The Nottingham Evening Post are reporting that the Phase Two extensions of Nottingham Express Transit are due to open to the public on 14th December 2014. Confirmation of the date was given by Chris Deas – project director at Nottingham City Council – and means that we are just ten and a half months away from welcoming trams to Beeston, Chilwell and Clifton.
In the same article it has also been reported that testing will start on the new lines from May (despite the fact they haven’t actually been completely constructed yet although work did begin this week on connecting the existing line at Station Street with the Karlsruhe Friendship Bridge) and that the first of the Citadis Alstom trams are not due to enter service on the phase one lines until June (although if NET are able to they will introduce them into service earlier).
Michael Anderson, Taylor Woodrow Alstom’s project director, said: “There are pinch points – Chilwell High Road and Chilwell Road, in Beeston, for example – but in most areas things are progressing very well. We are now in the real construction phase.” He also confirmed that 11 kilometres of track has been laid so far (35km will be installed in the end).
Good news from Nottingham continues. It is also heartwarming that Notts. County Council has at last come “on board” the tramway schemes after much unhelpfulness prior to the launch of the latest construction. Good! It is to be hoped that further extensions will provide tram services in those parts of the city as yet without them.
Amazing that NET can give a precise date for the opening of phase 2 which is happening on 10 months time, yet TfGM can’t yet give a date for opening Rochdale town centre, which is supposed to be ‘by spring’.
Equally it shows what an unmitigated disaster Edinburgh has been.
As Mr Dobson says Edinburgh has indeed been an unmitigated disaster. Surely there must be a high-level Inquiry into what went wrong? Interesting to note that after TIE was abolished – or whatever happened to it – matters sorted themselves out. Let us hope that the Leith section of the line is built soon – or as soon as the inhabitants can be brought on board!!!!!