Purvis’s “Better Broadband for the Borders” campaign takes a step forward (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh Liberal Democrats)

Edinburgh East and Musselburgh Liberal Democrats <Charles.Cavaye@talktalk.net>

Purvis’s “Better Broadband for the Borders” campaign takes a step forward

July 15, 2010 12:10 PM
Originally published by Scottish Liberal Democrats

Without action, almost half of Borders population will be excluded from faster broadband.

With the announcement by the UK Government that it wants to see rural benefits through super fast broadband, Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale MSP Jeremy Purvis has written to all major telecoms companies calling for them to co-ordinate better provision for the Borders. He recently arranged a 'summit' meeting with Scottish Enterprise, Scottish Borders Council, Borders creative industry companies, the Federation of Small Businesses, BT and community representatives. It concluded that there should be an agreed strategy on the way forward and he has published his "A Digital Strategy for the Borders".

Jeremy commented:

"The Strategy shows that the former UK Government stated that faster broadband should reach 90% of the population, but even with that 43% of the Borders population wouldn't receive it. It is totally unacceptable, and extremely bad for the economy if almost half the entire population of the region would be excluded from the higher broadband speeds up to 2017. The meeting by the UK Government and operators today is a positive move and I am also making contact with them about a combined effort to put forward a market led solution for delivery. That should be used as the basis to lobby the Government for specific support for the region. I am meeting Scottish Enterprise and Borders Council again tomorrow to take this forward.

"My aim is clear: All local agencies should sign up to a commitment to seek for the Borders to be the most connected rural region in Scotland by 2015 and the UK by 2020. This is of critical importance to our region's economy, tourism and education and I am now sending my strategy to communities and business across my constituency to seek a widespread campaign for improvement."