FREE ultra-fast Wi-Fi could be rolled out across Bradford’s city centre if an ambitious collaboration gets the go-ahead.

BT has teamed up with a London-based technology company - InLink UK - to replace its old phone boxes with digital display screens which offer free Wi-Fi and mobile phone charging. 

The partners have submitted applications to Bradford Council for locations in and around the city centre including Ivegate, North Parade, Bank Street, the junction of Darley Street and Godwin Street, John Street and Westgate.

Other locations include Little Horton Lane, outside the National Science and Media Museum, Manningham Lane and Simes Street. .

The applications say: “At no cost to taxpayers or users, the proposed InLink and associated payphone removals will improve the public realm by reducing clutter and providing everyone in the community with an unprecedented suite of essential urban tools, including free ultrafast Wi-Fi and free phone calls, free council and community advertising, maps and wayfinding, device charging, an emergency 999 call button, public messaging capabilities, and a platform for future technologies like air quality monitoring.”

The services provided will be free for everyone as they are funded through commercial advertising. 

The applications say that 438 hours of Council content are provided for free on each display screen, plus more than 1,000 hours per year of hyper-local content to act as a community noticeboard.

They add: “The proposed InLink unit is an award winning, advanced, modern development which has been designed following significant improvements in technology and digital content over recent years. It has the ability to promote the image of the Bradford as a vibrant place and we believe it will improve the quality of the immediate streetscape for residents, businesses and visitors.”