News

Through our Rural Mobility Centre of Excellence, we’re proud to have supported Connected Places Catapult in delivering the Rural Transport Accelerator – a programme funded by the Department for Transport to develop and deliver innovative travel and transport solutions in rural communities. 

Eight projects across the country each received up to £150,000 to run demonstrator trials tackling key rural transport challenges – from off-grid electric mobility charging and sustainable freight to more efficient passenger transport services. Four of these projects are based in the East, showcasing the opportunities with a regional perspective.  

The Accelerator has also provided valuable insights into how rural areas can transition to greener transport, address infrastructure gaps, and make services more accessible to residents and businesses alike. 

As the lead Sub-national Transport Body for rural mobility, Transport East welcomed the opportunity to support this pioneering initiative through workshops, ensuring rural communities, local authorities and SMEs in our region have the opportunity to shape, trial, and benefit from forward-thinking transport solutions. The lessons learned and partnerships formed will help us continue to drive improvements in rural mobility, strengthen local economies, provide job opportunities and contribute to a more sustainable transport future for the East. 

The final report has now been published, showcasing the successful pilot schemes that received funding to develop and trial solutions aimed at improving connectivity, safety, and sustainability in rural areas.  

You can download the full report here: https://cp-https://info.cp.catapult.org.uk/improving-connectivity-in-rural-communities?utm_campaign=161503429-Improving%20connectivity%20in%20rural%20areas&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8AqKR-uE9dvKg5yHwqf1uMYiC3pyOQCVupKeTIFL2vgD4Kxm_1jKjqGuP25IhQZhssDTHSJzPUekQuTceT89NZh1mdEUSlqCrMVDagQTIRTYC-igk&_hsmi=115232003&utm_content=115230380&utm_source=hs_automation