Broadband speeds and availability in Cornwall lag behind the South West and the rest of the UK despite millions of pounds being invested into providing superfast broadband.

New figures published by the government show that all areas of Cornwall have slower average download speeds than the wider region and rest of the country.

The average download speed (in Mbps) for the South West is 99.8Mbps, whilst the UK average is 111.6Mbps.

Figures for Parliamentary constituencies show that Camborne and Redruth has an average speed of 80.8Mbps; North Cornwall 78.2Mbps; South East Cornwall 77.9Mbps; St Austell and Newquay 72.8Mbps; St Ives 67.2Mbps; and Truro and Falmouth 75.6Mbps.

The figures also show the availability of superfast broadband services – for the South West there is 93.5 per cent availability and for the UK the rate is 95.9 per cent. However, Cornwall is found to be lagging behind here as well.

In Camborne and Redruth there is 88.5 per cent availability; North Cornwall 88 per cent; South East Cornwall 90.1 per cent; St Austell and Newquay 90.4 per cent; St Ives 87.7 per cent; and Truro and Falmouth 87.3 per cent.

This is despite the multi-million pound Superfast Cornwall project which was funded through the European Union, Cornwall Council, BT and the government and aimed to boost connections across Cornwall to help generate new jobs and business.

The Superfast Cornwall website claims that by the end of the programme in 2020 Cornwall had 95 per cent coverage of 30Mbps superfast broadband.

The initial scheme, which started in 2011, cost £132million and was later extended with a second phase with around £29m. It was assessed to have helped create 5,300 full time equivalent jobs and boosted the economy by £235m.

The new broadband data also breaks down the figures for areas in each constituency showing some variations in availability and quality of broadband services across Cornwall.

Of all the factors assessed just a handful of areas in Cornwall can be found to be in the best 30 per cent or best 10 per cent areas in the UK.

Wadebridge is in the best 30 per cent for gigabit availability with 94 per cent; and Launceston is in the best 30 per cent of areas of the UK for lines receiving under 10Mbps with just 2.5 per cent.

South East Cornwall has the most areas with the best results with Mid-Saltash being in the best 10 per cent for lines receiving under 10Mbps with just 1.6 per cent; and it is in the best 30 per cent for superfast and gigabit availability with 99.8 per cent and 91.8 per cent respectively. Torpoint is also revealed to be a broadband hotspot with 99.7 per cent superfast availability and 99 per cent gigabit availability; and just 1.6 per cent getting less than 10Mbps.

However, dozens of areas of Cornwall are recorded as being in the worst 10 per cent of areas in the UK for a variety of factors.

Probably most concerning is the areas which are in the bottom 10 per cent for being unable to receive decent broadband.

These include Perranporth & Goonhavern 4.8 per cent; St Breward, Tredethy and Lanivet 2.4 per cent; Poundstock & Kilkhampton 1.7 per cent; Padstow & St Issey 1.3 per cent; and St Neot & St Cleer 1.8 per cent.

Similarly a number of parts of Cornwall can only access broadband offering under 10Mbps placing them in the worst 10 per cent areas in the UK. These include Falmouth East 13.3 per cent; Penzance South & Newlyn 12.9 per cent; Porthleven, Breage & Praa Sands 12.6 per cent; Newquay West 13.2 per cent; and Camborne South 12.6 per cent.