15,000 people back Devon and Somerset fibre broadband project

A campaign that aims to deploy fibre optic broadband across Devon and Somerset has won the backing of more than 15,000 local residents and businesses.

The Connecting Devon and Somerset initiative has launched telephone and online questionnaires, and is calling on people to complete them in order to illustrate their desire for access to super-fast broadband.

More than £31 million of government funding has been allocated to the project, which aims to deliver next-generation broadband to 100 per cent of local properties by 2020.

So far, 15,278 people have taken part in the scheme, with responses to the surveys coming from as far afield as Belgium, Cyprus and India.

Hailing the achievement, Somerset County Council's cabinet member for strategic planning and economic development David Hall said the local authority is "delighted" that so many people have completed the questionnaires.

"If we can evidence really strong demand for super-fast broadband across Devon and Somerset, then we will be a much more attractive proposition for private sector investment in the network," he added.