A scheme to roll out high-speed broadband across Swindon is being slowed down and some areas will be left without the service.

The company said it was "pausing" its rollout across the town and wouldn't get to Wroughton "in the near future".

A spokesperson said the decision came after a review of "prioritisation".

The £40m scheme has been running across the borough since October 2020, and it would have seen thousands of homes upgraded to gigabit-capable full-fibre broadband.

It had been due to have been completed by next summer.

As reported by the Adver earlier this year, a report by the company estimated that, over a fifteen-year period, the positive impacts of CityFibre’s investment in Swindon will include £335m in productivity and innovation gains, £74m from a widened workforce, £10m in local authority efficiency savings and £150m in increased housing value.

Commenting on the project being paused, a CityFibre spokesperson said: “CityFibre is pausing its Swindon rollout, and we won’t be getting to Wroughton in the near future.

“This decision comes as part of an ongoing review of prioritisation of our deployment locations, given the pace and scale of our nationwide rollout.

“Any areas we no longer intend to reach as part of our commercial rollout are communicated to BDUK via the normal channels.

“I’m sorry we won’t be able to supply full fibre to Wroughton as part of this current rollout, but there is a possibility we will return to finish South Swindon and Wroughton at a later date.”

Councillor for Wroughton and Wichelstowe Brian Ford said: “Cllr David Martyn and myself have received the following disappointing news earlier today.

“We will be in consultation with Sir Robert Buckland MP on how we can best support fibre Broadband for Wroughton, especially those areas that are poorly served by other providers.”

Residents across the town have made several complaints about disruptive road works since the scheme began.

They have accused workers of blocking drives and doing a shoddy job of resurfacing roads and pavements after the work has taken place.

One resident told the Adver that works started without notice and that a neighbour was blocked in all day by workmen.

And responding to the complaints in an interview with the Adver earlier this year, the man in charge of the scheme, Neil Madle apologised and said: "We hope it's short-term pain for a very long-term gain."