Businesses in Monmouthshire have been urged to sign up to broadband internet connections in a �400,000 project to regenerate the jobs market in the region.

South east Wales was one of the areas worst hit by an announcement in 2001 that steelmaker Corus would be cutting 6,050 jobs across the UK.

Businesses will have broadband access in an area where access has not previously been provided Rick Longford, Monmouthshire council

More than 1,300 posts were lost at Llanwern and nearly 800 were shed in Ebbw Vale.

By switching to broadband, Monmouthshire firms could bring themselves up to speed with their competitors in urban areas and increase their productivity.

Monmouthshire council has said the Corus jobs can not be replicated but it can try to improve employment prospects in the area.

Under the pilot scheme, the local authority will offer firms the chance to link up to the faster internet connections.

Monmouthshire council's economic development manager Rick Longford: "There is no way we can replace those jobs like for like - so we are encouraging businesses to expand and develop new opportunities.

"Businesses will have broadband access in an area where access has not previously been provided," he added.

Whilst 66% of the UK can receive broadband, only about 30% of Wales is covered.

Tourism support

The council also plans to open two IT centres where specialists will be on hand to give advice on equipment and software.

One centre will be located at the site of a former school near Abergavenney and the second will be based in Caldicot.

The money for the project has been approved by the Welsh Assembly Government, as part of a strategy to help communities hit by the Corus job losses.

New grants will also be give to help upgrade tourism businesses in the area and to help them co-ordinate events.