A NEW £30million bid to bring super-fast broadband to Lancashire has been announced.

Lancashire County Council intends to create a countywide super-fast broadband network by 2014 to help economic recovery and growth.

The Government has allocated 530m nationwide for broadband and has asked areas to bid for a share.

Lancashire has applied for £13m from this Government pot while a further bid for £16.5m has been put in to the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

If successful, these bids would total just under £30m and would need to be matched by a similar amount of support from the commercial sector.

The council believes it will stimulate activity in rural areas, increase business productivity and attract investment.

The county council will use a competitive process to select a partner to deliver the project.

Edwin Booth, Chairman of the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership (LEP), said: "Attracting major funding will help to develop a sustainable economy in Lancashire.

"The introduction of next-generation broadband across the whole county by 2014 would further unlock the business potential that exists here in Lancashire to generate growth from the economy.

"Next-generation broadband could help to transform business by increasing the ability of companies to develop new products and expand into other services."

County Councillor Geoff Driver, leader of the county council, said: “We want to open up opportunities for businesses in Lancashire, by establishing a super-fast broadband network.

“It is important for the county council to encourage business, create jobs and develop a sustainable and growing economy.

The aim is to create a countywide network and, in doing so, will address those areas of the county who have poor broadband.

The 16 MPs that represent Lancashire constituencies have been contacted to show their support for the bids in Westminster.

Delivery by 2014 would place Lancashire ahead of Government plans to create one of Europe's best broadband networks by 2015.