Work is underway on ambitious plans to connect around 60,000 rural Cumbrian premises to lightning-fast broadband thanks to £108.5 million of Government investment.
Belfast-based supplier, Fibrus, was awarded the Cumbrian contract as part of the Conservative Government’s national broadband strategy, known as Project Gigabit. Dr Neil Hudson, MP for Penrith and The Border, has long campaigned for better connectivity and ushered in the Cumbrian contract – the largest of its kind awarded to date.
Recently the Penrith MP met with Fibrus’ Cumbria team at their headquarters at the Newton Rigg site, near Penrith, to discuss the project and what more can be done for the people of Cumbria. Dr Hudson has worked closely with Fibrus and is dedicated to making sure the rollout works for even the most remote premises. Progressing at pace, the first premises to benefit from the project will be online by the end of the year.
Moreover, the broadband company has pledged to reinject the site with life, having committed to creating at least 90 apprenticeships covering a range of roles at a training academy based at Newton Rigg.
Dr Neil Hudson, MP for Penrith and The Border, said:
“I’m delighted that work has already begun, getting people connected and future-proofing our great county. Proper broadband is now critical infrastructure for the modern world and so the economic and social potential of this monumental rollout is vast.
“Better connectivity, both physical and digital, has been a cornerstone of my campaigning in Westminster so this is a great win for our rural communities and one that should be celebrated. Thanks once again to the Fibrus team for all they are doing to secure a digital future for rural Cumbria.”
In December, the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, visited Dr Hudson’s constituency to announce the Government’s mammoth Cumbrian broadband investment.
This contract is part of a wider strategy for Project Gigabit, with other local and regional procurements to build gigabit-capable infrastructure planned and underway across the UK. A list of awarded Project Gigabit contracts can be viewed here.
Under Project Gigabit the government is also providing up to £210 million worth of voucher funding as immediate help for people experiencing slow broadband speeds in rural areas. You can find out if you are eligible for a rural voucher on the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme website. This has already been taken advantage of in Penrith and The Border in villages such as Brough and Kirkoswald.
Further information about Project Gigabit can be found on the Project Gigabit website and under Project Gigabit: UK Subsidy advice.
