BRIDGWATER MP Ian Liddell- Grainger is calling for a crisis debate in the House of Commons to investigate “unacceptable” blackspots in broadband coverage in Somerset.

He says Parliament needs to be made aware of just how bad the problem is and says BT is not doing enough to deal with the blackspots.

“High speed broadband is still just a dream in many parts of Somerset despite a campaign to wire up rural areas,” said Mr Liddell-Grainger, whose Bridgwater and West Somerset constituency includes Exmoor where internet connections are often impossible.

He added: “Much of the blame seems to lie at BT’s door. In my opinion the company has failed to do what it promised to do and Parliament needs to be made well aware of the problem. There are unacceptable blackspots in Somerset.”

Mr Liddell-Grainger asked the Leader of the House for time to be made available so that MPs can air their grievances.

“My patience is beginning to expire. This is a matter that must be exposed and dealt with. The Minister was very sympathetic,” he added.

The Connecting Devon and Somerset scheme has been set up to deliver next generation broadband to areas where the market has failed to invest.

The public-private partnership of six local authorities - Somerset, Devon, North Somerset, Torbay, Plymouth and Bath and North East Somerset - and delivery partner BT aim to bring superfast broadband to 90 per cent of premises in the area covered by the Connecting Devon and Somerset programme.

This means that most residents and businesses in Devon and Somerset will have broadband speeds of over 24Mbps by the end of 2016.

A spokesperson for BT said: “BT is committed to rolling out high-speed fibre broadband as widely as possible.


“We have already made the technology available to around two thirds of UK premises through our own commercial programme and are working with partnerships, such as Connecting Devon and Somerset
(CDS), to go even further.

CDS aims to achieve around 90 per cent superfast broadband coverage in Somerset and Devon by the end of next year and 95 per cent by the end of 2017.

“More than 284,000 households and businesses in Somerset already have access to fibre broadband and the number is continuing to grow rapidly.”

Details of the CDS programme are available at http://www.connectingdevonandsomerset.co.uk