Stuart Anderson MP slams delays in Gigabit broadband rollout

Stuart Anderson MP has attacked the government’s decision to delay the target for full national coverage of gigabit broadband from 2030 to 2032. This follows a meeting with Openreach in Parliament to discuss the need for greater connectivity in South Shropshire.

It has emerged that more than 20,000 premises in South Shropshire still do not have access to it. Stuart has said that residents in South Shropshire should not be “made to wait” to be connected.

In the manifesto upon which it was elected, the Government promised a “renewed push” to deliver full gigabit and national 5G coverage by 2030. 

However, a document that accompanied the Spending Review was published on the Government’s website on 11th June 2025 appears to abandon this commitment. 

It states the Government is now committed to “connecting more homes and businesses to gigabit-capable broadband to reach 99% of UK premises by 2032.” 

South Shropshire is in the bottom five in England and the bottom 15 across the UK for gigabit connection. Stuart has said this is not good enough and rural areas like South Shropshire require a “fair share” of support. 

Almost 43% of premises in South Shropshire do not yet have access to gigabit capable broadband, representing 21,422 households in the constituency. 

South Shropshire is in the bottom 5 of all English constituencies for gigabit connection, and the bottom 15 across the UK. So, Stuart has called on the Secretary of State to make upgrading South Shropshire’s broadband an urgent priority. 

Stuart has made support for digital upgrades in South Shropshire key parts of his plan to invest in infrastructure and unleash rural prosperity.

This follows analysis from the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr), which found that the national rollout could unlock £66 billion in productivity by 2029.

The UK reached 80 per cent gigabit-capable premises coverage as part of the last Government's £5 billion ‘Project Gigabit’ – a dramatic rise from 5.8 per cent in January 2019.

This has benefitted 3,400 premises across South Shropshire. In January, Stuart welcomed a new deal worth £108.9 million, that had been struck with broadband supplier. 

The contract will deliver gigabit-capable broadband to up to 47,000 premises across East and South Shropshire, North Herefordshire, North Wales, and South West Wales. 

Ministers said that the new contract was a result of questions that Stuart asked in Parliament on behalf of local residents. 

Following the new deadline for full coverage, Stuart has asked for reassurance that this will not affect the delivery of contracts in South Shropshire. He said there should be no unnecessary delays.

Stuart Anderson MP said:  “Almost 43% of premises in South Shropshire do not yet have access to gigabit-capable broadband, representing 21,422 premises in the constituency. We are also in the bottom five of all English constituencies for gigabit connection.

"The government’s decision to delay the deadline for full coverage by two years breaks its election promise to deliver full coverage by 2030. The Spending Review pushes this back to by 2032. This is not good enough. Residents should not be made to wait even longer to be connected. That’s why I have urged Ministers to confirm that there will be no unnecessary delays to the rollout across South Shropshire.”