PEOPLE living in Barnet could benefit from Virgin Media’s ultrafast broadband network by 2018.

The communications provider, Virgin Media, has today (July 20), announced it will extend its ultrafast broadband network to 40,000 homes across Barnet and 400,000 homes in London by 2018.

This will be delivered as part of Project Lightning, a £3bn programme, which has already begun in the city.

Chipping Barnet MP Theresa Villiers, who has welcomed the plans, said: “I asked Virgin Media representatives to come to Barnet to meet local residents and businesses who want better digital connectivity.

"We made a case for Virgin to include Barnet in the expansion of its fibre network and I am delighted they have listened to us.”

“This is great news. Many of my constituents want to have Virgin Media services as one of the choices open to them for their household or business digital connection needs.”

Supported by Liberty Global, the world’s largest international TV and broadband company, Virgin Media is investing £3bn to connect a total of 17 million premises to its network by 2019.