| Milton Keynes residents 'cut off by lack of transport links' Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 15:34, 1st February 2026 |     |
From the BBC:
Residents 'cut off by lack of transport links'
People living on the outskirts of a city said they felt cut off from facilities due to a lack of transport links.
As part of The Milton Keynes Community Foundation's Vital Signs report, residents on estates and new developments were consulted.
The report said a "lack of affordable shops and activities nearby, and the costs of alternative private transport, represents a major concern", which created "enormous financial pressure for those already on the tightest budgets".
Senior Labour councillor Shanika Mahendran pointed out that the city council had limited authority over commercial bus services. "[But] we are always thinking of ways to keep communities connected, whether it be with MK Connect, external or with the loop service."
This is the 13th year the foundation has published its report, which examines local authority data, speaks to community organisations and, for the first time this year, more than 250 residents.
The foundation's Sam Snelus said some people were forced to use taxis as "limited transport access is putting additional financial pressures on low-income families".
The report said: "One resident of Glebe Farm spends up to £800 a month on taxis in winter to get her children, who have special needs, to their school. The school is three miles away and too dangerous to cover on foot."
Snelus told the BBC: "There is a lot of exciting work going on in Milton Keynes with East West Rail and the (proposed) Mass Rapid Transport system, but there is also a lot of disparity, and 42% of residents feel it is the area that needs most improvement." She said in the most deprived areas people were "paying for taxis to get to and from work and to supermarkets, because the alternative is to go to the local corner shop, which is more expensive".
People living on the outskirts of a city said they felt cut off from facilities due to a lack of transport links.
As part of The Milton Keynes Community Foundation's Vital Signs report, residents on estates and new developments were consulted.
The report said a "lack of affordable shops and activities nearby, and the costs of alternative private transport, represents a major concern", which created "enormous financial pressure for those already on the tightest budgets".
Senior Labour councillor Shanika Mahendran pointed out that the city council had limited authority over commercial bus services. "[But] we are always thinking of ways to keep communities connected, whether it be with MK Connect, external or with the loop service."
This is the 13th year the foundation has published its report, which examines local authority data, speaks to community organisations and, for the first time this year, more than 250 residents.
The foundation's Sam Snelus said some people were forced to use taxis as "limited transport access is putting additional financial pressures on low-income families".
The report said: "One resident of Glebe Farm spends up to £800 a month on taxis in winter to get her children, who have special needs, to their school. The school is three miles away and too dangerous to cover on foot."
Snelus told the BBC: "There is a lot of exciting work going on in Milton Keynes with East West Rail and the (proposed) Mass Rapid Transport system, but there is also a lot of disparity, and 42% of residents feel it is the area that needs most improvement." She said in the most deprived areas people were "paying for taxis to get to and from work and to supermarkets, because the alternative is to go to the local corner shop, which is more expensive".
