Liberal Democrat Leader calls for Free Wi-fi to be restored on Trams

The Leader of the Opposition and of the Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, has written to Metrolink bosses calling for Wi-fi to be made available on available on tram services.

Councillor Sykes sits as an Oldham representative on the Transport for Greater Manchester Committee.  Councillor Sykes also represents Shaw Ward, which is located on the busiest Metrolink tram service and has the most used stop – Shaw and Crompton – on the Rochdale – Oldham line.  He was responding to a report from one of his constituents, himself a regular tram user, that the Wi-fi service has not been available on trams on the line since the onset of the Coronavirus Lockdown.

Commenting, Councillor Sykes said: “I do not know why the Wi-fi service was turned off.  It may have been to save money during a time when the Metrolink was poorly used and losing money, or it may have been to stop passengers surfing the web whilst travelling needlessly up and down the line.”

He hopes his appeal to Metrolink bosses will be met with swift action.  “Now more passengers are returning to the service in order to get to, and from, work, they will rightly expect to be able to access the Internet as part of their travel experience,” he added.  “Having no Wi-fi will be an extra trial for passengers already expected to make their journeys with a mandatory face covering.”

Copy of letter to:

19 June 2020

Danny Vaughan, Head of Metrolink, Sent via email, Daniel.Vaughan@tfgm.com

Dear Danny Vaughan,

Re: No free Wi-fi services on trams using the Rochdale – Oldham line

I have received a report from one of my Shaw constituents, himself a regular tram user, that the free Wi-fi services have not been available on trams using the Rochdale – Oldham line since the start of the Coronavirus Lockdown. I am writing to you to appeal for the restoration of this facility as soon as possible now that passenger numbers are increasing as more people return to work or study.

The Rochdale – Oldham line is usually one of the busiest on the network and the stop in my own ward, Shaw and Crompton, the busiest on this line. I do not know why the Wi-fi service was turned off. It may have been to save money during a time when the Metrolink was poorly used and losing money, or it may have been to stop passengers surfing the web whilst travelling needlessly up and down the line, but I anticipate that as more and more passengers return to the service they will rightly expect to be able to access the Internet as part of their travel experience.

I believe that having no Wi-fi available will represent an extra trial for passengers already expected to make their journeys with a mandatory face covering. Buses operated by First Manchester do have Internet access and a failure to provide the same on Metrolink may cause frustrations on board as well as represent a disincentive for passengers to return to tram services, rather than buses, especially where they have a long and lonely commute in difficult circumstances.

I therefore urge you to restore this facility as an urgent priority.

Yours sincerely,

Howard Sykes

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