Braintree district: Residents cut off by lack of public transport and huge driving costs (From Braintree and Witham Times)

Braintree district: Residents cut off by lack of public transport and huge driving costs

9:00am Tuesday 2nd October 2012 in News

More than eight in ten people in the district are at risk of transport poverty.

Research by Sustrans, a charity that encourages people to walk, cycle and use public transport, shows 112,000 people in Witham, Braintree and Halstead are at risk of being cut off from work and healthcare because of the rising costs of owning a car and lack of alternatives.

And 5,900 - or about four per cent of the population - are at serious risk of transport poverty.

Meanwhile, The Institute of Advanced Motorists claims the cost for young people learning and starting to drive is £12,345.23.

This is based on the cheapest standard insurance quote it could find for a 17-year-old boy in full time employment, which stood at £7,868.38, plus a £3,000 second hand car, an average of £1,081 costs for driving lessons plus fuel, maintenance, tax, MOT, driving test and licence costs.