Improving broadband provision would help to boost the economy more than other new technologies, a survey has found.

A poll by the Countryside Alliance found that four in five people surveyed said that rolling out high speed broadband would improve the economy, which increased to 85 per cent of people in rural areas.

Improvements to broadband would give a bigger boost than investments into renewable energies, the High Speed Two project, a third runway at Heathrow or a new international airport - according to the survey.

The findings come as Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) recently held a public consultation on broadband access, after Greater Manchester was awarded £990,000 to improve access by the government run Broadband Delivery UK.

TfGM consulted with broadband providers and found that some areas of Tottington, Greenmount and Nangreaves did not have even the most basic broadband.

Bury North MP David Nuttall has called on some of the funds to be used to improve provision in the borough for residents with limited connectivity.

Barney White-Spunner, executive chairman of the Countryside Alliance, said:”Broadband is the most important technological innovation to kickstart the rural economy.”