The Scottish Government is being accused of “short-changing” Angus commuters after denying county train stations free wifi.
North East Conservative MSP Nanette Milne claims the SNP has overlooked the area’s train users after Arbroath, Carnoustie and Montrose stations all missed out on internet upgrades.
However, transport minister Keith Brown has dismissed the claim as “simply not true”.
Last week it was announced 25 Scottish stations, including Dundee, Dunfermline, Kirkcaldy, Perth and Stirling, would be equipped to provide free wifi by next year.
Ms Milne said she will be writing to Mr Brown to make the case for Angus stations.
She added: “I am sorry that the SNP Scottish Government has short-changed Angus commuters once again by not including a single Angus station in its flagship free access wifi funding for Scottish railway stations.
“As someone who uses the train every week to commute to parliament, I know that many local Angus residents commute from Arbroath, Carnoustie and Montrose stations.
“Improved wifi connection would allow many business commuters to remain connected and work while travelling. Improved wifi would arguably also encourage more people to travel by rail.
“Increasingly, it seems that communities across Angus are not on the radar of SNP ministers when it comes to infrastructure investment.”
The £250,000 roll-out is the latest stage in the Scottish Government’s plan to ensure travellers have free, wireless internet across the rail network by 2019.
The smaller Angus stations Barry and Monifieth were also omitted from the list.
Mr Brown said: “Angus is very much part of this Government’s plans to upgrade and improve our railways and to say that we are excluding the region is simply not true.
“Rail passengers using Arbroath, Carnoustie and Montrose stations have already begun to benefit from wifi on board our 59 class 170 trains. All class 170 trains will have wifi installed by the end of the year.
“We have invested more than £2 million into Montrose station through the Access for All fund which includes the installation of a new footbridge and lifts for customers.
“We have also provided new platform seating at Carnoustie station, with work due to start later in the year on signage, paintworks and re-branding.
“In addition, we have recently introduced new Sunday services between Aberdeen and Edinburgh increasing calls to Montrose, Arbroath and Carnoustie stations.”
Graeme Dey, MSP for Angus South, said: “I have raised the omission of Carnoustie and Arbroath with the transport minister and ScotRail.
“Contributing factors in the selection of the first 25 stations picked included footfall and how long people actually spend in the station.
“But involvement in upcoming major events such as the Commonwealth Games and Ryder Cup was also a consideration which makes the omission of Carnoustie a little surprising and I have made this point to the minister and asked for it to be addressed.
“Given the enormous financial pressures placed on the Scottish Government by the Conservative-Lib-Dem coalition in London slashing its budget, I think the programme of investment in rail- related wifi and the effort being made to completethe process ahead of schedule is to be commended.”
ScotRail began introducing free access on its flagship Edinburgh to Glasgow route last year and it is now being rolled out across express trains.
Factors including footfall, how long people stay in each station, the number of services and the impact of major events were considered prior to choosing which stations would benefit.
A ScotRail spokesman said: “We understand that some customers will be disappointed that their local station was not included this time.
“However, we have long term plans for more stations to receive wifi in future. These 25 stations are simply the first step towards this goal.”