Rural communities in Gloucestershire are facing a crisis, with unreliable transport links, patchy broadband, and dwindling access to healthcare, according to MPs who spoke in a Westminster Hall debate on Wednesday. The discussion, which centred on the challenges faced by countryside residents, saw impassioned pleas from representatives calling for urgent investment in infrastructure, public transport, and digital connectivity.

Cameron Thomas, Liberal Democrat MP for Tewkesbury, painted a stark picture of a constituency where rapid housing development has outpaced essential infrastructure.

“Tewkesbury is home to the fastest-growing borough outside London, but almost half of my constituents have the worst 30% of broadband connectivity in the UK,” he said. “Mobile reception in Bishop’s Cleeve, one of the largest parishes in my constituency, is embarrassing.”

Beyond digital woes, he highlighted the severe lack of transport options. “My residents resort to travelling by private vehicles because the public transport infrastructure simply is not there,” he stated. “Some of my villagers walk for miles along dangerous roads, sometimes without pathways, to reach a bus stop. If they miss a bus or suffer a cancellation, they might be waiting for several hours.”

Mr Thomas called for investment in on-demand bus services and improvements to Ashchurch railway station, which he noted suffers “more delays than 90% of stations nationwide.” He also backed Gloucestershire County Council’s proposal for a new junction 9A on the M5, arguing it would help ease congestion.

Dr Roz Savage, Liberal Democrat MP for South Cotswolds, shared personal stories from her constituents to illustrate the real-world impact of public transport cuts.

“The cancellation of the 84/85 bus route last year severed connections from Hillesley and Alderley to Yate,” she said. “I know of a young man who was raised by his grandparents, who could not afford to run him around the place, so he relied on the bus to get to college. When the bus route was cancelled, he could not get to college and had to drop out.”

She also spoke of an elderly woman who lost her independence after the bus route was scrapped. “When the bus route went and she could not get into Yate, she lost her freedom and independence. She became isolated and lonely, the health consequences of which are well documented.”

Access to NHS services, particularly dentistry, was another pressing concern. Dr Savage described the plight of one constituent in Tetbury who endured severe toothache with no access to an NHS dentist.

“She had to rely on Bonjela until she was able to arrange for transport for treatment,” Savage revealed, adding that she was locked in a battle with the local Integrated Care Board to maintain private care provision in Sherston.

She criticised the ICB’s approach, explaining, “The algorithm it uses to decide the distribution of resources for primary care was designed for an urban context, not a rural one.”

Responding to the debate, Daniel Zeichner, the Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs, acknowledged the challenges faced by rural communities, but his comments offered little in the way of immediate solutions.

“I recognise the descriptions from a number of colleagues of the need to travel further to access work, education and training,” he said. “We fully appreciate that that can be much more costly and time-consuming, leading to the frustrations that have been described.”

Mr Zeichner pointed to ongoing government initiatives such as Project Gigabit, aimed at improving broadband coverage, and funding for rural housing enablers to boost affordable housing. He also noted that local government funding would increase by £1.3 billion in 2025-26, with a focus on supporting deprived areas.

On transport, he cited efforts to expand franchising for bus services and improve mobile coverage through the shared rural network. However, he acknowledged that many areas still lag behind in digital and transport connectivity.

“The digital issue, which the hon. Member for Bicester and Woodstock (Calum Miller) has just raised, is central to our view of the future,” he said. “Through the shared rural network, which has helped to deliver 4G mobile coverage to 95% of the UK a year ahead of target, we are continuing to deliver 4G connectivity to places where there is the kind of limited coverage that has been described.”

While Mr Zeichner expressed his determination to “drive forward the rural agenda across Government,” the debate made clear that many rural communities feel left behind.