CityFibre pauses broadband rollout jobs in Yorkshire

Aaron Morby 10 months ago
Share

Ultrafast broadband provider CityFibre has stopped broadband rollout projects in some cities and towns across Yorkshire.

Contractors have been told to down tools on projects in Leeds, Sheffield, Wakefield, Rotherham and Barnsley.

One contractor told the Enquirer: “We’re still in the dark about exactly why the work is being paused, rumours are circulating it may be because of poor uptake or that refinancing of debt may be underway causing a hiatus.”

The Yorkshire contracts form part of a major programme for CityFibre, the UK’s third national digital infrastructure platform, which will see full fibre roll-out across 66 towns and cities in the UK.

A CityFibre spokesperson said there had been a review looking at reprioritising certain areas but that the overall programme remained on track.

The spokesperson said: “CityFibre’s build is progressing well towards our 8m premises target. We have passed over 3.5m homes with our full fibre rollout so far, delivering more than 1m last year alone.

“Given the pace and scale of our nationwide rollout, we continually review the prioritisation of our deployment locations, considering a range of factors including our expanding participation in the government’s ‘Project Gigabit’ rural rollout programme.

“As part of this review, we have decided to pause a number of local builds while we determine next steps. Our wider rollout remains on track.”

Last year CityFibre became an integral delivery partner to government for rural connectivity, securing four new contracts with a total value of £387m under its Project Gigabit programme.

These will subsidise the roll-out of gigabit-capable infrastructure to 262,000 rural properties across the country that would otherwise be excluded from commercial rollouts. The awards also unlocked an additional commercial expansion by CityFibre in the target regions of over 450,000 premises.

In a trading update last week, Greg Mesch, chief executive officer at CityFibre, said the firm was on track to achieve EBITDA breakeven in the first half of this year.

He said that the network expansion was being delivered at target cost, which has remained flat in nominal terms over the past four years, as build partner and portfolio optimisation and performance improvements, alongside CityFibre’s scale, has offset input cost inflation and the volatile operating backdrop.

Mesch said: “In spite of a challenging operating environment, CityFibre continues to go from strength to strength.

“During 2023, we generated over £100m in revenues, delivered our target of 1 million Ready For Service premises, and doubled take-up across our footprint. We look forward to building on this firm foundation and exploring opportunities to transform our expansion ambitions in 2024 and beyond.”

 

Latest news

Lincolnshire concrete supplier files administration notice

Ever Readymix Concrete & Screed operates three depots and a fleet of 20 trucks
1 hour ago

Graham lands first deal on Liverpool’s largest brownfield site

Contractor bags infrastructure package on 10.5 hectare site
18 hours ago

New Fair Payment Code goes live today

Latest bid to get subcontractors and suppliers paid within 30 days
33 mins ago

Bouygues UK boss to step down

Fabienne Viala to leave after eight years at the helm
18 hours ago

Galliford Try scoops £87m brace of London jobs

Firm will redevelop a prominent corner building on Sloane Street in Chelsea
54 mins ago

New HS2 boss Mark Wild starts amid prep for final TBM drives

Former Crossrail CEO starts with a sharp focus on controlling costs
17 hours ago

Ten consultants land Thames Water major upgrade places

Firms will share £400m of fee work over next five years
20 hours ago

Rayner ultimatum to fix all unsafe tall buildings by 2029

Recladding work must start on all 18m+ resi buildings by 2027
21 hours ago

ISG administrator finds just £35m to pay down £1.1bn debt

Failed firm was set to report £148m blackhole from legacy jobs
1 day ago

Redesign needed on Colas “bridge to nowhere”

Technical challenges continue as £38m scheme faces further delays
1 day ago

Skanska UK shakes-up boardroom team

Four new board appointments as two directors step down
1 day ago

Ultra rich clamour for Mace super prime resi scheme

Topping out at £2bn 1 Mayfair scheme where homes start at £35m
1 day ago

Watkin Jones wins £48m St Helen’s affordable homes deal

Firm to build nearly 300 homes for housing association
1 day ago

Barratt sets start date for High Barnet station scheme

Latest scheme to be delivered by the £1.9bn West London Partnership
1 day ago

Investors lose £26m after M&E contractor goes under

78 private investors hit by Gallant Building Services collapse
4 days ago

First contractor call for £80bn Government mega-framework

Seven-year deal will cover construction work across all departments
5 days ago

Transport Secretary quits Cabinet

Louise Haigh resigns over stolen mobile phone revelations
4 days ago

NHS modular specialist looks to strike deal with creditors

Catfoss Group Manufacturing applies for Company Voluntary Arrangement
4 days ago

Kier bags £23m Cheadle Eco Business park job

Contractor beats rival Galliford Try to deliver Stockport council's green business park
4 days ago

Willmott Dixon wins £24m Leeds council housing scheme

Firm will build 82 council houses on site of Hough Top school
4 days ago

Welding crisis road bridges revealed

Bridge projects in Midlands, Gateshead and Cornwall impacted
5 days ago

£1bn Bishopsgate Goodsyard phase one go-ahead

London Mayor approves 550,000 sq ft office scheme above Shoreditch station
5 days ago

Costain poised for major HS2 tunnel fit out deal

Latest major deal on project due imminently
5 days ago

New builds overtake refurbs in London office market

Drop in new construction starts but developers remain bullish
5 days ago

Willmott Dixon wins £23m net zero Surrey SEND school

Hopescourt School job takes low carbon work pipeline to £1.4bn
5 days ago

£1.6m fine after mast climber crush tragedy

Court hears how worker died while unloading work platform
5 days ago

Severfield welding crisis hits five National Highways bridges

Full penetration butt welds under scrutiny as weight restrictions imposed
6 days ago

HS2 awards £3bn of track contracts

Ferrovial BAM and Colas Rail among 'rail systems' winners
7 days ago

Chinese diggers face 83.5% duty after JCB dumping complaint

Fair trade body finds UK kit prices were undercut by 23%
6 days ago

Rayner puts freeze on 43-storey London office tower

Government to consider impact on nearby 18th century City synagogue
6 days ago

Contractor services