More than 200,000 households and businesses in North Yorkshire are now enjoying superfast broadband thanks to one of the country’s most ambitious digital infrastructure projects. Over the past decade, more than £100 million has been invested in the Superfast North Yorkshire project, bringing high-speed internet to rural communities previously left in the digital slow lane.
This monumental project, overseen by North Yorkshire Council, has just reached its final phase, with the vast majority of properties in the county now connected to the superfast network. North Yorkshire’s vast rural areas had long been a barrier to modern connectivity, but this initiative has significantly narrowed the digital divide between the county’s rural and urban areas.
Cllr Carl Les, leader of North Yorkshire Council, said: “The need to have access to superfast broadband is now part of everyday life for communities and businesses across the country. The superfast broadband programme in North Yorkshire has been instrumental in providing far better connections for tens of thousands of people.”
He added, “It has given a strong foundation for attracting new enterprises as well as helping to ensure that rural communities can remain sustainable in the future.”
For businesses like Demesne Farm Holiday Cottages, run by Alan and June Bancroft near Robin Hood’s Bay, the difference has been dramatic. Mr Bancroft said: “This has helped our business so much, as having decent internet connections is vital in modern life. There were people who simply wouldn’t book with us when they found out that there wasn’t an adequate internet connection. Now, visitors can watch films and their children can play games online, which has transformed the business and local life.”
The project has been delivered through a partnership between NYnet, Openreach, and Quickline, using funding from various sources, including the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and the European Regional Development Fund.
Matthew Lovegrove, Openreach’s partnership manager for Yorkshire and the Humber, hailed the success of the initiative: “The Superfast North Yorkshire partnership is a great achievement and testament to the team who have worked so hard for the past 12 years.”
Meanwhile, Sean Royce, CEO of Quickline, highlighted the challenges of bringing faster broadband to rural communities: “Poor broadband connectivity is a real issue in parts of North Yorkshire, particularly in the deeply rural communities. The delivery of the Superfast North Yorkshire programme means thousands more homes and businesses can now access much improved broadband speeds, which will change their lives for the better.”
While this phase of the broadband revolution in North Yorkshire has come to a close, the mission to ensure that every household and business in the county can access superfast internet continues. The Government’s Project Gigabit aims to extend gigabit-capable broadband to the hardest-to-reach properties in rural areas, with £5 billion in funding earmarked for the national rollout.
North Yorkshire Council’s Cllr Les has pledged to continue advocating for digital inclusion: “We will petition the Government to ensure every household and business in the county has access to superfast internet.”
With full fibre broadband being up to 10 times faster than the average home connection, this investment is not only enhancing everyday life but is also boosting the region’s sustainability. Research has shown that connecting everyone in the UK to full fibre by 2025 could remove 300 million commuter trips and cut carbon dioxide emissions by 360,000 tonnes annually.
As North Yorkshire steps confidently into the digital future, its residents can now look forward to being part of a more connected, sustainable, and prosperous community.
