A SWITCHED-ON town could provide free internet access in a bid to boost trade and help digitally excluded residents take advantage of services which are only available online.

Middlesbrough looks likely to follow in the footsteps of Newcastle and York by offering Wi-fi across its town centre, libraries, community and leisure centres as well as social housing organisations.

At present several of its businesses let customers log on to their commercial providers, including Debenhams, Marks & Spencer, Wetherspoons, Barclays and HSBC banks along with Captain Cook Square and the Cleveland Centre.

Yaffa Phillips, Economic Development Officer, said: “The motivation for creating our own free Wi-fi zones is as a public amenity and with that comes digital inclusion.

“There are still people who do not have access online in Middlesbrough. The benefits are access to job vacancies and price comparison sites along with a social value and remote working,” she told the Economic Regeneration and Transport Scrutiny Panel.

Preliminary research carried out by Mrs Phillips revealed that it could cost £200,000 to install between 20 and 40 outdoor access points for a 10 year period inclusive of maintenance costs, with an estimated additional £20,000 to hook up Grade II Listed Middlesbrough Town Hall.

Councillors requested further information on the differing price of offering unlimited usage or restricting it to a set time limit.

Cllr Bernie Taylor thought local businesses might want to contribute to the scheme if they would benefit commercially.

“If we are asking people to pay after an hour or half an hour that seems a bit complicated, I think free should mean free,” he said.

Cllr Mick Thompson added: “I know there’s no such thing as a free lunch but there’s also no such thing as free Wi-fi. We would want to play hard ball with the negotiations. I would want to be clear about why we are doing what we are doing. We are dealing with digital exclusion in our town, people who are not getting the financial benefits as they do not have internet access in their homes.”