Developments in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) may have major effects on both spatial developments and functions of rural areas. The present report describes several effects that may be considered and observed in relation to mobility and the selection of residential and business locations. The development of ICT has been the result of informatics and telecommunications being integrated. With this integration, communication possibilities have increased tremendously. Still, the quality of existing infrastructure often forms a bottleneck. This has to do more with high costs of improving the physical network rather than available knowledge. In urban areas, where many users are involved, investments will be realised first. This will create an additional positive factor for location selection. Mobile communication, however, will attain its maximum capacity first in those same urban areas. Thus, in rural areas, an adequately operating mobile network may compensate for arrears in physical infrastructure. Despite a great supply of services and applications, the number of service suppliers and applications may be expected to increase considerably on the electronic highway. Innovations in interfaces and smart agents will improve the user-friendly character of available facilities. Future improvements in technology may be found in aspects that are currently absent in ICT, such as physical transfer of products and sensory perception at a distance. Geographical independence has a high potential of growing further still. Basically, any need may be fulfilled without going outdoors. At the same time, current developments in applications such as teleshopping and teleworking appear to be quite slow, although they do seem to fit in with specific social needs. There is some information on the effects of ICT on mobility and location selection. Firstly, it may bring drastic changes in the performance of traffic and transport systems. ICT applications may be employed to make better use of available infrastructure. ICT may also promote more adequate adjustments between various transport modalities while future ICT possibilities may result in a transport system which will represent a complete integration of both public and private transport. Although ICT applications such as teleworking and teleshopping may result in completely different travel patterns, they will not necessarily imply significantly lower levels of mobility. Teleworking may result in greater mobility because distances travelled for business trips will be increasing. At the same time, less mobility may be the result on days when more people work at home. As a result of ICT possibilities people may start to focus more on their house and living environment, although they will also want to have adequate access to make both occasional and more extended trips. In spite of future ICT developments, the need for physical movement will not disappear. Thus, ICT applications will certainly have their impact on both the performance of the transport system, individual travel patterns and selection of location, although on a national level they will not result in any significant changes in spatial organisation. Essentially, urban areas will remain urban and peripheral rural areas will remain rural. Locally, ICT may contribute to a broadening of functions in rural areas. Depending on local initiatives, ICT may contribute to a more dynamic development of specific rural areas. (A)
Samenvatting