New data has revealed that there are still roughly 6,000 people in Monmouthshire without access to superfast broadband, with 1.5 per cent of the county experiencing speeds of less than 2MBps.

While most of the county can access superfast or ultrafast broadband, the findings have reinforced the need to carry out work to connect the most remote communities within the area.

Member of the Senedd for Monmouth, Peter Fox, has asked the Welsh Government for action to ensure the rollout of ultrafast broadband will reach all communities in Monmouthshire.

In his question to the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning, Mr Fox put forward the statistics for Monmouthshire, and pressed the need for action to ensure rural communities were not kept at a disadvantage with lower speeds.

“Broadband is now an essential in life, and the need for faster and faster speeds is becoming more prevalent,” he said.

“I saw a sharp increase in queries from residents about accessing faster internet during the pandemic, when people were forced to work from home.”

Mr Fox asked the Welsh Government for specific action to ensure that Ultrafast Broadband will reach the most rural and isolated communities in Monmouthshire.

He continued, “we continue to see a disparity in Wales where the cities and highly populated areas get access to these speeds first, but the rural communities of Wales, especially in Monmouthshire continue to be left out.”

“A lot of these communities already feel cut off from the rest of their area, whether it be due to a lack of amenities, poor public transport, or indeed slower internet speeds.

“The Welsh Government must take action to ensure that no part of Wales, especially our rural communities are left behind when it comes to accessing Ultrafast Broadband.”