Bedfordshire fibre broadband rollout could be extended

An additional 6,000 residential and commercial properties in Bedfordshire could be set to gain access to fibre broadband as part of the Superfast Extension Programme.

This project is being run by the government's Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK) initiative and aims to connect 95 per cent of local premises to the high-speed technology.

By agreeing to match BDUK's funding, the local council is securing the connection for people in the area, with the total fibre broadband investment in Bedfordshire now reaching £6 million.

Currently, the councils are set to deliver fast fibre broadband to around 90 per cent of homes and businesses in the area, which equates to approximately 15,500 properties in total.

However, thanks to the extensive programme, a further 6,000 premises could be connected to the superfast service by the end of 2017. 

Deputy Executive Member for Corporate Resources at Central Bedfordshire Council Richard Wenham commented: "We are delighted that we're on track to meet our current target and the hard work we've put in to secure extra funding means we can push for an even higher coverage in the future."