WORCESTERSHIRE'S land-owners have launched a renewed attack on phone companies' failure to help struggling rural businesses.

The Country Landowners Association hit out last week at British Telecom's plans to introduce new fast-track internet access lines - only accessible for those living within two miles of a telephone exchange.

Now the lobby group wants the EU to earmark cash to make the high speed data links available in all areas of the county.

"The limited availability of ISDN lines in more remote country districts has been recognised as a potential constraint on the growth of small, rural firms," said Geoffrey Hopton, Three Counties CLA regional director.

"There's a real danger that rural areas will be disadvantaged in the information revolution by the lack of high-speed data links."

He called for changes to the way telecommunication services are provided to give remote rural areas an equal chance to make use of the information superhighway.

And he said because of the costs involved, a new co-financed universal service fund using EU cash should be set up.

The CLA has already called for funding to be made available through the Common Agricultural Policy, but now wants the regulator, Government and EU to find a long-term solution.

"The availability of competitively priced information technology is essential to enable the development of high value rural businesses and new employment," said Mr Hopton.

"These enterprises are urgently needed to make good the loss of jobs and incomes in such declining industries as agriculture and quarrying, and to boost local economies more and more reliant on low wage seasonal tourism."