Newbiggin-by-the-sea in Northumberland has been named as one of the worst places for broadband download speeds in the UK.

The News Guardian reports that data compiled by uSwitch has revealed three of the six slowest average fibre optic broadband postcode areas in the UK are to be found in the north-east and north-west of England, with Newbiggin residents receiving just 1.6 Mbps download rates on average.
 
Other places among the worst for broadband speeds include Askam in Furness at 1.25 Mbps and St Bees at 1.38 Mbps, both of which are in Cumbria.

Douglas Chalmers, director of north policy and public affairs at the Country Land & Business Association, said:  "The slowest connection speed recorded in this survey was 1.1 Mbps, but even this is faster than many of our members can achieve.

"Quoting these figures simply disguises the real digital deprivation in some of our communities."

Mr Chalmers argued that internet service providers across the UK should now be focused on improving average download rates for those areas of the country which are languishing in terms of the speeds being offered to residents, instead of "making the already fast even faster".

This latest study follows a pledge by chief executive of Northumberland County Council Steve Stewart that the area will see dramatic improvements in broadband speeds over the coming years.

Following the allocation of £7.03 million in government funding, the council is intent on delivering minimum download rates of 2 Mbps to all residents by 2015, while also pushing to increase superfast broadband coverage to 90 per cent of the population at the same time - this is defined as a minimum data transfer rate of 25 Mbps.

However, the release of the money is dependent upon match funding from the council and the submission of a detailed Local Broadband Plan to ministers for approval.

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