Commuter countryside
Like suburbia, commuter countryside is economically orientated towards cities and
large towns,
and is characterised by physical proximity to the major conurbations or access routes to them. In
the future, it may be increasingly defined by its virtual access. Commuter countryside, of course,
provides ‘living space’ for commuters – but it also provide the services they
need.
The expansion of commuter countryside over recent years will continue as more people
travel from
longer distances, encouraged by the option to work from home at least for some of the week.
More commuters
There will be more jobs to commute to, many of them in the cities - especially those
cities which
compete successfully in the global economy. And there will be more work on the urban fringe as
companies look for space to build modern, attractive premises. At the same time, more people will
want to commute, especially those in professional and managerial jobs. Travel patterns will
become more complex, as people travel not only to nearby cities, but cross-country.
Transport improvements
Overcrowding in London and the South East will make transport improvements a priority.
High
speed rail links could bring much of the Midlands to within an hour’s commute of London.
Faster
road travel could come from extra lanes on motorways, and perhaps from Intelligent Vehicle
Highway Systems – where smart cars are driven automatically almost bumper to bumper on
designated roads.
These developments would bring fresh parts of the countryside within commuting distance
of large
cities, extending commuter countryside to new areas. Parts of the rural economy will be profoundly
transformed.
Working from home
Commuters will increasingly spend part of their time working from home. Already 2.2
million people
telework, and it is estimated that almost a quarter of Britons could do so. This could boost the
local economy - the more days commuters spend at home, the more they will spend locally. It
could also encourage local networking, and strengthen rural communities. Increased teleworking
might partly offset the increase in fuel consumption and ca
