Yes, the key is "where available" and "where usable". LARS coverage is sporadic and often unavailable on busy weekends, and so many people are non-transponding that most of the contact reports are basically useless ("level unknown").
The latter issue should improve if/when C/S transponders are mandatory for VFR and then I might consider the expenditure of the proper azimuth-indicating system. One can do it for about £5k if one finds an avionics shop that will install a customer-supplied (directly imported from the USA) item.
Also, note that LARS doesn't really outside the UK; one does occassionally get traffic info passed but other countries don't have the equivalent of the UK's Radar Information Service. A lot of UK pilots ask for an RIS over France and the ATCO wonders what the hell it's about.
No matter what, there will always be lots of non-transponding aircraft (I believe the CAA will back down on certain categories) and the only partial defence there will be to fly as high as possible.