New £3.6 million fund to improve broadband for 100 UK towns

Charlotte Whyatt • 06 Sep 2019

The Town Deals initiative aims to stimulate economic growth by improving broadband speeds. 

A new government initiative will see 100 towns across the UK receive funding to improve their broadband infrastructure. 

The £3.6 million Town Deals fund was set-up to provide areas which haven’t benefited from as much economic growth as the rest of the country a way to flourish. 

Better broadband connectivity, along with investments in transport, culture and skills, was identified as one of the main ways this can be achieved. 

Up to £25 million will be allocated to each location with applications opening soon. 

Eligible areas are predominantly situated in the Midlands and The North and include Blackpool, Bolton, Telford, Scunthorpe. Rochdale, Skegness and Grimsby. 

“Ensuring that prosperity and opportunities are available to everyone in this country, not just those in London or our biggest cities, is at the heart of the mission of this government,” said local government secretary Robert Jenrick.

“We want to level-up our great towns, raising living standards and ensuring they can thrive with transformative investment in transport, technology, skills and culture.”

There have been a number of government-funded broadband projects over the past decade which have help provide superfast broadband connections to millions across the UK who wouldn’t have access to one otherwise.

It’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s aim to accomplish full fibre coverage in the UK by 2025, although it’s the view of many in government that this just isn’t feasible. 

Source: ISPreview