MP warns more funding needed to bring rural areas up to speed

An MP has recently warned that despite funding already secured for broadband rollout in rural areas, further funding is necessary to bring these areas up to speed.

The government has made it clear that it has ambitious plans with regards to the broadband rollout in the UK. However, one MP has pointed out that if rural south west areas are to keep up to speed with other parts of the UK when it comes to high speed broadband more funding is going to be needed on top of any funding that has already been secured.

The warning was issued by Mel Stride, the MP for Central Devon. He said that in order to make sure that the rollout of broadband in rural south west areas was achieved in time to be in line with the rest of the country further funding was crucial.

It has been revealed that around one hundred thousand homes and businesses in the area could be left stuck with slow broadband and Stride has now been in touch with the Environment secretary in a bid to get further funding for rural areas. Devon and Somerset has already secured a total of fifty million pounds in funding from BDUK and independent councils but Stride said that more is needed.

He said: “I am urging Defra to provide additional support for this programme for rural areas like Devon. It is very clear that the best available internet connections and speed are vital for our businesses and communities in Devon, but traditionally we have lagged behind the rest of the country due to the remoteness of many of our rural communities. The Connecting Devon and Somerset project will go a long way to providing a much better service, but we need all government departments on side and support from Defra will be very important for this programme’s success.”