If you ever wondered what one of the fundamental problems with public transport in the UK is we present you exhibit A – the Managing Director of Trentbarton buses, Tom Morgan, has railed against the idea that Nottingham Express Transit could be expanded saying how buses can do the job cheaper, better and without the need for any government subsidy.
In an interview with the Nottinghamshire Live website, Mr Morgan claimed that along with other operators in the region they are fighting the very notion that the tram could be extended. He says that the trams are loss making (which financial figures do back) but also says that the business model of the trams is not sustainable.
Trentbarton – who were once part of a consortium which operated the trams, long before Mr Morgan took on the role which he has been in for two years – run many bus routes around the region, including the Red Arrow bus which links Nottingham and Derby and runs 24 hours a day. With some suggestions that the tram could run between the two cities he is keen to point out that this runs with no subsidy, and presumably is quite good for the bus companies profits.
This all comes after the East Midlands Combined Authority announced earlier this year that they would be conducting a study into potential tram extensions. This could include routes to Gedling, Fairham Pastures near Clifton and Chetwynd Barracks development, Chilwell. The results of the study are expected towards the end of this year.
Mr Morgan is keen to fly the flag for rapid bus transit instead, with the flexibility of this mode he says being a major advantage as it can run on normal roads as well. He said: “It gives you much, much greater levels of flexibility. Once you come off the bus rapid transit section, you’re still in a bus, which has got wheels and can drive wherever it needs to. The challenge with a tram line, as you see in Nottingham, is if something goes wrong, the whole thing grinds to a halt because trams have to run on the tracks.
“Putting in place the tram takes a long time, it involves lots of planning and the rolling stock is very expensive. The great thing about buses is they’re probably 25% of the price of a tram and so you can replace them much quicker. The tram is great and I do like the tram in Nottingham. But actually, rapid bus transit can do a lot to deliver as much, but much quicker and at half the price.”
It won’t surprise you to know that Tim Hesketh, Chief Executive of Tramlink Nottingham, doesn’t quite agree with Mr Morgan’s comments. He said: “”It’s disappointing to hear negative feedback about something that would really help our city to thrive – something we consider a shared goal between all stakeholders in Nottingham.
“As a public transport operator, the thousands of people we serve all have different needs, whether that’s due to geographic location or accessibility requirements, so a diverse transport system with lots of options is key to serve the local community.
“We’re proud of the truly integrated public transport system that our network – as well as the buses – have helped to facilitate across Nottingham, and we look forward to working together in the future to build on this, offering even more options for sustainable travel.”
It is true that trams are not always going to be the answer for public transport and what is really needed is a true integrated network where passengers can seamlessly change from one mode to the other to complete their journeys. Whether that leads to an expanded tram system, bus rapid transit or even something else entirely will be what the study comes up with, and even then funding will always be an issue.
And the question always remains, should an effective transport system solely be seen through the lens of whether it makes a profit, or are there other considerations which should be though of?