Archived News January 2004 Efforts to solve dentist shortage Jan 31st A continuing lack of NHS dentists in parts of rural Wales forces health officials to comb the rest of the UK looking for new recruits.. Post office protection 'too late' Jan 30th Extra protection for Suffolk's rural post offices comes too late for one shopkeeper, selling up after three raids in 14 months. £2m to improve rural bus services Jan 28th Five rural bus projects across the West Midlands share nearly £2m of Government cash. New scheme offers free taxi rides Jan 28th In an attempt to reduce rural isolation, a South Yorkshire council is offering vouchers which can be spent on taxi rides. Scottish access to the countryside soon to be in place Jan 27th A proposed Outdoor Access Code has only to be approved by Parliament and the new rights of public access in Scotland will come into effect. Foul mouthed old fruits to blossom again Jan 26th Critically endangered varieties of plum, pear and apple are being reintroduced in an initiative to restore an historic orchard in Gloucestershire. Villagers' victory over floodlights Jan 25th Residents of two villages celebrate after plans to develop a nearby airfield are thrown out by a public inquiry. Radical heating plan cost jumps Jan 23rd An extra £50,000 has to be spent on a scheme to heat a village with wood fuel.. Plight of 'ghost village' Jan 22nd The exodus of young people from a Devon village sends a warning to other South West communities. Assault fear ends speed trap plan Jan 22nd Police say a villagers in Essex can not use a hand held speed camera as the risk of being assaulted is too high. Golden eagle populations are far from soaring Jan 21st Despite an increase in the number of golden eagles in the Hebrides, Scotland’s overall population of this large bird of prey has remained unchanged in 11 years. Quad-ruple your safety when biking Jan 20th Guidance has been issued to ensure quad bikes are used safely and responsibly. Rural review must recognise local diversity Jan 19th Over a quarter of our Gross Domestic Product is generated in rural areas but despite this, some communities face deprivation of services Residents threaten tax strike Jan18th Villagers angry at a failed attempt to evict travellers from an illegal site in Warwickshire say they will withhold council tax payments until they are moved. Village hogs top restaurants Jan17th Two out of only three restaurants in the country to be awarded three coveted Michelin stars are now based in one Berkshire village. North Wales gets more 'village bobbies' Jan16th Community police officers funded by extra council tax are to go on patrol in towns across north Wales. Mast decision angers villagers Jan16th Villagers against a new police mast consider their next step as planners give it approval. Village cheesed off over label change Jan15th Villagers in Stilton are angered by plans to label the famous cheese 'made in the EU' rather than in Britain. Rural Online Centres -Do they make the grade? Jan15th Improving access to UK online centres is giving more people in rural areas the chance to develop their IT skills, obtain useful information and take advantage of further education and training, opportunities many rural people lack Second Stage Beacon Towns - 13 January 2004 Jan15th Six towns have been selected as national beacons to show how England’s market towns can provide more jobs, housing and services. Village anger at lord's charges Jan14th A man tries to charge villagers up to £1m for parking their cars on their drives, after buying a hereditary title for £10,000. Rural surgeries set to close Jan13th A meeting will discuss the fate of two GP surgeries, which could shut due to health and safety concerns. Spring Springs Earlier Jan11th The seasons are moving forward increasingly dramatically in the calendar year, as observers find snowdrops and frogspawn earlier than ever. Lifeline for closure-threatened school Jan 10th Campaigners fighting to save a Cumbrian village school receive a £28,000 grant to help secure its future. Call for speed cameras Jan 7thResidents of a village which contains an accident blackspot campaign for speed cameras to be installed. Recycle those festive cards and trees Jan 5th The 2004 Christmas Card Recycling Scheme is launched this week throughout the UK. The public are also being asked to recycle Christmas trees rather than dump them in rivers. Big game to be tracked down Jan 4th The hunt is on for big game in the British countryside with a survey of farmers to find out if there are wild cats on the loose. Concerns over eco heating plan Jan 3rd Plans to site a wood-burning boiler to heat a village near a school and homes prompt fears of fumes risk. Village aims for traffic calm Jan 2nd A Cambridgeshire village used as a 'rat run' by drivers on the A14 is to lower its speed limit and install safety measures.