NORTH Yorkshire councillors have approved a project to help remote rural communities by bridging a gap in high speed internet access.

The county council worked with the regional development agency Yorkshire Forward, the Government Office for Yorkshire and other public bodies on a feasibility study into ways of introducing broadband internet to areas which qualify for Objective 2 funding from Europe.

The roll-out of broadband internet by BT has been severely restricted in Objective 2 areas of North Yorkshire because the company has said that geographical conditions and a sparse population mean that investment with standard equipment cannot be commercially justified.

It has been estimated, however, that in those areas there are 5,000 households and 2,000 businesses which have neither existing broadband services nor access to future developments.

The county council now believes that the gap can be filled by a partnership approach using the latest fibre-optic technology, rather than satellite arrangements, which will then become a platform for delivering the additional benefits of the next generation of broadband services.

The council executive on Tuesday approved a project under which Yorkshire Forward will meet the total £1.5m cost of upgrading 14 telephone exchanges, with a target date for completion of April 30.

Locally, the exchanges are Wainstones, Bilsdale and Goathland, all serving parts of the North York Moors; Coverdale, near Leyburn; Jervaulx, near Bedale; and Sawley, near Ripon.

Others place are Horton-in-Ribblesdale, Hackness, Cracoe, Lockton, Arncliffe, Ramsgill Dale, Blubberhouses and Burnsall.

The second phase of the project, attracting £585,000 from the European Regional Development Fund, will be to investigate ways of improving broadband services across the whole of North Yorkshire, working with public sector partners. Work on this phase is expected to start at the end of May.

County Coun Carl Les, who has executive responsibility for business and community services, said businesses in those areas with no access to broadband services were put at a considerable economic disadvantage.

"This project is very good news for those communities, and it is also good news that we are able to continue in conversation with Yorkshire Forward and BT to improve ways of bringing in broadband and how we can use the county council's wide area network.

"This doesn't mean that businesses in these communities will be more competitive, but it does take away the barriers to competitiveness.

"With high speed broadband there is no reason why a rural company involved in digital commerce in Hawes cannot compete with a similar business in central Leeds or Manchester.