Rural connectivity crisis grows

New research which confirms that poor broadband and delivery services are handicapping rural businesses in Scotland should act as a wake-up call to those charged with delivering robust and reliable services and connectivity.

Commenting on research published yesterday by Citizens Advice Scotland showing the scale of the problem, NFU Scotland director of policy Jonnie Hall said the results came as no surprise to the union.

“The ‘digital by default’ approach, and the acceleration towards online appli- cations for things like support payments and VAT causes genuine concern for our farming and crofting members in those locations where connectivity is fractured and services, such as banks and post offices, have disappeared or are under threat,” he said.

Hall said that the threats to both innovation and diversity within Scotland’s rural businesses should not be put in jeopardy by the current decline in service provision and substandard connectivity in more remote areas.

“It should be apparent to all that the rural economy is most dependent on accessible and effective services and infrastructure,” he said. “Similarly, access to reliable broadband is vital to allow farmers and crofters to make the most of new technologies like smart farming and to tap into the growing volume of information and advice now available to them on the web.”

The research showed that almost a quarter of small and medium enterprises were hit by parcel delivery surcharges and a third suffered from poor broadband connectivity – with this challenge rising to almost half of all businesses in more remote areas.