All aboard for Wi-Fi at Aviemore
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Rail passengers at Aviemore will be able to get online as they get on-board, thanks to a £863k Transport Scotland investment in Wi-Fi capability.
The latest funding includes provision for Wi-Fi connectivity at 26 more stations, further to the 26 getting Wi-Fi this year which include Inverness.
Work is expected get underway in the Spring and be complete before the next ScotRail franchise begins in April 2015.
With Scotland set to welcome the world during the Year Of Homecoming, giving easy access to journey planning information on the move will be key to the smooth running of public transport services. Previous investment at 26 of the country’s busiest stations means visitors can already access Wi-Fi at stations serving Commonwealth Games venues.
Spectators travelling to The Ryder Cup will welcome news that ScotRail’s 40 Class 158 trains serving the event will be fitted with mobile Wi-Fi capability, coming hot on the heels of the 59 Class 170 express trains, which will also serve Gleneagles, which already have mobile Wi-Fi fitted.
And Wi-Fi will also be added to ScotRail’s largest fleet of electric trains, Class 380s, this spring which will serve the Commonwealth Games venues.
Transport Minister Keith Brown said: "Over the past year and a half, we’ve implemented an intensive programme towards fitting out the whole of the Scottish rail network – trains and stations – with Wi-Fi enabled equipment.
"We want to ensure all passengers can get on with their busy lives while travelling and that visitors to truly international events have a good experience of our rail networks.
"While it is great that Wi-Fi brings benefits for events like the Commonwealth Games and The Ryder Cup, it is equally important we have a rail network that is fit for the future as we move towards the next franchise.
"Scotland’s business community has made it clear that Wi-Fi access on commuter routes would boost competitiveness in Scotland and we are already well on the way to ensuring online access on all of our busiest commuter routes.
"We are working towards bringing the internet to every corner of Scotland, including ensuring people can get online even when they’re on the move and seeing that passengers on rural routes are not left out.
"The first round concentrated mainly on our busiest stations. The second tranche will see relatively low-footfall stations at Wick, Kyle of Lochalsh, Oban and Aviemore all benefit."
Steve Montgomery, ScotRail’s managing director, said: "It’s exciting that our customers will be able to stay connected at more than 50 stations and on almost half our trains by next April.
"It’s vital that we stay up to date with latest digital technology – with more than a quarter of a million Wi-Fi users on our express trains each month."
Transport Scotland has ensured that stations have been chosen for a range of reasons, including footfall, onward transport links, and those where other improvements are expected to lead to increased future capacity.
All of Scotland’s cities will have Wi-Fi-enabled stations when the programme is complete, as well as rural locations and tourism hotspots.
The move is the latest step towards the Scottish Government’s long-term goal of rolling out Wi-Fi throughout Scotland, allowing passengers online access during their journey.
