Bates battles on for broadband in Montgomeryshire

12.00.00am GMT Tue 16th Jan 2007

Mick Bates, Assembly Member for Montgomeryshire has written again to the Minister Andrew Davies AM, pressing for urgent action to be taken in rural areas to facilitate access to broadband.

In his most recent letter Mick has said "The lack of Broadband will have an adverse, if not catastrophic, effect upon the rural economy and employment in rural areas. Some businesses have already been forced to move 'down valley' in order to be in the 'communication zone' where Broadband and Mobile telephones work. There are at least six businesses in Cefn Coch alone who need broadband to operate their businesses. There is general agreement that it is no longer possible to operate without it. My constituents have been relegated to second class citizens by their inability to access the technology and this is totally unacceptable and unsustainable."

He has asked the Minister to clarify when people living in rural areas such as Cefn Coch will be able to access broadband technology. Mick said that:

"Many people in towns and cities throughout Wales and the UK take broadband for granted. I want to know why the government is not investing in rural communities to ensure that the people there are not left behind.

Most of Montgomeryshire is rural. Many people are being let down by the failure of the labour government to invest in technologies such as broadband that will benefit rural communities. I want everyone in Montgomeryshire to have access to broadband"

ends