PRESSURE is mounting on the government to ensure all rural areas have better access to broadband.

Campaigners are calling for adequate broadband for the “final third” of the UK that lacks a decent internet connection.

The campaign was set up by a range of broadband organisations and community champions.

It will focus on ensuring people are able to able to access government online services by 2012.

Campaigners also hope to facilitate the move towards much faster next generation internet access.

Rural speeds were too slow, said Charles Trotman, head of business development at the Country Land and Business Association.

“The government’s universal service commitment to provide broadband speeds of two megabits per second (Mbps) for all by 2012 will be hard to achieve.

“Those living in areas known as the final third still receive no proper access to broadband, putting them at a severe disadvantage.

“This campaign calls for faster action on the progress already made so that everyone can benefit from the government’s increasing array of online services.”

The campaign is also being backed by Lloyd Felton, director of County Broadband and founder of www.ruralbroadband.com.

Many rural communities could rightly claim to be more in need of better broadband than their urban counterparts, he said.

At least seven further organisations are supporting the campaign.

They include Hampshire County Council, which believes broadband is vital to ensure the economic and social viability of rural communities.

“Access to the internet enables rural communities to compete on an equal footing with urban centres,” said eHapmshire manager Glenn Peacey.

“It enables smarter working from home which reduces dormitory villages, increases spending in local shops and reduces CO2 emissions and road congestion.”

Mike Kiely of www.BBBritain.co.uk said no political party could be serious about transforming public service delivery without adequate broadband.

That view was echoed by Aidan Paul, chief executive of Vtesse Networks, which has piloted was of delivering superfast rural broadband.

“One third of the population is a very large minority indeed and must not be ignored by policy-makers,” he said.

The campaign is also being backed by Wray Community Communications, NexGenUs and Pitchup.

Neil Blake of Ewelme Parish Council, Oxfordshire, said public sector websites now took good access for granted. But it was not available everywhere.

A lack of decent connections was leaving children unable to complete homework online and causing rural businesses to stagnate.

“That is the issue not 50 miles from Westminster. E-government is a good policy but its deployment is socially flawed.”