London Underground PA

NEARLY two-thirds of Londoners don't want mobile phone access on the Tube, according to a poll for thelondonpaper.com.

In our exclusive online poll of more than 1,000 readers, 62 per cent said they did not want London Underground bosses to enable mobile phone use below ground.

Last week, Government officials met Transport for London (TfL) staff and mobile phone experts to lay out plans for the ‘digital revolution’.

Under the vision outlined by communications minister Lord Carter in his Digital Britain report, universal broadband access would be provided by 2012.

However, TfL has since stated that the Government’s pledge is not commercially viable because of technical hurdles.

Although TfL is yet to rule out plans to make the Underground mobile-friendly in time for the Olympics, extra funding will be needed.

"I am so angry about this. No money should be spent on such a thing as broadband on the Tube until many other problems get solved"

And according to our poll, most Londoners will be relieved at this news.

One reader said: “I am so angry about this. No money should be spent on such a thing as broadband on the Tube until many other problems get solved.”

In response to our survey, TfL said it would still consider implementing the plans.

A spokeswoman said: “We tendered for a trial of mobile phone technology on the Waterloo and City line, but the market has yet to provide a commercially viable solution.

“Naturally, if funding was found from external sources we would give consideration to how a system might be implemented on the Tube and any decision would take account of our customers’ views.

“There are currently no plans to trial mobile phone technology on the deep level parts of the network.”