Free Wi-fi roll-out onto Scotrail trains welcomed
One of the region's leading business groups has welcomed plans to introduce free Wi-fi on Scotrail trains using the Highlands main line.
Transport Scotland is committing £2 million to fund the installation of wifi equipment on 59 of the class 170 trains.
Wi-fi had previously been installed in four trains as part of a trial this summer.
ScotRail said customer feedback on the service was that 77% were satisfied with the wifi speed and performance. The service will be operational by next March.
Mr Fraser Grieve, Highlands and Islands Manager for the Scottish Council for Development and Industry (SCDI), said the announcement is great news for passengers.
He commented: "The roll-out of Wi-Fi on trains serving the Highland mainline and the Inverness-Aberdeen services will be of great benefit to both business and leisure customers and I am delighted to see this investment coming forward.
"In a survey of businesses carried out earlier this year by SCDI we found Wi-Fi was the highest priority for productive working on trains and was seen as a key priority for rail service improvements and one that would attract greater use of our railways.
"The ability to work productively whilst traveling on these routes is of great importance and this roll-out will be a real boost for business working in the North."
Mr Steve Montgomery, managing director of ScotRail, said: "We are confident that our free wifi will be warmly welcomed by our customers. More journeys are made on our class 170s than any other of our trains, so it makes sense to begin the roll-out on this fleet.
"We will be fitting wifi during planned weekend maintenance, to avoid taking trains out of service."
