CityFibre introduces Andrew Jones MP to Full Fibre works in Knaresborough

19th July: With construction of its new Full Fibre network for Knaresborough now well underway across the town, CityFibre, the UK’s largest independent Full Fibre platform, welcomed Andrew Jones, MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, for a tour of the works this week, giving him a closer look at the £46m project.


During the visit, representatives from CityFibre introduced Mr Jones to Full Fibre digital infrastructure, the best network technology currently available, and provided him with demonstrations of the typical build process, including excavation and reinstatement.


The project, which is bringing future-proof connections to households and businesses across Harrogate, Knaresborough and Ripon, forms part of CityFibre’s up to £4 billion Gigabit City Investment Programme which will bring Full Fibre networks within reach of up to 8 million homes and businesses across the UK.


Unlike the majority of the digital infrastructure accessible to households today, Full Fibre networks use 100% fibre optic cables to carry data at light speed all the way from the home to the point of connection. This gives users consistently faster speeds for upload and download (up to 1,000 Mbps), near limitless bandwidth and connectivity users can depend on. 


Construction of the network formally began in Harrogate in January, followed by Knaresborough more recently and work due to start in Ripon next year. Upon completion, it will be in reach of nearly every home and business in each town, serving current and future demands. It will also provide a platform for a new generation of “smart city” applications and underpin the roll-out of 5G mobile services.


Commenting on the CityFibre project Andrew Jones, Member of Parliament for Harrogate and Knaresborough said: “I’m delighted to see this important work rolling out future-proof connections to constituents and businesses first-hand. The last year has driven home the crucial role this digital infrastructure plays in underpinning our lives and the economy and this ambitious project from CityFibre is critical in aiding our recovery from the pandemic.


“Investments such as this will help us to build back better, with this once in a generation upgrade futureproofing our network infrastructure at a time when digital connectivity has never been so important. I’m delighted to see the huge positive impact this will bring for people and businesses across the region”.


Speaking of the tour, Kim Johnston, CityFibre’s Regional Partnership Director for the region, said: “It’s great to see such enthusiasm and excitement for the digital infrastructure we’re building beneath the streets of Knaresborough. As the world moves increasingly online, Full Fibre will future-proof the town and make it one of the best-connected communities in the world.”


Construction is being delivered by makehappen on behalf of CityFibre. The team is using a range of construction methods while working in close partnership with North Yorkshire County Council, Harrogate Borough Council and local communities to deliver a fast roll-out while minimising potential disruption.


The network is already live in parts of Harrogate, with ultrafast packages available from TalkTalk, and Knaresborough to follow soon. Across the UK, CityFibre is already working with launch partner Vodafone to deliver next generation broadband services, with other providers expected to join the network soon. Residents interested in giving their home broadband a boost can find out more about the build and pre-register their interest at http://www.cityfibre.com/PR-Register.