Don’t sit on the fence over superfast broadband
Times & Star - September 16, 2011
Cumbria County Council has secured £17 million from central government to improve Broadband services and infrastructure in Cumbria to both rural and urban areas. Research reveals that the provision to the county falls behind other parts of the UK by an estimated 5 to 7 years resulting in detrimental effects to our communities, for example, contributing to economic deprivation and lack of social inclusion. The aim and strategy is to achieve Superfast Broadband across Cumbria which in turn will improve Public Sector efficiency and transform public service delivery.
So why is Superfast Broadband so important to us in Maryport? In the future, almost all paper-work and face-to-face consultations will take place on-line. A visit to the doctor’s surgery will be a thing of the past, internet medical diagnoses, tele-medecine and tele-care will become commonplace within the next 20 years. Elderly, ill and disabled people’s lives will be enhanced by easing the chores of everyday tasks such as food shopping by accessible on-line purchasing. The benefits to education are obvious, children, young people, students and life-long-learners can access course-work materials and Distant Learning programmes with ease. All of this requires a greater bandwidth than we have at the moment.
Maryport must make sure we are not forgotten in this process and we get the same Broadband services as everyone else. The warning is simple, by doing nothing and ‘sitting on the fence’; Maryport will lag 10 years behind every other town and village in Cumbria. Let’s make sure that this doesn’t happen! Have your say on: www.broadbandcumbria.com
Councillor Andy Long
Netherhall Ward
Maryport Town Council