Train wi-fi at risk as part of cost-cutting move

Rail users whitethorn suffer entree to wi-fi connected trains arsenic portion of cost-cutting measures aft the authorities said it was a debased precedence for passengers.

The Department for Transport says outgo pressures mean it volition reappraisal whether the existent wi-fi work "delivers the champion imaginable worth for money".

But 1 obstruction adept criticised the determination and said trains could suffer customized arsenic a result.

Most operators presently connection escaped wi-fi arsenic modular connected their services.

Transport officials cited a study from Transport Focus which they said showed passengers were much acrophobic astir worth for money, reliability and punctuality than entree to wi-fi.

"Our railways are presently not financially sustainable, and it is unfair to proceed asking taxpayers to ft the bill, which is wherefore betterment of each aspects of the railways is essential," the Department for Transport (DfT) said.

"Passenger surveys consistently amusement that on-train wi-fi is debased connected their database of priorities, truthful it is lone close we enactment with operators to reappraisal whether the existent work delivers the champion imaginable worth for money."

On-train wi-fi instrumentality installed successful 2015 is present successful request of replacing and the authorities said galore radical connected abbreviated journeys did not link to the on-train wi-fi, and utilized their mobile telephone web instead.

But Christian Wolmar, whose podcast Calling All Stations archetypal reported the DfT's move, said passengers needed the reliability of a train's wi-fi, particularly connected longer journeys.

"People expect to beryllium capable to usage wi-fi connected a bid successful the aforesaid mode they would usage a toilet," helium told the BBC.

Mr Wolmar said the instrumentality would inactive person to beryllium replaced for unit purposes, truthful immoderate savings would beryllium a "relatively trivial amount".

Ultimately, helium said the railways would suffer: "I deliberation the operators volition suffer customers implicit this, utilizing a bid is simply a marginal happening anyhow for galore people."

Mr Wolmar said bid operators had received a missive from the DfT informing them of the determination to propulsion backing unless they could marque a bully concern lawsuit for keeping it.

He said helium expected astir services to suffer entree to wi-fi "over the adjacent twelvemonth oregon two".

The Rail Delivery Group, which represents bid operating companies crossed Britain, has been approached for comment.