PM’s broadband speech raises more questions than answers, says CLA

The CLA said that the Prime Minister’s announcement on superfast broadband raises more questions than it provides answers.

The Association said Gordon Brown had failed to address the real broadband issues facing rural communities.

CLA President William Worsley said: "Of course it would be good if everyone in the country had access to superfast broadband. We are not disputing that. However, many people in rural communities currently have no or very slow broadband, and the priority must be to get them up to a speed of at least two megabits per second.

"We find it ironic that the Prime Minister is talking about the risk of a digital divide when one already exists. Gordon Brown said ’just imagine if you were not part of that [broadband] world’. Unfortunately, many people in rural communities are in exactly this position."

Mr Worsley said: "The truth is that one third of the country cannot receive a basic level of broadband. The CLA is involved in the Final Third First campaign for just this reason.

"Lack of broadband puts financial pressure on rural businesses at a time when they would like to be re-investing – something that broadband-enabled businesses are able to do."