SUPERFAST broadband is on its way to homes and businesses in West Malvern, BT has assured.

The company said steady progress is being made with the roll out of high-speed, fibre-optic broadband around the town, with 39 of 47 cabinets earmarked for an upgrade now up-and-running.

There has been concern over the lackof actioninWest Malvern, where residents and businesses have been frustrated by several delays.

Your Malvern Gazette has campaigned for the speedy roll out of broadband across the district, as promised by BT.

This week BT assured us the wait is almost over for West Malvern and the three outstanding cabinets, outside the Lamb pub, Regents Theological College and the Wyche Innovation Centre – will be tackled as a priority.

“We believe we have solutions for these three and will be progressing them urgently,”a spokesman said.

Adrian Burden, founder of the Wyche Innovation Centre, said: “Much of the activity in our centre tends to be focused on the knowledge-based economy such as software tools, mobile apps, internet marketing, and cyber security; so it is obvious a robust internet service is crucial for these businesses to grow.

“We have already had at least one company defer taking an office because of the need for better broadband speeds, and so we are seeing a negative impact on our business with every delay.”

The BTspokesman said four of the other outstanding cabinets – three in the town centre and one in Worcester Road – are ready to go ahead, while upgrading one cabinet in Old Wyche Road will require a road closure, which is “in hand”.

Malvern’s MP Harriett Baldwin said: “It is important as many areas as possible get access to proper broadband speeds to allow people to work from home and get the most from the internet.”

Mrs Baldwin is also working to bring broadband to areas – mainly rural – not covered by the initial commercial roll out.

She met with culture secretary Maria Miller recently to discuss the problems of upgrading difficult-to-reach areas and is holding a broadband “summit”next month to help rural villages find out how they can access faster internet.