HOUSEHOLDS and businesses in Craven's deeply rural communities which are blighted by poor internet connections have been assured that the Government will be petitioned to ensure that they are given access to better broadband links.
More than 200,000 households and businesses in North Yorkshire have benefited from one of the most ambitious broadband projects in the country which was overseen by North Yorkshire Council and has seen in excess of £100 million invested in superfast internet connections during the past decade.
The Government is now overseeing the national Project Gigabit programme, with £5 billion in funding for the roll-out of gigabit broadband to the hardest to reach premises in the country. This equates to about five million properties, mostly in rural areas.
Cllr Carl Les, leader of North Yorkshire Council, has called on the Government to ensure that the remaining 11,000 properties in the county without decent internet connections are linked to superfast broadband networks.
Cllr Les, who is also a board member for the NYnet broadband company which is owned by the local authority and has managed the Superfast North Yorkshire programme, said: "A great deal of work has been undertaken in recent years to ensure that there are far better connections for tens of thousands of people in North Yorkshire.
"I would urge the Government to build on the work that has been already undertaken by ourselves here in the county and make sure that every home and business has access to superfast broadband connections.
"We cannot have a technology divide between our urban and rural areas, which means you are disadvantaged simply by where you live for decent access to the internet."
The fourth and final element of the pioneering Superfast North Yorkshire project came to an end earlier this year, with the vast majority of properties in the county now on the superfast broadband network.
The project, which has been overseen by North Yorkshire Council, has been instrumental in addressing the digital divide, with many rural communities previously unable to access superfast broadband connections that have been available in towns and cities.
The council's executive member for open to business, Cllr Mark Crane, whose responsibilities include broadband, said: "The importance of having access to superfast broadband cannot be underestimated, as it now part of everyday life for communities and businesses across the nation.
"We are committed to ensuring that our local economy flourishes and that business owners based in the county are able to compete effectively.
"To do that, every home and business has to have superfast broadband, and the Government must ensure that this becomes a reality."
The council's work to ensure greater connectivity for communities across the county has been praised by a leading rural campaign group, the Country Land and Business Association (CLA), which has more than 26,000 members in England and Wales.
The CLA recently sought assurances from the Digital Infrastructure Minister, Sir John Whittingdale, and Building Digital UK (BDUK) for Project Gigabit's full £5 billion of funding to be retained, and for guarantees that future spending is focussed on rural areas to address the disparity in digital connectivity between the countryside and towns and cities.
Ofcom data has shown that only 49 per cent of rural households can get gigabit-capable broadband compared with 85 per cent in urban areas, and the CLA's Director North, Harriet Ranson, said that there "clearly needs to be prioritised focus for balance".
She added: "North Yorkshire Council clearly understands the needs of its largely rural constituents and has made great strides in bridging the urban-rural digital divide.
"Rural businesses and communities need assurances from the Government regarding how coverage will be improved, and when and where. People who live in, and visit, rural areas rely on good connectivity for social interactions and information.
"It is essential for rural businesses, that need it to operate online booking platforms, sell their products and buy supplies, access remote training for their employees, use remote sensors to monitor crops or habitats, and interact with the Government.
"The CLA continues to advocate for greater digital connectivity for all rural communities to close the rural-urban digital divide and works extensively with government departments and the National Connectivity Alliance."
During the Superfast North Yorkshire project, more than £100 million was invested from a combination of sources.
Grants have been obtained from Building Digital UK which is part of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, the European Regional Development Fund, the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development operated by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, and Openreach.
Online connectivity in rural parts of North Yorkshire has been lagging behind urban areas, hindering economic growth and leaving tens of thousands of businesses and households plunged into technology blackspots.
Despite the launch of NYnet and an £85m investment by the council in broadband services, digital connectivity has remained a significant challenge.
However, the Superfast North Yorkshire project has been instrumental in helping to address the digital divide between urban and rural areas.
Full fibre broadband is up to 10 times faster than the average home broadband connection and around five times more reliable than the traditional copper-based network.
Research has shown that connecting everyone in the UK to full fibre broadband by 2025 could remove 300 million commuter trips, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by an estimated 360,000 tonnes each year.
A fibre optic cable can send a signal over 120 miles without any significant loss of quality, while traditional copper cables can lose signal at just a mile.