Scottish Rutex Working Group – RURAL TRANSPORT EXPERIMENTS 1983

Description

The Ayrshire Hospitals Bus Timetables experiment, part of the UK Rural Transport Experiments (Rutex), tested whether specially designed leaflets improved multi-stage bus journeys from scattered rural communities to five Ayrshire hospitals. Researchers compiled timetables, mapped routes and stops, and produced hospital-specific leaflets. Initial distribution (July 1978) through hospitals, surgeries and public outlets had limited reach: a Heathfield survey found only 20 of 46 bus users had seen leaflets and just four reported improved journeys. A revised strategy (March 1979) enclosed leaflets with appointment cards and collected questionnaires; despite poor weather, 210 valid replies showed 70% of bus travellers used the leaflet, over 40% found journeys easier, nearly 20% faster, and a third more willing to use buses. Users suggested larger print, route destinations, a 12-hour clock, and visiting times. Conclusions: leaflets aided 20–25% of rural outpatients but encouraged few new bus users; production was time-consuming but updateable; distribution was critical. Distribution was discontinued in April 1979, with plans to publish updates in local newspapers.