More than 200,000 households and businesses have benefited from one of the most ambitious broadband projects in the country which was overseen by North Yorkshire Council and has seen more than £100 million invested in superfast internet connections during the past decade.
But households and businesses in North Yorkshire’s deeply rural communities which are blighted by poor internet connections have now been assured that the Government will be petitioned to ensure that they are given access to better broadband links.
A Wi-Fi hub (Image: PA MEDIA) According to the government, its Project Gigabit scheme, worth over £297 million, has been signed to bring gigabit-capable broadband to hard-to-reach homes and businesses across Yorkshire.
Around 170,000 premises will benefit from this investment, mostly in Yorkshire, with the government pledging to “fix connectivity black holes in the region”.
Despite this push for superfast internet in rural locations of the region, North Yorkshire Council’s leader, Cllr Carl Les, has called on the Government to ensure that the remaining 11,000 properties in the county without decent internet connections are linked to superfast broadband networks.
North Yorkshire Council’s leader, Cllr Carl Les (Image: NORTH YORKSHIRE COUNCIL) Cllr Les said: “A great deal of work has been undertaken in recent years to ensure that there are far better connections for tens of thousands of people in North Yorkshire.
“I would urge the Government to build on the work that has been already undertaken by ourselves here in the county and make sure that every home and business has access to superfast broadband connections.
“We cannot have a technology divide between our urban and rural areas, which means you are disadvantaged simply by where you live for decent access to the internet.”
The fourth and final element of the pioneering Superfast North Yorkshire project came to an end earlier this year, with the vast majority of properties in the county now on the superfast broadband network.
An image of rural North Yorkshire (Image: NORTHERN ECHO) The council’s executive member for open to business, Cllr Mark Crane, whose responsibilities include broadband, said: “The importance of having access to superfast broadband cannot be underestimated, as it is now part of everyday life for communities and businesses across the nation.
“We are committed to ensuring that our local economy flourishes and that business owners based in the county can compete effectively.
“To do that, every home and business has to have superfast broadband, and the Government must ensure that this becomes a reality.”
The council’s work to ensure greater connectivity for communities across the county has been praised by a leading rural campaign group, the Country Land and Business Association (CLA), which has more than 26,000 members in England and Wales.
The CLA recently sought assurances from the Digital Infrastructure Minister, Sir John Whittingdale, and Building Digital UK (BDUK) for Project Gigabit’s full £5 billion of funding to be retained, and for guarantees that future spending is focussed on rural areas to address the disparity in digital connectivity between the countryside and towns and cities.
CLA’s Director North, Harriet Ranson (Image: CLA) Ofcom data has shown that only 49 per cent of rural households can get gigabit-capable broadband compared with 85 per cent in urban areas, and the CLA’s Director North, Harriet Ranson, said that there “clearly needs to be prioritised focus for balance”.
She added: “Rural businesses and communities need assurances from the Government regarding how coverage will be improved, and when and where. People who live in, and visit, rural areas rely on good connectivity for social interactions and information.
“It is essential for rural businesses, that need it to operate online booking platforms, sell their products and buy supplies, access remote training for their employees, use remote sensors to monitor crops or habitats, and interact with the Government.”
Online connectivity in rural parts of North Yorkshire has been lagging behind urban areas, hindering economic growth and leaving tens of thousands of businesses and households plunged into technology blackspots.
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Despite the launch of NYnet and an £85m investment by the council in broadband services, digital connectivity has remained a significant challenge.
In response to questions over superfast internet in North Yorkshire and connecting remaining homes, a spokesperson for the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) said: “We are on a mission to plug digital divides between rural and urban areas and achieve nationwide gigabit coverage by 2030.
“In the Autumn budget, this Government committed to investing over £500m in the next financial year alone to roll out Project Gigabit to the most hard-to-reach areas of the country, including in Yorkshire.
“Our plans to fix connectivity black holes in the region continue to race head, with work now underway to bring upgrades to around 170,000 premises in Yorkshire and parts of Lincolnshire.”