Wi-Fi plans for South Hampshire buses
Investment from the Department of Transport (DfT) following a successful bid for funding from Transport for South Hampshire will ensure free Wi-Fi broadband access is rolled out across buses in the region over the coming months.
The first phase of the £7.3 million plan will be completed by the end of August for services across Southampton and nearby towns, while the second phase in autumn will see Portsmouth and other areas included in the broadband scheme.
Over half of the funding came from the DfT, with private bus operators in the area helping to provide additional investment.
Councillor Mel Kendal, chairman of transport for South Hampshire, said that improving the experience of bus travel for customers will make them more likely to use the service, boosting South Hampshire's economy overall.
These sentiments were echoed by Councillor Asa Thorpe, cabinet member for environment and transport, who explained that Wi-Fi will give travellers "a chance to catch up on banking, social networking and emails on the bus".
This follows Virgin Media's successful launch of wireless broadband on London's Tube system, with over three million online sessions provided by the ISP so far.
