South Gloucestershire Lib Dems are joining local residents and campaigners to demand a better deal for rural communities left without superfast broadband internet access.

Local councillor for Cotswold Edge, Sue Hope said: “Many local residents in rural parts of South Gloucestershire are upset that they have been short-changed, yet again. The Council promised superfast broadband for villages like Hawkesbury Upton, but we have now been told that these plans have been shelved, leaving Hawkesbury Upton in the internet slow lane.

“On top of this, problems persist in Horton, Totteroak and Acton Turville, due to out-of-date or partial internet access. I’m standing together with other rural residents to demand that the Council stops treating us like second class citizens when it comes to internet access.”

Lib Dem Resources spokesperson, Mike Drew, said: “BT are responsible for rolling out broadband access across South Gloucestershire, but under the terms of their contract they are not obliged to provide information as to what their forward plans are. This has left many rural residents fearing they may be left high and dry.

“At Monday’s meeting of the Council’s resources sub-committee we formally asked the Council to look into alternatives to get rural residents the broadband access they need. One possible solution is to allow residents to piggyback onto the scheme to provide broadband to local schools in Horton and Hawkesbury Upton. The Council has promised they will look into this proposal and we will be holding them to that.”