East Lothian

East Lothian improves rural transport through data, design and community insight

In East Lothian, where transport is the largest source of emissions, the council is using design, data and community engagement to rethink how rural areas move.

Working with mobility design specialists Quarterre and low-carbon experts Cenex, the council is transforming underused rural bus shelters into modular mobility hubs. Co-created with residents, these hubs are tailored to their local settings and equipped with features such as bike storage and real-time travel information.

At the same time, the council is trialling the CalCommuter platform from David Smith Consulting. The tool creates personalised commute plans for each employee, calculating the cost, time and emissions of all viable routes, including home working days.

By focusing on visibility, usability and behaviour, East Lothian is showing how rural areas can lead Net Zero transport planning through engagement that reduces emissions and improves everyday services.

Find out more

If you are interested in learning how to transform your community, town or city, then read the Citizen engagement on Net Zero: Local Authority self-assessment questionnaire report. If you would like to speak to someone about this project, contact the Net Zero Living team.