WORCESTERSHIRE County Council is taking a hands-on approach to tackling mobile phone connectivity challenges across the county, using an e-bike to travel through Worcestershire’s parks, green spaces and rural areas to capture and analyse real-world mobile coverage data.
The scheme, delivered entirely voluntarily by officers in their spare time, is designed to build a clearer picture of connectivity in outdoor and rural locations.
This helps the Council support Worcestershire’s economic growth and tourism ambitions, while also improving the wellbeing and safety of residents and visitors who enjoy these spaces.
A spokesperson for Worcestershire County Council, said: “This project shows our council quite literally going the extra mile to better understand the mobile connectivity challenges faced by our communities.
“Reliable mobile coverage is increasingly essential, whether for residents, businesses, visitors or emergency situations in rural areas and green spaces.
“By gathering accurate, real-world data, we can work more effectively with partners and providers to target improvements where they will have the greatest impact. It’s an innovative approach that supports our ambitions for economic growth, tourism and digital inclusion across the county.”
The data collected will be used to work with partners to identify practical solutions and opportunities to improve mobile phone coverage in the areas where it is needed most.
Local partners Cikada and OnBike have loaned the e-bike to support the project, enabling officers to access parks, green spaces and other locations where people gather, and where traditional survey methods can be more difficult.
The scheme builds on previous county-wide data collection work carried out using refuse vehicles, with further surveys planned during 2026.
These future surveys will provide up-to-date insights and allow comparisons with data gathered in 2024, helping the Council track progress and inform future connectivity improvements across Worcestershire.
By measuring signal strength we have seen improvements in mobile signal coverage.
