Almost 1,000 people have now been employed on Phase Two of Nottingham Express Transit which will see two lines to Clifton and Chilwell constructed and opened next year. And Nottingham City Council expect this figure to rise over 1,000 in the next few months as the peak period of construction is reached. Approximately 50% of the jobs have been taken by people living in the Greater Nottingham area a fact that pleases the Council.
Track laying is currently underway on the 17.5km route alongside work on two new Park and Ride sites close to junctions 24 and 25 of the M1. In addition bridge work continues at Nottingham Railway Station where the iconic Karlsruhe Friendship Bridge, which will link the current line with phase two across the top of the Station, is progressing and widening works are ongoing at Wilford Toll Bridge.
The next few months will see further utility diversion works take place, road junction modified and other construction jobs including the 28 new stops on the network. All this should be completed by next year when the lines are due to open. In addition a fleet of new trams are being constructed in Barcelona by Alstom with the first of these due to be delivered to Wilkinson Street depot later this year.
Cllr Jane Urquhart, Portfolio Holder for Planning and Transportation at Nottingham City Council, commented: ““In tough national economic times where there are few job opportunities, especially for those who are unemployed, it is great that so many jobs are being created through the city’s project to extend our tram service.”