London Underground on track for mobile phones

Phone transmitters will be installed in four Underground stations as part of a new trial

A plan to allow mobile phone services to work on the London Underground is back on track following the launch of a feasibility study. 

The idea was originally unveiled in May 2005, before the London bombings on 7 July. 

Safety fears were raised by the Liberal Democrats after mobile phones were used to set off the bombs used in the Madrid atrocities in 2004.

However, London Underground officials said that the tube would not be in any greater danger from mobile phone timers if there was a phone service available or not.

"The Department for Transport regulates security on the Tube," said a senior press officer for London Underground.

"If the Police and the security services were to advise that mobile phone technology should not be introduced on the Tube then we would accept that advice unreservedly."

The Liberal Democrats also accepted that an underground mobile phone service could be of huge benefit in the event of an attack.

London Underground will undertake a small two-month feasibility study looking at various constraints including space, before trialling the technology in late 2007.