Cover Feature

WE SPOKE TO STEVE ROTHERAM, MAYOR OF THE LIVERPOOL CITY REGION, ABOUT HOW HE IS

FULFILLING HIS AMBITION TO MAKE THE REGION THE ‘MOST DIGITALLY CONNECTED ANYWHERE IN THE COUNTRY’.

Having launched LCR Connect, a £30m 212km full fibre infrastructure project, last year, Steve discusses how far the initiative to deliver futureproofed, symmetrical connectivity through a huge choice of service providers has come, and what it means for businesses across the six local authority areas of the Liverpool City Region.

How can investing in infrastructure support business growth?

Businesses are the backbone of our economy and, ultimately, our long-term success depends on them. That’s why I’ve always made it a priority to grow our economy, create good jobs, and make it easier for people in our communities to secure decent, well-paid work – and we all have a part to play in making these ambitions a reality.

You need only look to developments like Paddington Village in Liverpool’s Knowledge Quarter - which we invested £12m into - now home to world-class, futureproof

buildings like The Spine. These investments are making a real-world difference and helping our region to appeal to some of the biggest brands and research institutions. By putting the right infrastructure in place, we’re putting ourselves in a position to help indigenous businesses flourish, attract new investment and jobs, and ultimately ensure that nobody has to move out of our region to get on in life.

Why did you choose to invest in digital infrastructure?

Shortly after I was elected Mayor in 2017, I took part in a gathering of global mayors in New York. There I met Andy Berke, the Mayor of Chattanooga, once known as “America’s dirtiest city”. By investing heavily in the city’s digital connectivity, it turned its fortunes around – so much so that it became known as the “gig city”. Their ‘Smart Grid’ was estimated to have generated $2.7bn in community benefit in its first 10 years alone.

I came home from that trip feeling inspired, filled with a desire to deliver a similar transformation here in the Liverpool City Region.

LCR Connect is a crucial part of helping us achieve that ambition. It will give our region access to the fastest internet speeds in the entire country – which is crucial if we want to keep pace in an ever-changing business environment. We estimate that it will generate an initial £105m economic boost to the local economy – with a further £1bn in GVA to be generated over time. For me, it’s a no-brainer!

What are the benefits of an open access wholesale network?

The beauty of this network is that every aspect of it has been designed to make it easier for people to access better connectivity.

LCR Connect is a one-stop-shop that effectively links people to a comparison website which lists all the different service providers, products and tariffs available to a specific postcode. It makes the transition to faster internet as seamless as possible and, at the end of the day, that’s what technology should do, help to make all our lives a bit easier.

How will local businesses benefit from the new futureproof 212km full fibre network?

The past few years have shown just how important high quality digital connectivity has become in every aspect of our lives – nowhere more so than in business.

With this network, businesses in our region will have the world at their fingertips. Gigabit-capable connectivity is a huge opportunity for every part of our region. We hope that it will put us in a prime position to succeed - attracting global companies and inward investment, and creating thousands of jobs and training opportunities in the process.

But it’s important to emphasise that it’s not just businesses that will benefit, our infrastructure will link to that of other wholesale providers, to universities, and hospitals, and then to our schools, public spaces, and residential homes across the city region. I’m making tackling digital exclusion a key part of the programme too.

What is a futureproof network?

We’re investing in infrastructure that will serve our region for years to come. If we want to continue to punch above our weight both on the national and international stage, then we need to have the digital capability to meet our needs both now and in the future.

It’s helping to put us at an advantage in the here and now and ensuring that we’ll stay at the front of the pack for years to come.

What can I do if my business is not near the network?

There’s an LCR Connect website which has an availability checker at www.lcrconnect.com – which show the options available. If you are struggling to find a service, we really want to hear from you. Get in touch via email at

hello@lcrconnect.com

What does it mean for the city region now and in the future?

I can’t overstate how enormous this will be for our region – LCR Connect is truly a game-changer.

We envisage thousands of jobs will result from this project alone – good, high-value, well paid and highly skilled jobs. This will give a massive boost to our economy too, with experts estimating that 100% full fibre coverage across the city region could generate an economic boost of up to £1bn.

The best part of it all is that it’s 50% owned by the Combined Authority, which means that we can continue to pump the returns back into the region and reap the benefits for years to come.

I think it’s really important to emphasise how important this project is to help us achieve our wider aims too. I recently launched our new Innovation Prospectus down in Westminster, which detailed how our world-leading industry and innovation strengths will be a launchpad for future discoveries and investment. To support that innovation economy, we need worldclass connectivity - and LCR Connect will play a key role in delivering that.