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Rural life and internet accessibility: A partnership of exclusion?Lorraine FianderPage 1 ¦ Page 2 ¦ Page 3 ¦ Page 4 ¦ Printer-friendly version Communications can present a major problem for rural dwellers, as more people rely on mobile phones, WAP and ADSL lines [11]. Without these technologies, businesses and people in these areas are at a disadvantage to those in urban areas. According to UK Online [12], "Over a third of the UK population is needlessly paying more for everyday goods and services simply because they are not using the internet." Or, it should be added, because they are unable to access the internet. There are still many remote rural areas that are not within range of mobile network aerials or have the technology within their telephone exchanges for services such as broadband. BT OpenWorld point out that "ADSL [on which the service depends] is distance dependant, which means that service degrades significantly when... premises are beyond 3.5 km (approx.) from the local exchange... Around 85% of the UK population live within this distance from their exchange." However, this means that 15% of the population do not - specifically those living in remote rural areas - and therefore will not have access to this service even when the final "rollout" takes place. Rural areas are distinguished by their sparse population. This in itself can be a cause of social exclusion: isolation becomes a major problem if there is no access to adequate transport. As the cost of running a car in remote areas is also often prohibitive, public transport networks become as important [13]. 77% of rural households do have a car [14] but this means that 23% - almost a quarter of rural households - do not. The Department of the Environment studies on rural lifestyles [15] found that 25% of rural households were living in or on the margins of poverty. THe incomes in accessible rural areas were also found to be highly polarised, with the poorest residents of the areas experiencing a high degree of relative poverty, often due to the incidence of polarised wealth and poverty found in commuter belts. This was also found in the study carried out by Harrop et al [16] who state that 'inequality is higher in accessible rural areas than in remote rural or urban areas'. These studies also found that a main element of rural poverty exists because agriculture and tourism are among the main employers in these areas and in both industries, wages are low. The government has set out its visions for the countryside alongside a specific set of policy aims [17]. They state that their vision is: 'a living countryside, with thriving rural communities and access to high quality public services; a working countryside, with a diverse economy giving high and stable levels of employment; a protected countryside in which the environment is sustained and enhanced and which all can enjoy; and a vibrant countryside which can shape its own future and with its voice heard by Government at all levels.' The current state of many rural areas, with a lack of services and poor public transport networks, would suggest that there is a major task ahead. It may become necessary to provide services that are not necessarily cost-effective, but are result effective - i.e. they may cost more to run than they accrue in payments, but the end result is that some people would be able to more fully participate in society. 3. Internet Access for All?By modernising rural services, mainly by utilising technology, the government aim to enable those living in rural areas to have the same benefits and opportunities as those in urban areas. Primary care 'one-stop' centres with Internet and tele-links to local hospitals are one such aim, as is to provide Internet Learning and Access points in rural areas. Tony Blair stated that he wanted to: 'ensure that everyone in the United Kingdom has the best chance to seize this moment - our information age which offers new opportunities for greater prosperity, and a better quality of life.... The prize of this new age is to engage our country fully in the ambition and opportunity which the digital revolution offers.' [18] The Prime Minister also stated that all public government information will be online by 2005. The UKOnline Annual Report states that internet access is available for all “as near as your local library” – some considerable distance for dwellers in remote rural areas. Physical access to the Internet in rural areas is therefore frequently difficult for those without access at home, thus these people stand little chance of being able to take part in this digital revolution. The Office of National Statistics, in their latest (2004) statistics on internet access, state: 'In the third quarter of 2003, 48 per cent households in the UK (11.9 million) could access the Internet from home, compared with just nine per cent (2.3 million) in the same quarter of 1998. […] Among those adults who had used the Internet in the three months prior to interview, 84 per cent used it for e-mail, 80 per cent to find information about goods or services and 68 per cent to search for information about travel and accommodation. Over half had used it to buy or order tickets, goods or services (53 per cent). For adults who had used the Internet, for personal or private use in the 12 months prior to interview, the most popular purchases were travel, accommodation or holidays (52 per cent), books, magazines, e-learning or training material (38 per cent), tickets for events (36 per cent), and music or CDs (34 per cent).' However, while these results appear to answer the question ‘what do people use the Internet for?’ they do not address ‘why don’t people use it?’ Over half of the population cannot access the Internet from home, according to these statistics – this must surely have some impact on future research. The statistics also suggest that the majority of those interviewed had enough disposable income to be able to afford to travel and take holidays. It also appears to focus on those adults who are able to access the Internet from home, and makes no comment about barriers to being able to gain access. The UK Online 2003 Report states that 96% of Britain’s population are aware of a place where they can readily access the internet, yet with considerably lower levels of actual access, this must suggest a problem. Footnotes11. http://www.rogerfrost.btinternet.co.uk/tv0299.htm return 12. UK Online Annual Report 2003 return 13. Shucksmith, M., Chapman, P. and Clark, G. M. 1994. Disadvantage in Rural Scotland. Joseph Rowntree Foundation Social Policy Research no. 62. return 14. Cox, op. cit. return 15. cited in Philip and Shucksmith, op. cit., p. 9. return 16. Harrop et al, op. cit. return 17. Prescott, J. and Brown, G. 2000. Our Countryside: the future - a fair deal for rural England, Dept. of the Environment, Transport and the Regions/Cabinet Office, London. return | |