Broadband challenge for Halton

Volunteers and residents in Halton are working on connecting up the village to one of the fastest, cheapest and most reliable connections in the world.

But the job is not without its challenges, as Halton is the most densely populated area that B4RN has attempted to connect. There are issues getting fibre optic cables into the school field, and with persuading residents to allow the cables to be laid in the ground on their properties.

The village has been split into “blocks” with block champions working to create a route for the cables around the village.

Robb Thompson, from B4RN for Halton, said: “Halton Mill and areas nearby are already connected, and B4RN is now at The Centre in Low Road, but it is not yet available to the public.

“As soon as the equipment is there, we’ll hold an open day to celebrate. There’s great progression going on in some of the blocks in the village, especially by Rectory Paddock, Lythe Fell and Forgewood, and there is permission to put the cable around the new development being built on Forgewood. But the big stumbling block at the moment is getting into the school field. There’s a lot of effort taking place to get Lancashire County Council to plant a wayleave into the school field. It would save the school a lot of money to have free Wifi and it also gives them a great connection.”

The community has raised more than £60,000 which will buy equipment, hardware, materials, and funding for road crossings.

He added: “It’s really difficult to give a timeframe for when people will be connected. Ideally if someone didn’t want it, they’d still grant us permission to go through their land, but we’d always leave the capacity for someone else to take it up if they moved into the property later.

The whole thing relies on people’s enthusiasm, but people are making good progress.”

County Councillor Susie Charles, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Schools, said: “We’re currently waiting for more information from B4RN about their proposal, so that we can consider it.

“We have to assess how this would affect any future requests, such as from other providers and for other sites around the county.”