“We have to go into Bristol to use the internet”

Residents and businesses in rural parts of South Gloucestershire are campaigning for high-speed broadband to be installed in their areas, according to today’s Bristol Post.

The villages of Horton and Elberton seem to be particularly badly affected by poor connection speeds and a public meeting is being organised tomorrow at Horton Village Hall which will will see local council officers and BT face local residents and businesses and explain why rural areas have seen no improvement in broadband speeds after BT has trousered millions of pounds in taxpayers’ money.

Richard and Henry Williams, the owners of one high-class car dealership in Horton, are quoted by the Post as saying the following:

Here in Horton, our upload speed is 0.13mb, which is ridiculous. We have to go into Bristol to use the internet, and if we didn’t have that capability, we would lose business. BT has pulled a fast one. The Government has given £1.2 billion, and BT knew it would not do what the initial intention of the Government and the councils was – to bring fast broadband to rural areas.