Data shows the best and worst connected places in the area
NORTH central Loughborough is the best connected place in Charnwood, according to national statistics.
That’s because it has schools and doctors’ surgeries – plus food shops and transport links – within an easy reach.
People living in the neighbourhood around Gladstone Street are just minutes from schools - on average six minutes to a primary and five minutes to a secondary on foot or by public transport..
Getting to their GP will take four minutes on average by walking or public transport, or seven by bike, while it’s 48 minutes to hospital by foot or public transport or 28 minutes in a car.
For those planning to head further afield, East Midlands airport is 38 minutes away by public transport or 24 minutes in the car, while the nearest hub station Nottingham is 42 and 36 minutes travel respectively.
Meanwhile, according to the figures, Swithland is the most isolated place in Charnwood.
By foot or public transport the figures say it’s an average 20 minute journey to a primary school and 36 minutes to a secondary school. By car, that’s cut to eight minutes and 14 minutes respectively.
A GP is 27 minutes away by walking or public transport, 16 minutes on a bike or 10 minutes in a car, while it takes longer than an hour to get to hospital on public transport.
It is likely to take 82 minutes to get to East Midlands airport and an hour and a half to Nottingham station on public transport, although in the car you could be at the airport in 28 minutes and the station in 48 minutes.
These analyses are gleaned from a study based on official figures, published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
The study ranks every one of 32,844 neighbourhoods in England based on how long the ONS says it takes an average person to reach primary and secondary schools, GP surgeries and food shops, plus major railway stations and major airports.
However villager Jeff Harrison countered the claims telling the Echo that, except for an awful mobile phone signal, it felt anything but remote.
He said that lots of people move to the charming village because it is such a desirable location for commuters, being so close to Loughborough and Leicester.
And, he added with a smile in his voice that Swithland still has a public phone box, an iconic red one, which is still connected.
On a less lighter note he said the place felt far from remote in the morning, with drivers from elsewhere cutting through on their way to work, using the route to avoid speed bumps in other nearby villages.
“It doesn’t feel remote when people come flying through then.” he said.