There was a time a few years ago where stories about various towns and cities across the UK wanted a tram network to help alleviate congestion, and in the vast majority of cases nothing has happened since the initial “ambitious plans” were announced. Although these stories have become less regular recently you still get the odd one with the latest city to join the bandwagon being Stoke-on-Trent.
In a press statement released in October – which contains the predictable words “ambitious plans”! – the City of Stoke-on-Trent are now seeking residents views on their new transport strategy which is said to revolutionise transport in the city and surrounding areas. The laudable aims of the strategy are to delivery a better connected city which would cut down journey times, reduce congestion and increase social mobility.
Described as the flagship part of the plans is a plan for a Very Light Rail network which would connect the six towns of Stoke-on-Trent via three main lines – the Northern line, the Central line and the Southern line.
These three lines would serve the following areas:
- Northern line – Tunstall, Hanley, Stoke Railway Station and Longton
- Central line – Eturia, Hanley, Bentilee and Longton
- Southern line – Stoke Railway Station, Longton, Trentham, Royal Stoke Hospital and Newcastle-under-Lyme
A public consultation into the transport strategy – which would also see major improvements to bus services and other public transport, two new railway stations and multi-modal hubs across the city – is now open until Wednesday 30th November.
Cllr Daniel Jellyman, cabinet member of regeneration, infrastructure and heritage, said: “The fact that we are refreshing our transport plan shows that we have the ambition to develop and deliver a reputable transport network for the whole of Stoke-on-Trent. Our transport strategy is a serious piece of work. It took years to get to this point and we have worked very hard on it, but it is not definitive and that is why we have launched our consultation. I would encourage all residents to have their say. The VLR network is a key part to this strategy. I believe this should have been done 15 years ago when Manchester and Birmingham were doing it, so I am very keen not to waste any more time. We have seen what other authorities are planning in the region, and we are very excited and inspired to put our own stamp on things for Stoke-on-Trent residents.”
The aims of the transport strategy are as follows:
- Improve the public transport offer, with significant investment in bus service improvements, better intracity rail services and options development for introducing a Very Light Rail network across the city
- Provide better connectivity of different modes of travel, with the emphasis on improving accessibility by public transport and active travel (walking and cycling) to support residents’ health and wellbeing and access to vital services including jobs and education
- Develop multi-modal hubs across the city
- Decarbonise the transport network
- Develop digital connectivity to inform our travel needs and options
Well done Stoke, hopefully it will use the same cars that Coventry are going to be used and make use of the West Midlands Light Rail innovation Centre
Let’s hope that ‘government cuts’ don’t consign this latest plan to the dustbin of history, like so many in the past have been. I’ve seen so many over the years and have lost count. Even Coventry might get the chop like the Hull to Liverpool railway already has.
https://www.focustransport.org/2022/11/stoke-on-trent-proposals-for-very-light.html
Some more information about the scheme is available above.