Quickline powers ahead in government funded push to connect rural Yorkshire

The rollout is part of the government-funded Project Gigabit programme which will help to boost the region’s economic growth while addressing the digital divide affecting remote areas.  

Communities in rural West Yorkshire and areas surrounding York, including the villages of Escrick, Crofton, Elvington, Sutton upon Derwent and Wheldrake, are the first to benefit from gigabit-capable broadband under a £60 million government contract awarded to Quickline earlier this year.  

The Project Gigabit contract will fund connections for over 28,000 hard-to-reach rural properties across the region once completed, with thousands more set to benefit through additional commercial rollout by Quickline.

Project Gigabit is the government-funded programme targeting areas that would be too expensive to be connected to gigabit broadband through commercial rollout because of their remote location.  

Residents and business owners in the region, many who struggle to carry out basic online tasks due to outdated broadband infrastructure, will receive major internet speed upgrades providing access to gigabit-capable, full fibre broadband.

This is one of four contracts awarded to Quickline across Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, which will bring over 170,000 premises out of broadband poverty, making Quickline one of the largest Project Gigabit delivery partners.

More than 1,725 premises in West Yorkshire and the York area have so far received access to gigabit-capable broadband through Project Gigabit funding, with the remaining premises delivered as part of Quickline’s commercial efforts.

Beyond broadband connections, Quickline is committed to delivering social value across West Yorkshire. With a focus on educating young people, a partnership has been established with The Lighthouse Futures Trust in Leeds where Quickline has delivering digital skills workshops to support students with learning difficulties to transition into the workforce. These workshops focus on essential skills such as writing emails and creating LinkedIn profiles.

And this week Quickline participated in the Leeds Digital Festival Careers Fair, offering young people advice and information about employment in the telecommunications industry. In addition, Quickline has engaged with primary school children in the area through interactive “Digger Day” events, educating them about the construction of the full fibre broadband network and its importance in their communities.  

Sean Royce, Quickline CEO, said: “We’re proud to be delivering gigabit capable broadband to rural communities in West Yorkshire and the York area through the government’s Project Gigabit programme. Our mission is to connect these areas quickly and make a lasting impact.

“Access to reliable broadband is essential, and we are committed to helping our customers thrive in the digital world – not only through the deployment of full fibre but also through our broader social value programme.”  

Telecoms Minister Sir Chris Bryant said: “Thousands of rural households, businesses and students in this region can now enjoy better connectivity without having to battle for bandwidth with neighbours or other family members to stream video and music or download big files crucial for work and education.  

“The digital divide affecting a region as bursting in opportunities as Yorkshire is unacceptable. Since my appointment, I have made it one of my highest priorities to plug digital gaps, and the government and I have vowed to achieve nationwide gigabit coverage by 2030.  

“It is fantastic to mark a new step towards this journey and start delivering the connectivity the region deserves to thrive and compete.”

Homes and businesses can book their installation today and benefit from the much-improved connectivity available from Quickline.