BROADBAND connectivity in the Cowdenbeath area has continued to rise.

Cowdenbeath MSP Annabelle Ewing has welcomed new figures that show a huge boost to connectivity in the Fife Council area, thanks to significant investment from the Scottish Government.

According to the latest coverage statistics from Thinkbroadband, 96.5% of properties in Fife are now connected to superfast broadband – an increase of 43.6 percentage points from 2014 when only 52.9% of properties were connected to internet speeds of at least 30Mbps.

Despite connectivity and broadband remaining reserved to Westminster, Scotland is the only part of the UK that has guaranteed 100% superfast broadband access.

Ms Ewing said that while the SNP Government is investing £600 million in the R100 programme, the single biggest public sector investment in digital connectivity in the UK, Westminster has contributed less than £21 million to the project – just 3% of the total funding.

Ms Ewing said: “These latest figures are clear evidence that, while there is a bit of work still to be done, many people in my Cowdenbeath constituency have reaped the rewards of Scottish Government's broadband investment with the percentage of properties in Fife connected to superfast broadband almost doubling, up to 96.5% from 52.9% in 2014.

“Broadband is a reserved issue to Westminster, but successive UK governments have sat on their hands and done next to nothing to connect Scottish homes to superfast internet speeds.

“It’s been left to the SNP Government at Holyrood to take up the mantle and invest £600 million in the R100 programme to ensure superfast broadband speeds reach every corner of Scotland".

The MSP concluded: “The Coronavirus pandemic has highlighted the importance of digital connectivity - helping thousands of people in my Cowdenbeath constituency work from home, keeping us in touch with loved ones and supporting our local health service".