TWO more communities near Bridgwater should have access to superfast broadband within a few months.

The Connecting Devon and Somerset project – which involves several local authorities across the South-West – has named Chilton Trinity and Wembdon among 31 communities in Somerset who will have high-speed fibre broadband by the end of March.

The group says that by then, 44,000 homes and businesses across Devon and Somerset will have benefited as part of the £94million project.

Bridgwater East county councillor David Hall, who is deputy leader of Somerset County Council, said: “This tremendous step forward is a pay-off for all the careful planning that goes on behind the scenes.

“The team has been working flat out to get to this stage.

“I look forward to the economic growth and development that access to high speed fibre broadband will bring.”

The project has secured £32million of funding from the government agency Broadband Delivery UK and Somerset County Council will be putting in up to £10 million.

The Connecting Devon and Somerset programme also aims to make superfast broadband speeds of 24Mbps and above available to around 90% of homes and businesses by the end of 2016.

It also plans to ensure a minimum of 2Mbps for all premises within the programme area and is actively lobbying for more funding to further extend the availability of superfast broadband.

Laurent Boon, BT’s programme manager for Connecting Devon and Somerset, said: “The arrival of fibre broadband is one of the most important investments in Devon and Somerset in recent times.”

For more information, visit www.connectingdevonandsomerset.co.uk