Digital | Liverpool City Region Combined Authority

Digital infrastructure

To drive our region’s economic growth and achieve our goal of becoming the most digitally connected city region in the UK, we have developed an action plan.

It is not just about broadband – it is about digital in all of its forms, from fibre to 5G.

We are looking at how we can be smarter to ensure that our policies on housing, transport, skills and energy can support digital connectivity to benefit everyone who lives and works in the Liverpool City Region and beyond.

We are starting to see real progress – not just on our own projects as a Combined Authority, but also through our partners. Sensor City, for example, has secured a £3.5 million grant to make low-cost open-source 5G networks available across some of our most deprived communities.

Improving the city region’s connectivity is not just good for us. As well as connecting our communities, reducing our dependence on London’s infrastructure will boost the country’s resilience and contribute to businesses across the UK.

Our digital assets

We already have two little-known assets which have the potential to completely transform not just our city region, but the UK as a whole. They are:

The Hartree super computer – one of the, biggest, fastest computers in the country, which is based in Halton.

One of the UK’s main trans-Atlantic fibre optic cables, which carries internet traffic between the UK, North America and the rest of the world, and comes ashore in Southport.

We want to create a digital ‘ring’ which connects these two things, to create ultra-fast speeds for everyone in the Liverpool City Region.