More Phone Masts Proposed for Penrith

Eight more phone masts have been proposed for Penrith and The Border.

19:51 24 February 2021

Conservative MP for Penrith Dr Neil Hudson has welcomed the news that an additional eight more phone masts have been earmarked for Penrith and The Border. He described the move as a start to addressing the issue of poor digital connectivity that his constituents have been dealing with for years.

 

He said: “For too many of my constituents, poor mobile coverage and download speeds have become a fact of daily life. I am pleased that the Government’s Shared Rural Network is beginning to roll out and that this is planned to reach Penrith and The Border.

 

“Whilst this is good news, these improvements are not set in stone. That is why, as part of my ‘Better Connectivity’ campaign, I will continue to press the case with Government for better provision.”

 

He added: “I have regular meetings with mobile operators to see how their offer to my constituents can be improved and I am in regular contact with Connecting Cumbria, a partnership between Cumbria County Council and BT, to see how we might get superfast broadband to as many properties as possible.”

 

“I am determined to keep this issue high on the Government’s agenda to ensure that Penrith and The Border isn’t left behind and can share in the prosperity that good mobile and broadband coverage can bring.”

 

The UK Government has pledged £5billion for the rollout of gigabit broadband in rural areas. Under the Universal Service Obligation, 99per cent of new build homes will have access to this service.