Netherbury in Dorset could miss out on fibre broadband access

Homes and businesses in the Netherbury area of Dorset look set to miss out on fibre optic broadband access, despite the launch of a county council-led project to boost connectivity.

The initiative, which will be carried out by BT, is set to bring superfast broadband to 97 per cent of homes and businesses across the county by summer 2016.

However, the areas between Netherbury, Salway Ash and Burstock could be overlooked by the rollout, according to View From Online.

Businesswoman Nichola Ross Martin, a campaigner for high-speed internet access in Dorset, said the parts of the county that are unlikely to benefit from superfast services as a result of the project appear to cover a significant part of West Dorset.

Leader of Dorset County Council Spencer Flower has insisted that the authority wants to see faster and more reliable broadband made available to all local properties.

"We know that some residents and businesses are frustrated by slow or no broadband access in Dorset, especially in rural areas," he acknowledged.