Sir, – Superfast broadband coming to Hawes this week is extremely good news. With more and more business being done via the internet, this means local jobs: people working from home and new locally-based businesses.

Competing on an equal basis with large towns and cities will be a great incentive for our young people to remain in the area and for others to relocate here and enjoy a better quality of life. This will also boost existing local shops, schools, churches and so forth. What is disappointing is that other rural communities will have to wait even longer to get broadband.

I attended the meeting of the Upper Dales Partnership at West Burton last month. We were told there is a lack of BT cabinets through which the fibre cable can be connected. Surely this relatively small cost can be met?

Co-ordinated action is needed to speed up the introduction of broadband to the whole of North Yorkshire.

CHRIS FOOTE-WOOD

Prospective Parliamentary LibDem candidate for Richmond

Brook Terrace, Darlington.