Around 12,500 homes and businesses across Bucks are set to benefit from a better broadband connection.

The second phase of a countywide broadband extension programme is about to get underway and Wycombe District Council is investing £860,000 to extend broadband coverage to more than 4,500 homes and businesses across the Wycombe District.

Further funding for the district is also being provided by Buckinghamshire Tames Valley LEP (BTVLEP) which will be matched by the government to a value of £2,035,000.

Money is also being re-invested across the county by BTVLEP and Buckinghamshire County Council as a benefit of phase one of the programme.

It is expected that broadband will be introduced to some areas this summer and completed by the end of 2019.

Councillor Steve Broadbent, of Wycombe District Council, said: “We’re really pleased to be playing an integral role in achieving greater connectivity across our district.

"Broadband is something that most of us take for granted, so we know how frustrating it is for those residents and businesses in the district struggling either with a really poor connection, or no connection at all. 

“The significant investment that we’ve made as a council, which we’ve maximised so it could be match-funded, has been targeted at our more rural areas. 

“We recognise that existing coverage within more urban areas can also be patchy and so will be working with our partners, including BTVLEP, to find new funding opportunities to address this, as well as the premises in the ‘last five percent’ so we can get to 100% coverage in the district.”

For more information about the broadband extension programme, visit www.connectedcounties.org