Written question asked by Angus MacDonald (Liberal Democrat) on Tuesday, 2 September 2025, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 4 September 2025. It was answered by Simon Lightwood (Labour) on Wednesday, 10 September 2025 on behalf of the Department for Transport.
Railways: Starlink
- Question
-
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has had recent discussions with Starlink on satellite services for trains.
- Answer
-
There have been no recent discussions with Starlink on satellite services for trains.
The Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of satellite technology on (a) mobile and (b) internet connectivity on long-distance rail services between Scotland and London and as a result of the spending review, we secured funding to deliver low earth orbit satellite technology on all mainline trains to improve on train passenger wifi. This will include services between London and Scotland, such as LNER and Avanti West Coast.
However, we know satellite connectivity will not work in tunnels. Network Rail's Project Reach will address mobile connectivity in 57 key mainline tunnels which will include tunnels along the East Coast Mainline and West Coast Mainline.
Secondary information
- Type
- Written question
- Reference
- 74397
- Session
- 2024-26
- Grouped for answer
- Yes
- Subjects
- Railways Satellites Mobile broadband Starlink
- Link
- View this Written question on www.parliament.uk
Librarians' tools
- Timestamp
- 2025-09-23 16:25:09 +0100
- URI
- http://data.parliament.uk/writtenparliamentaryquestion/commons/2024-25/74397
- In Indexing
- http://indexing.parliament.uk/Content/Edit/1?uri=http://data.parliament.uk/writtenparliamentaryquestion/commons/2024-25/74397
- In Solr
- https://search.parliament.uk/claw/solr/?id=http://data.parliament.uk/writtenparliamentaryquestion/commons/2024-25/74397