Super-fast broadband fear for south Shropshire

Huge swathes of south west Shropshire could miss out on super-fast broadband - even if Shropshire Council secures £17 million of Government cash to improve coverage in rural areas.

Areas such as Bishop's Castle, Clun and surrounding villages are among the only areas in the county not expected to be able to access the fastest speeds - up to 24MB - by 2016.

Shropshire Council today made a renewed bid for the cash as part of a £530 million fund being handed out by Broadband Delivery UK.

Shirehall officials have claimed nearly all Shropshire homes and business would have some form of broadband by 2016 if the bid is successful.

Councillor Martin Taylor-Smith, cabinet member for IT, said he was "very hopeful" of securing the funding.

But he admitted there would effectively be a two-tier system, with market towns being prioritised for super-fast broadband.

It comes after BDUK last week snubbed the council's attempt to be one of the first four counties in Britain to benefit from the Government fund for next generation broadband.

Councillor Taylor-Smith said: "The plan is to get speeds of up 2MB speeds to the existing not-spots and much higher speeds in the towns. What we are trying to do is be pragmatic and realistic."

Mike Ashwell, director of Enterprise South West Shropshire, urged leaders to study the four winning counties, Devon, Somerset, Norfolk and Wiltshire, and successful schemes in Cornwall before reapplying.

He said: "The council will probably need to engage a little closer with the extremely rural areas to assess how this might be done across the county."