The Department for Transport (DfT) told operators on Monday (22 May) to stop providing the service if they cannot justify it financially, with ministers saying that having free Wi-Fi was low on passengers’ list of priorities.

Clive Wratten, chief executive of the Business Travel Association (BTA), has “implored” the government to cut costs elsewhere as cutting the network’s connectivity will only have a negative impact on passenger numbers.

“When it comes to cutting costs, connectivity should never be compromised,” he said on Tuesday (23 May). “If travellers can’t reliably get their work done on trains, they’ll consider working from home and further damage the transport economy as a result.”

His words were echoed by Cat Jones, chief executive and founder of sustainable travel start-up Byway. 

“Cutting train Wi-Fi could diminish the convenience and appeal of train journeys, discouraging travellers from opting for low-carbon travel alternatives,” she added. “To meet sustainability goals, we need to see more investment in rail travel infrastructure, not less.”