Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to improve the quality and reliability of WiFi on rail services to and from York.

The Government is committed to improving wifi and mobile connectivity for rail customers.

The Department has taken steps to improve the wifi on rail services to and from York by putting in place requirements for the provision of wifi on the relevant franchises (Cross Country, East Midlands, First TransPennine Express, Northern and Virgin Trains East Coast). Good progress has been made and this work is due to be completed by 2020.

Furthermore, we are working with the Department of Digital Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) to see what further improvements can be made to mobile connectivity on trains. A joint Call for Evidence, published on 28 December 2017, is seeking views to inform our thinking on policy and delivery, and support the ambition to have digital connectivity on our railways that meets passenger expectations. The results will be published later in 2018.