This title was first published in 2000: Improved communication links between urban and rural areas and an increase in property prices in urban regions have made commuting an attractive option for European town and city dwellers eager to 'escape' urban living. This has lead to a proliferation of second homes in certain remote or deep rural areas, and this trend is compounding problems that are already affecting the indigenous populations in these areas - such as socio-economic decline, agricultural depression, a lack of services, and unaffordable house prices. Consequently, many politicians in...