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BETTER broadband is top of the rural agenda for 2014, with campaigners saying too many communities are still languishing on slow connections. The government says delivery of so-called superfast broadband is accelerating. But campaigners warn that rural areas...
A RURAL wireless broadband supplier is marking its second anniversary with a ten-fold extension in its coverage. More homes and businesses than ever before are now benefiting from the wireless technology used by ThinkingWISP in Norfolk. ThinkingWISP...
Faster broadband speeds will boost the rural economy by £4.6bn a year, reveals a government-commissioned report. For every £1 the government is investing in broadband, the UK economy will benefit by £20, says the study. The UK...
CAMPAIGNERS have called for a government review after MPs branded its superfast rural broadband rollout a shambles. The Countryside Alliance said rural communities and businesses would suffer unless the government's Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK) project was overhauled. ...
A SMALL village has become the first rural community to benefit from a multi-million pound Superfast Lancashire project. Completion of engineering work means most of the 240 premises in the village of Belthorn will now be able to...
THE Labour Party has pledged an extra £75m to bring faster broadband to the countryside. The money would come from the government's urban broadband programme should Labour win the next general election. Labour said it would divert...
TWO small rural communities are benefiting from high speed broadband – three months ahead of schedule. Homes and businesses in Sticklepath (Devon) and Bradford on Tone (Somerset) are the first to benefit from the £94m Connecting Devon and...
A WIDENING gulf in broadband speeds between town and country is leaving rural communities languishing behind their urban counterparts. The average residential UK broadband speed reached 14.7Mbit/s in May 2013, reveals the latest research by the government's telecoms...
FASTER broadband in rural areas would give a bigger boost to the economy than other key innovations, suggests a survey. Four out of five (80%) of all adults agreed that rolling out high-speed broadband across the whole of...
A COALITION of MPs in one of England's biggest rural counties has urged the government to release extra money to help bring faster broadband to local communities. The Superfast North Yorkshire scheme, run by North Yorkshire County Council...
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Amid reduced public spending, fair resource allocation across regions is crucial. Despite a population larger than Greater London, rural areas receive significantly less funding for essential services, even though delivering these services in rural areas is more expensive.
Economic growth is widely acknowledged as essential for national wealth and prosperity and is a priority for political parties. Rural economies, employing millions and home to a higher proportion of small businesses, have potential for growth if barriers are removed.
Rural residents face distinct healthcare challenges, including limited access to transport, longer distances to medical facilities, an aging demographic, housing inadequacies, digital connectivity gaps, and difficulties recruiting health and care workers.
Rural communities are grappling with a severe affordable housing crisis, marked by high house prices, a lack of affordable housing, elevated living costs, and lower incomes, threatening their sustainability and vitality.
Transport is vital for the quality of life and economic health of rural areas, yet it faces challenges such as infrequent public bus services and less Government funding compared to urban regions.
Rural areas, encompassing a substantial portion of England's population and land, play a pivotal role in combating climate change and achieving the net zero target.
In an increasingly digital world, the lack of robust digital infrastructure in rural areas severely limits access to crucial services and stifles economic growth.
A future-focused vision for rural communities involves not just building the right homes in the right places but also ensuring thriving, sustainable communities.
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