Moray MP Douglas Ross says his constituency is “being left behind” when it comes to having access to superfast broadband connections.
His reaction comes after a Freedom of Information request has revealed that almost 4,900 properties in Moray are still to be connected through the SNP’s flagship R100 broadband programme.
That scheme was meant to deliver superfast connections to everyone by the end of 2021, but this is now not expected to be met until 2028.
The FOI response Douglas has received shows 4,888 properties in Moray are still waiting to be connected.
In the neighbouring Highland local authority, the figure is even higher with 12,773 properties still without access they were promised.
Across the Highlands and Islands Scottish Parliamentary region which includes Moray, almost 33,000 properties have not been connected, the most of any region in Scotland.
Douglas says this is another case of the SNP “overpromising and underdelivering” and that Moray’s communities and businesses are going to miss out on opportunities as a result.
Moray MP Douglas Ross said: “Having access to superfast broadband connections is vital in this day and age, but sadly thousands of properties in Moray are still missing out.
“The SNP are going to be years in late and are missing their targets set out in their flagship broadband scheme. It is a classic case of ministers overpromising and under delivering.
“With close to 5,000 properties in Moray still to be connected, progress is moving at a snail’s pace and it is simply not good enough.
“Trying to work with slow connections is a burden on businesses and is a huge source of frustrations for households.
“It also means that the region is in danger of missing out on new opportunities and investment if interested parties can access quicker broadband elsewhere.
“That is the last thing the region needs in the current economic climate, and the buck stops with the SNP.
“Moray is going to be left behind as a result of their broadband failures and SNP ministers must explain why so many local properties are waiting to be connected.”