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Rural Communities Still Facing Major Service Gaps

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26 Aug, 2025by Julie GibsonEditorial, Comment and Opinion, Rurality

Rural Communities Still Facing Major Service Gaps

Life in the countryside has many benefits - but a new report from Rural England shows that people in rural areas are still missing out on vital services that many towns and cities take for granted. Three areas stand out: transport, healthcare, and digital connectivity.

Getting Around: Limited Transport Options

Public transport in rural areas has been shrinking for years. In many villages, buses are now rare or have disappeared completely. In fact, buses now account for less than 1% of journeys in some isolated areas. This leaves people heavily dependent on cars. For those who don’t drive, such as younger people, older residents, or those on low incomes, this can mean real isolation, affecting everything from getting to work or school to simply meeting friends or attending appointments.

Healthcare: Longer Journeys, Harder Access

Access to healthcare is another big challenge. Some rural residents face average travel times of nearly an hour to reach a GP, and hospital closures have reduced local access by around 35% over the past 15 years. For older people, or those without reliable transport, this can be especially difficult. Online healthcare and telemedicine could help, but only if people have the digital access to use it.

Digital Divide: Poor Broadband and Patchy Mobile Signal

While many urban areas enjoy fast broadband and strong mobile coverage, rural areas still lag behind. Around 22% of isolated homes still lack basic broadband, and mobile signal can be patchy or non-existent in some villages. This makes it harder to work from home, study online, run a business, or even stay in touch with friends and family.

Why It Matters

Together, these issues mean rural communities risk being left behind. Poor transport limits opportunities, reduced healthcare access impacts wellbeing, and weak digital connections cut people off from modern life.

The report highlights the need for fairer investment and smarter solutions that recognise the unique challenges of rural living, so that countryside communities can thrive, not just survive.