West Country bids for fibre broadband cash

Politicians and residents alike in the West Country have come together to ask for more money under the Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK) programme.

Tiverton and Honiton MP Neil Marsh told the local Express and Echo he will be asking ministers for a substantial contribution to the fibre optic broadband fund in the area.

Currently, broadband speeds in the region are slow and many rural residents still suffer from download rates of lower than 1Mbps.

Graham Long, a Parish Councillor in Upottery, said: "Some people in our two counties will have to wait until 2016 to hear if they are going to get any benefit from this programme and I would say that is unacceptable."

Mr Long's comments came at a recent meeting of Connecting Devon and Somerset (CDS) programme, which manages a £94 million BDUK fund.

Laurent Boon, BT's Manager for CDS, said it will cost £500,000 to bring fibre optic broadband to Mr Long's village - around £2,000 per property, something that was not cost effective.