B4YS progress pics: Jan/Feb 2015

The Yealands B4YS team have set the bar really high for Sivlerdale and Storth. Since Christmas they have taken duct under the M6, over the canal, under the West Coast Main Line and up to Yealand Village Hall. The village ‘hub’ has been installed too, where the networking equipment for the parish will live. That means that on our map, the red leg is almost complete (albeit on a slightly different route):

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The next job is to cross the A6 – a job for a specialist contractor who will drill under the road – to complete the run of ducting. After that the fibre can be blown all the way from Borwick to Yealand, and the final connections at the village hall can be made. Amazing progress!

You’ll see that Yealand team have begun the route using a contractor with a mole plough. Our plans have developed somewhat over the recent months, not least because our funding target from B4RN allowed us some budget for contractors in key places. That means our project can involve three types of digging:

Volunteer digging: Network building the B4RN way. We’ve a considerable list of wonderful volunteers who have signed up to help build the network, both by hand and machine. These volunteers will not only help their community, but also earn shares in the broadband company (see below*)
Landowner digging: Some landowners prefer to lay the fibre across their land themselves, and earn shares too (see below*).
Contractor digging: used selectively where conditions and funds allow. Contractors will help us cross (or bore under) roads like the A6.

*Shares can be earned at a rate of £1.50 per meter (£1,500 shares per KM). Work equivalent to £1,500 entitles the recipient to free connection and free B4RN broadband for 1 year. More info here: http://goo.gl/6kVa2A