Manchester City Council offers free wi-fi across centre via screens

Councillor Tracey Rawlins said the project was part of bringing "digital connectivity" to Manchester

Manchester is to offer free city-wide wi-fi through a set of advertising screens to boost "digital inclusivity", a councillor has said.

Existing Community Information Panels (CIPs) will have internet access added as part of the local council's Manchester Digital City strategy.

The 22 screens will also show emergency messages and measure city footfall.

Councillor Tracey Rawlins said the project was part of bringing "digital connectivity" to Manchester.

She said everyone who wanted to access free wi-fi would be able to through the screens and the move "fits with our ambitions on digital inclusivity to ensure that no-one is left behind".

'Quickly and efficiently'

The authority said motion sensors in the CIPs will measure footfall and direction of travel to calculate travel trends and help to inform proposed walking and cycling plans as the city aims to become zero carbon by 2038.

Ms Rawlins said the information would help the council "improve future planning across a wide range of services".

She added that the CIPs would also have the capability to display "essential messaging... should we need it".

Greater Manchester Police Assistant Chief Constable Wasim Chaudhry said the screens were "an opportunity to get clear, visible messages out to the public... quickly and efficiently".

"In the event of an emergency, this approach will support a multi-agency response aimed at saving lives and helping prevent further harm," he said.

JCDecaux, the firm which provides the screens, said the data collection would be anonymous and in line with data protection law.