The British Chambers of Commerce says the rural-urban divide continues to exist between firms in the UK.
The lack of reliable public transport in rural areas is a difficulty faced by many businesses. File picSmall businesses in rural areas are struggling with a lack of public infrastructure and a shortage of skilled labour, according to a new report.
The news comes from a survey of more than 900 small to medium-sized enterprises by the British Chambers of Commerce and small business platform Xero. Just over half of SMEs in business, retail or industrial parks said they were not satisfied with public transport provision, and this rose to 79% in rural or countryside areas. This compared to 42% in towns, villages and high streets.
The level of dis-satisfaction was likely to be higher among SMEs in the north of England and the Midlands, and lower in the south of England. There was also a divide when it came to broadband connectivity - 75% of SMEs overall said their area has reliable broadband, 82% in urban areas but only 56% in rural areas.Alex Veitch, director of policy and public affairs at the BCC, said:"Our research highlights the rural-urban divide that continues to exist between firms across the UK, with rural businesses generally reporting higher levels of dissatisfaction with the quality and availability of local resources.
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