Shropshire broadband battle is going to Westminster
The leading campaigner behind the fight to get quicker broadband in the Shropshire countryside has been invited to the House of Commons to speak on the issue.
The Digital Policy Alliance (DPA), a cross-party group at Westminster, has invited Patrick Cosgrove to speak on Monday about the problem rural areas face without decent internet speeds.
Mr Cosgrove is one of the key players at the South-West Shropshire and Marches Better Broadband campaign. He said today he was determined to use the visit to help people living in rural areas.
The DPA alerts EU and UK parliamentarians and policymakers to the potential impacts, implications, and unintended consequences of policies which interact with online and digital technologies.
Mr Cosgrove said: "This is not an opportunity to bash Shropshire Council, with whom we'd prefer to work constructively, but to make the point that rural dwellers and businesses across the country are paying the penalty for a faulty policy that has been handed down to local authorities from central government. Maybe it will play a small part in influencing what the Government does to ensure that all rural premises have a good broadband connection."
The campaign group say the £25 million scheme, led by BT and Shropshire Council, favours areas where broadband is already up to speed.
Towns and villages supporting the campaign include Bishop's Castle, Craven Arms, Minsterley, Much Wenlock, Pontesbury, Sherrifhales, Shifnal and Wistanstow.
