Networks and Communications

54. "Rural Framework" drew attention to Scotland's peripheral location in Europe and some of Scotland's rural areas are among the most remote in Europe. This need not be a disadvantage: one of the attractions of Scotland's rural areas for many people is their distance from large settlements and it is in part what gives much of Scotland its unique character. Advances in communication and information technology mean that distances are no longer as critical for many businesses, although rural areas will always require a good transportation system which can meet economic needs and also support access to services.

55. There have been substantial improvements to roads such as the A96, A830 and A/M74. The Scottish Office is currently consulting on revising road design standards ("Fitting Roads") and developing a consistent rural road hierarchy. Financial support was given by The Scottish Office in 1995 towards the establishment, by the Community Transport Association, of a Scottish advice and information service. The Rural Transport Innovation Grant, administered by The Scottish Office, has also provided funding for several successful transport schemes which have provided new or experimental transport services in rural areas. Some of the schemes funded include a service from Strathmore to hospitals in Dundee and Angus, a community minibus service in Thornhill and a post-bus service for the island for Lismore. Community transport has also been promoted by Rural Forum through the production of a video on the experience of the Ettrick & Yarrow Community Council who have operated a community bus scheme in the area for more than 10 years. The Rural Focus Group has also commissioned research to explore the range of innovative transport options which could be adopted. One of the outputs from this work will be a guide for rural communities to assess their own transport needs.

56. The telecommunications system has continued to improve and develop, with 80% of businesses and 70% of people in the Highlands and Islands having access to a digital system. The Highlands and Islands Telecoms Initiative has created over 500 jobs while in other areas (for example Braemar) telecentres and teleworking are becoming commonplace. Other examples of successful teleworking enterprises are Database Direct in Dunoon, dealing in direct marketing services; Televisual Data in Dunoon, providing electronic information services to the newspaper industry; and Writers News in Nairn, a specialist journal.

57. Rural Forum is developing a partnership with the Scottish Association of Small Scale Broadcasters to encourage community radio as a means to improve communication within local areas. This builds on the experience of Heartland FM, the smallest community radio station in the UK, which operates from Pitlochry. The station is run by volunteers and is supported by local business. The Association of Community Enterprise in the Highlands and Islands (ACE-HI), with the support of Highlands & Islands Enterprise and Moray Firth Radio, have been promoting the development of new radio stations serving communities in various parts of the Highlands and Islands. ACE-HI's role has been particularly important in providing training for what are essentially volunteer-run community radio stations. The Scottish Enterprise network, in partnership with HIE , has funded the establishment of an electronic trading network using the existing network of machinery rings across rural Scotland. A number of livestock auction companies have taken advantage of improved technology to develop electronic auction systems for livestock. These systems operate nation-wide and mean that livestock do not have to be transported to a central mart for sale. Prospective buyers make their bids through a computer terminal and, in some instances, they can call up video film of the livestock being sold. The establishment of TAYNET by Scottish Enterprise Tayside enables businesses throughout Tayside to have easy access to the Internet and the Information Superhighway. The Aberfeldy Telecentre, supported by Forth Valley Enterprise, is a good example where technology has been made available to the local community, resulting in the creation of several new businesses.

58. Networks of people can also bring benefits to rural Scotland. Rural Forum, for example, is itself a network of people and organisations which brings together many of the diverse interests of rural Scotland. Rural Forum has grown and expanded since "Rural Framework" was written and now works with a wide range of rural communities throughout Scotland. Over the same period Scottish Homes has established a specific Department focusing on the provision of housing information and advice called HomePoint. There are now 340 contact points for this network and a wide range of grants have been provided in rural areas to support improved housing information and advice.

59. Transport will always be a difficult issue for rural communities, particularly in the Scottish context where remoteness presents special challenges for transport networks. While economic trends in the field of electronic communications are working to reduce the disadvantages stemming from remoteness, the same cannot be said in relation to many forms of public transport which are faced with increased costs and often a falling passenger demand. There are concerns about the large and increasing dependence of many rural communities on private car ownership particularly the problems this presents for low income households. It is clear that a high quality road network is increasingly important to the social and economic needs of rural Scotland, and the evidence is that this has continued to improve during the 3 year period under review. But problems remain and it is important that public transport is maintained wherever this is possible at reasonable cost.