NETWORK Rail is inviting the private sector to invest £1 billion in upgrades to Britain’s railway telecommunications network.
Companies would be able to put spare capacity to commercial use in return for the stake in modernising the trackside fibre-optic cable network. NR says this would improve reliability, safety and communications for passengers.
There are 16,000km of data cables running alongside the railway, carrying information for signalling, trackside sensors, CCTV, and internet connections for trains, depots and railway offices.
NR believes using the railway infrastructure will cut costs for communications firms and support them in supplying faster broadband services to harder to reach areas. The upgraded system could also be connected to lineside masts to improve passenger internet services.