DUDLEY North MP Ian Austin is demanding the borough is moved into the fast lane of the information superhighway.

Mr Austin, who has been lobbying ministers for superfast broadband in the Black Country, is celebrating following the award of £6m which he says means 95 per cent of the region will be covered by 2017.

However he is not ready to pull the plug on his campaign yet and is urging the government to go further and put Dudley into internet nirvana.

Ian Austin said: “Constituents got in touch with me after being told by broadband companies that there were no plans for Dudley to get superfast broadband.

“Places like London have been the first to benefit and I don’t see why Dudley should be left behind, so I’m really pleased 95 per cent of people in the Black Country will now be covered.

“I’m pleased the Black Country Consortium and local councils have made this progress, but now I want the government to guarantee that Dudley will get covered as soon as possible.”

Digital Economy Minister Ed Vaizey confirmed the Black Country Consortium has put together £3m in funding in partnership with all four Black Country councils, which will be matched by a further £3m in funding from Broadband Delivery UK.

Providers are now drawing up plans to deliver the scheme and will announce the areas that will benefit in the next six months.

Mr Austin has written back to Mr Vaizey and is writing to the LEP urging them to guarantee 100 per cent coverage in Dudley at the earliest opportunity.