Broadband speeds and availability in Cornwall lag behind the southwest and the rest of the UK despite millions of pounds being invested into providing superfast broadband. New figures published by the Government show that all areas of Cornwall have slower average download speeds than the wider region and the rest of the country.

The average download speed (in Mbps) for the southwest is 99.8Mbps, whilst the UK average is 111.6Mbps. Figures for Parliamentary constituencies show that Camborne and Redruth have an average speed of 80.8Mbps; North Cornwall 78.2Mbps; South East Cornwall 77.9Mbps; St Austell and Newquay 72.8Mbps; St Ives 67.2Mbps; and Truro and Falmouth 75.6Mbps.

The figures also show the availability of superfast broadband services – for the southwest, there is 93.5 per cent availability and for the UK the rate is 95.9 per cent. However, Cornwall is found to be lagging behind here as well.

In Camborne and Redruth there is 88.5% availability; North Cornwall 88%; South East Cornwall 90.1%; St Austell and Newquay 90.4%; St Ives 87.7%; and Truro and Falmouth 87.3%.

This is despite the multi-million pound Superfast Cornwall project which was funded through the European Union, Cornwall Council, BT, and the Government and aimed to boost connections across Cornwall to help generate new jobs and business. The Superfast Cornwall website claims that by the end of the programme in 2020 Cornwall had 95% coverage of 30Mbps superfast broadband.

The initial scheme, which started in 2011, cost £ 132 million and was later extended with a second phase with around £29m. It was assessed to have helped create 5,300 full-time equivalent jobs and boosted the economy by £235m.

The new broadband data also breaks down the figures for areas in each constituency showing some variations in the availability and quality of broadband services across Cornwall. Of all the factors assessed just a handful of areas in Cornwall can be found to be in the best 30% or best 10% areas in the UK.

Wadebridge is in the best 30% for gigabit availability with 94%, and Launceston is in the best 30% of areas of the UK for lines receiving under 10Mbps with just 2.5%. South East Cornwall has the most areas with the best results with Mid Saltash being in the best 10% for lines receiving under 10Mbps with just 1.6%; it is in the best 30% for superfast and gigabit availability with 99.8% and 91.8% respectively. Torpoint is also revealed to be a broadband hotspot with 99.7% superfast availability and 99% gigabit availability; with just 1.6% getting less than 10Mbps.

However, dozens of areas of Cornwall are recorded as being in the worst 10% of areas in the UK for a variety of factors. Probably most concerning is the areas which are in the bottom 10% for being unable to receive decent broadband.

These include Perranporth & Goonhavern 4.8%; St Breward, Tredethy, and Lanivet 2.4%; Poundstock & Kilkhampton 1.7%; Padstow & St Issey 1.3%; and St Neot & St Cleer 1.8%.

Similarly, a number of parts of Cornwall can only access broadband offering under 10Mbps placing them in the worst 10% areas in the UK. These include Falmouth East 13.3%; Penzance South & Newlyn 12.9%; Porthleven, Breage & Praa Sands 12.6%; Newquay West 13.2%; and Camborne South 12.6%.