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Broadband boost
for businesses in Liverpool
UP TO 500 small and medium
sized businesses in Liverpool City Centre can now benefit from
funding to help with the set up costs of high speed broadband.
The Liverpool Broadband Vouchers Scheme is now open for applications
and will give eligible SMEs up to £3,000 towards the capital costs
of a super/ultra-fast broadband connection.
It is being implemented as part of a national drive to provide a
much better service of superfast broadband.
Mayor Joe Anderson said:- "I want Liverpool to be the best
digitally connected City in the UK. We have a long road ahead to
achieve this but this scheme is a major leap in taking the City's
economy to the next level.
We are competing on a global stage and investment in our digital
infrastructure is a real priority for the City."
The City Council is working with Liverpool Commercial District
Business Improvement District (BID) on the scheme, who will ensure
all eligible businesses in the City Centre have the opportunity to
apply.
Bill Addy, chief executive of Liverpool BID Company, said:-
"This broadband scheme is a game changer for Liverpool City centre.
It's going to make a huge impact to the efficiency and productivity
of businesses and make Liverpool an even more attractive place to do
business. This goes to the heart of our plans to support our
members by improving their working environments."
The voucher can be used towards the cost of making the physical
connection to business premises, but cannot pay for monthly rental
or for any IT equipment.
The connection needs to give a real change in service speed -
upgrading to a minimum of 30Mbps on a shared line or 20Mbps on a
dedicated business grade line
The eligibility criteria are as follows:-
► Must be an SME (Small or Medium Enterprise), Charity or Social
Enterprise.
► Must be located within an Enterprise Zone in Liverpool City centre.
► The connection must cost more than £100.
► Must be seeking a connection to the SME's business premises.
► Must sign up for a minimum 6 month contract with their supplier.
► Must select a service that is capable of achieving 30Mbps or
higher or a doubling of existing speeds.
► Must not have received more than approximately £120,000 in grants
in the last 3 years.
More information about eligibility and an eligibility checker is
available on the vouchers scheme
website.
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BUS USER BLUES
COULD BE A THING OF THE PAST WITH ARRIVA'S NEW APP
91% of bus users have said
they would be more inclined to use the bus if they knew exactly when
their service would turn up and could plan their journey
accordingly, a new survey has shown.
The research, which was recently undertaken by Arriva buses to
support the launch of its new mobile app, also highlighted exactly
what bus users would do with the extra time they would gain if they
were able to plan more effectively, with the most popular activities
being 'hit the snooze button one more time' (29%), and
'buy
a magazine or newspaper on route to the bus stop' (24%).
Debra Heaton, marketing and communications manager from North West
said:- "We recently launched our new Arriva Bus app – with its
real-time information so customers can track exactly where their bus
is at all times. It's the perfect companion for bus users who want
to regain control of their journey planning, and ensure that they
are able to travel in the relaxed, hassle-free manner they deserve.
The bus industry is sometimes often subject to a range of external
influences beyond our control with regard to running services; such
as road works, accidents and the poor weather conditions, which can
all cause disruptions to the network. Our app enables customers to
have the latest information about all our services right at their
fingertips – allowing them to plan their travel more efficiently
than ever before. It is a major leap forward in the UK bus industry,
providing information to our bus users in real-time, when they want
it, enabling them to make the best use of their time."
A one-stop-shop for route planning, timetables, and live maps, the
new Arriva Bus app provides a wealth of information; with perhaps
the most exciting feature being the 'live map' that allows
customers will be able to use it to track their bus in real time,
and see exactly where their vehicle is.
Available for download from the Apple App Store and Google Play, the
Arriva Bus app will also include a trip planner to inform customers
of their travel options, such as the nearest bus stop, and offer on
bus alerts telling passengers their likely arrival time and when to
get off.
Debra added: added:- "This app aims to put all the tools for a
smoother journey in the hands of bus users, making it easier for
them to make better informed decisions about their journeys
With 33% of those we surveyed admitting that missing the bus made
them regretful they'd not planned better and 60% saying that knowing
exactly when their bus will arrive would improve their experience of
bus travel, we really believe that by providing all the tools for a
smoother journey directly to their mobile device, the app will make
a real difference to many people's lives.
Significantly, not only will it cut out difficulties in day to day
journeys, but it will also open up possibilities for anyone wanting
to travel to locations outside of their usual comfort zone. It will
guide, plan and map everything out for you, from home to end
destination; meaning that even the 35% who admitted to getting off
at the wrong stop will never need to worry about the ease of taking
the bus to get from A to B ever again!."
Additional features that can be accessed through the Arriva app
include access to all local Southport timetables, comprehensive
departure/ arrival times and journey durations, as well as service
updates, FAQs, a 'contact us' section, and links through to purchase
mobile bus tickets through the existing m-ticket apps.
For more information, please visit:-
arrivabus.co.uk/app . |
