An innovative ‘Dig Once’ policy is continuing to demonstrate its value in reducing carbon emissions, minimising disruption and successfully expanding the county’s digital connectivity.

Through Light Blue Fibre, a joint venture between Cambridgeshire County Council and the University of Cambridge to commercially market the fibre assets of both the University and the Council, this forward-thinking approach is helping to yield substantial environmental and economic benefits.

The Dig Once policy, which was first introduced in 2019 as part of the Connecting Cambridgeshire programme, integrates fibre ducting into new transport infrastructure projects.

Councillors at the Council’s Asset & Procurement Committee meeting on Tuesday 15 October were given an update about the progress of Light Blue Fibre over the last year, and heard how the Council’s Dig Once Policy of installing fibre ducting into new transport schemes enables telecom operators to avoid costly retrofitting and reduces carbon emissions.

To date, over 21km of additional fibre ducting has been installed or is planned across Cambridgeshire by 2025, ensuring gigabit-capable broadband is rolled out quickly and efficiently. The policy has already prevented the release of more than 20 tonnes of CO2 – the equivalent of nearly half a million miles driven by an average car – while reducing the need for costly, disruptive roadworks.

Cllr Ros Hathorn, Chair of Cambridgeshire County Council’s Assets and Procurement Committee, said: “The Light Blue Fibre venture showcases the value of long-term collaboration and the importance of strategic planning to deliver greener and smarter infrastructure.

“Connecting Cambridgeshire’s Dig Once policy demonstrates how we can work together to improve connectivity while reducing carbon emissions and disruption in our communities. By integrating digital infrastructure into our transport planning, we’re not only delivering short-term benefits but also laying the groundwork for a sustainable, connected future for the region.

“So far, this policy has resulted in a huge CO2 reduction and significantly less disruption to road users, thanks to the proactive installation of ducting as part of new road projects.”

Light Blue Fibre has played a pivotal role in enabling telecom providers like CityFibre and Gigaclear to connect hard-to-reach areas, speeding up the deployment of gigabit broadband and benefiting thousands of homes and businesses. Pre-installed fibre ducting has allowed Gigaclear to avoid disruptive engineering works and provide full-fibre broadband to over 2,000 properties in Linton and surrounding communities.

In Whittlesey, fibre ducting installed under the new Ralph Butcher Causeway – built to replace the Kings Dyke level crossing – is being used by CityFibre to bring gigabit connectivity to over 5000 homes and businesses that would otherwise have been challenging to reach across busy rail lines.

Light Blue Fibre is also in discussions with a global cloud services provider to further extend the reach of its infrastructure, ensuring that the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough area continues to benefit from cutting-edge digital connectivity while supporting the Council’s ambition to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2045.