Rural idyll

Question 1

Access to services

Answer 1

• Significantly less access to services
• State of Countryside Report (2010) shows that access to services such as GP surgeries, supermarkets and banks is much more limited
• However, much higher access to pubs, petrol station and primary school within rural areas than within share of population
• 95% people in urban areas are within 2-4km of a service outlet compared to 66% of rural areas.
• Access and speed of internet within rural areas is also much lower with only 40-50% having internet connection

Question 2

Houses and homelessness

Answer 2

• Houses in rural areas are much more expensive than those in urban areas, which means that the ‘rural idyll’ is only available to those who can afford it
• Homelessness in rural areas is 50% less than it is in urban areas

Question 3

Transport services

Answer 3

The National Transport Survey (NTS) provides a continuous survey of the transport of over 10,000 households per year.

• The survey shows rural households have more cars due to lack of public transport.
• 96% of people in urban areas compared to 50% have an hourly or better bus service within a 13 minutes walk.
• Road accidents are more likely in rural, country lanes however they are less likely to result in serious injury or death than those that occur on main roads.

Question 4

‘Fuel poverty’

Answer 4

Fuel poverty refers to households that have to spend 10% of their income to heat their home to 21 degrees C
-52% of houses is rural areas were build before 1919, when home insulation was significantly lower - 27% of these are in fuel poverty

Question 5

Rural social isolation

Answer 5

• Poverty amongst the self employed
• Social isolation
• Lack of internet, shops
• Unaffordable housing
• Lower uptake of benefits
• Higher cost for fuel and heating

Question 6

Health

Answer 6

• General perception that people in rural areas are happier and healthier.
• 77% of rural dweller report that their life is good or very good compared to 76% of urban dwellers

Question 7

Community strength

Answer 7

• General perception that people in rural areas have more of a community feel
• Both urban and rural dwellers are happy in the area they live, however rural dwellers are more positive and feel as though they are part of their immediate neighborhood.
• Rural local authorities are less likely to to feel that anti-social behaviour, drunkenness and rowdiness will occur.
• A higher proportion of rural dwellers took part in unpaid help towards clubs, groups or organisations over the space of a year
• 55% of urban dwellers compared to 30% urban dweller felt ‘very safe’ where they lived