on low incomes have particular
problems accessing ante-natal care, for example. 12 The Department of Health’s Women’s
Mental Health Strategy 13 points to links between social isolation and mental health.
Women’s access to employment and training opportunities is also affected. 14 (See Article 11)
Cuts in public transport outside peak hours may be particularly difficult for women working
shift patterns or part-time who may not be able to get to or from work. Women’s access to
childcare is also affected; in 2002 a fifth of parents surveyed said that their choice of nursery
was restricted by available transport. 15 Young women’s access to places of education and
training will also be affected as it is estimated that 72% of young people use the bus to travel to
school or college. 16
Recommendation:
Work with all stakeholders to integrate, co-ordinate and improve affordable
transport services in rural areas, including a range of options from dial-a-ride
schemes to buses and increase accessibility in public transport to assist disabled,
older and women travellers
Access to technology, services and decision making
Cuts to public services in rural areas restrict access to health and other services, 17 and sparse
availability of fast internet access means cheaper service deals on offer in urban areas do not
apply in remote, rural parts of the country. 18 There is an assumption by government and service
providers that access to information technology is universal. However, in addition to remote
regions of the UK having no broadband cover including many parts of rural Scotland, Wales and
Northern Ireland, for many women access to the internet is expensive and unintelligible which
contributes to their social exclusion.
11. Department for Transport (2009) Women and Public Transport: The checklist. http://www.dft.gov.uk/publications/women-and-publictransport/;
Department of Health (2002) Women’s mental health: into the mainstream, Strategic development of mental healthcare for
women. DoH: London http://www.nmhdu.org.uk/silo/files/into-the-mainstream.pdf
12. Department for Transport (2009) Women and Public Transport: The checklist. http://www.dft.gov.uk/publications/women-and-publictransport/
13. Department of Health (2002) Women’s mental health: into the mainstream, Strategic development of mental healthcare for women. DoH:
London http://www.nmhdu.org.uk/silo/files/into-the-mainstream.pdf
14. See for example North East Women’s Network (2012) Findings and recommendations from interim case study: The impact of austerity
measures upon women in the North East of England, October 2012 and updated April 2013. NEWomen’s Network and Women’s Resource
Centre http://www.newwomens.net/index.php/research-leftmenu-56
15. Department for Transport (2009) Women and Public Transport: The checklist. http://www.dft.gov.uk/publications/women-and-publictransport/
16. House of Commons Transport Committee (2011) Written evidence from the Association of Colleges (BUS 62), February 2011 http://www.
publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201012/cmselect/cmtran/750/750vw49.htm
17. Department for Transport (2009) Women and Public Transport: The checklist. http://www.dft.gov.uk/publications/women-and-publictransport/
and also see Women’s Resource Centre (2010) In All Our Colours: Lesbian, bisexual and trans women’s services in the UK. WRC:
London http://thewomensresourcecentre.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/IAOC.pdf
18. Scottish Women’s Convention: Consultation with older women, November 2011
Women’s equality in the UK: CEDAW shadow report 2013 149