Transport needs in an ageing society (TRACY) is a two year research project funded under the EU FP7 programme. The project has three main aims: * To provide a systematic review of policies and programmes that address the mobility related needs of older people in the 27 EU states, associated countries and in Japan, Australia, New Zealand and the USA. * To analyse the extent to which this ‘state of the art’ is fit for purpose in addressing transport needs in an ageing society. * To identify research gaps and contribute towards a strategy capable of tackling these needs. This first summary paper forms the second deliverable of Work Package (WP) 5, and summarises the deliverable D2.2 (WP2-report). Following this brief introduction, an overview of trends relating to ageing and transport in the countries studied in the project is presented. This basic information sets the context for Section 3, which contains a very brief review of research literature that is of relevance to the project. Sections 4 and 5 present summaries of the policies and programmes pursued by, first, the European Union and, second, individual countries. The inclusion of the EU-level information sets those policies and programmes adopted by EU-member states into context. A short conclusion brings the report to a close. The large two appendices of WP2-report which contain detailed information from which the summaries of this report are derived, are not part of this first summary paper. These appendices contain a full bibliography of relevant research literature (Appendix A) and the main research findings of WP2 (Appendix B). Therein each country has its own dedicated ‘information pack’ that includes: * a ‘factsheet’ of background demographic and other data; * summary information about its governance environment and how this determines the provision of transport and related services; * a categorised summary sheet of national-level policies; * a detailed summary of national level policies and programmes, their principal components and characteristics of relevance to the aims of the project. Please note that any analysis of the policies and programmes are part of WP3. There were four stages of data collection. These were designed to provide as much information as possible in relation to: * An overview of key demographic trends in relation to ageing and transport in each country. Method: Desktop review of key trends from sources including Eurostat, the World Data Bank, the OECD and the United Nations’ Department of Economic and Social Affairs. * A review of research literature concerning transport, mobility and older people. Method: Use of online sources of scientific publications on the basis of a number of key words (see WP2, page 9) with limitation on native languages of the project partners (English, German, Spanish and Norwegian). * The basic governance and demographic characteristics of each country. Method: Desk based review of national government websites in relation to the responsibility for the design and delivery of transport policy and to other policy areas relevant to transport for older people (e.g. health, social services, development planning and virtual accessibility). * A review of EU-wide and national level policies and programmes in each country to address the transport and mobility needs of older people. Method: Data collection from desk-based reviews for all countries and a series of interviews with selected experts in 21 of the countries (Austria, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Ireland, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom). For including policies and programmes three key principles were established: * Policies and programmes must be applicable at the national level (Exception: examples that were set out at the national level and delivered at the local level). Where the stated policy was that matters should be devolved to a lower tier of government this was noted in the governance section. * Policies and programmes must refer to older people within their content. The main characteristics of each of the policies and programmes were summarised in a bespoke table that also required commentary relating to a range of factors including safety, infrastructure, systems, geography and sustainability (see WP2 report, Annex B). Interviews were held with expert national level policy makers identified through document searches, internet searches and personal contacts. Where it was not possible to identify policy makers in the specific field of transport and older people, the most appropriate alternative interviewee was chosen (see WP2 report, page2). The interviews were undertaken face to face as far as possible and occasionally by telephone. (Author/publisher)
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