The government’s £23.8m ‘Connecting Cumbria’ superfast broadband project will fail to meet its targets, according to a local MP.
Connecting Cumbria’s stated aim is that "95 per cent of homes and businesses in the county will be able to access superfast broadband by mid-2018.”
But Tim Farron says official figures supplied to the House of Commons Library suggest that it will fall short with only 88% of properties in Westmorland and Lonsdale due to enjoy superfast coverage by the target date.
This will leave it in the bottom quartile of Parliamentary constituencies in terms of the percentage of properties with superfast coverage.
Of the 47,026 addresses in Westmorland and Lonsdale, 13,680 are business premises.
Mr Farron said: “Access to decent quality broadband is no longer a luxury, it is essential. It is not only important for individuals, it is critical for the local economy.
"It enables businesses and start-ups to connect to the global economy, helping to support jobs.
“It is therefore worrying that the Government’s plans appear to have slipped behind. Once again, it is residents and businesses in rural areas like ours that are left behind."