Spending rural broadband funds in London would exacerbate digital divide, says CLA
President Victoria Vyvyan responds to reports cash could be diverted
Funds to boost rural broadband must be spent in the countryside, the CLA has argued amid claims money could be diverted to benefit urban areas.
Ministers are currently reviewing the next stage of Project Gigabit, a £5bn programme aimed at rolling out full-fibre broadband in hard-to-reach rural areas.
It has been reported in the national media that Building Digital UK, the body overseeing the programme, is now exploring plans to use some of the funding to tackle internet ‘not-spots’ in urban centres.
'Urban bias'
Responding, Country Land and Business Association (CLA) President Victoria Vyvyan said: "Project Gigabit is a programme that should be transforming rural lives and helping the rural economy to grow.
“There has been a significant and serious rural-urban digital divide for well over the past two decades.
"The urban bias on connectivity leaves many rural businesses paying for infrastructure that urban businesses get for free and the result is we struggle to compete and innovate effectively, and many rural communities are socially excluded."