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| News...November 2004...News...November 2004...News...November 2004...News This Page was last updated Sunday 28 November 2004 |
| All the news carried on these pages is done so in good faith and the source is always quoted, normally with hyperlinks. If you have a correction to give us on a news story or have any additional news that can be added do not hestiate to email us . We are grateful for those people who have given us permission to use their images and news on this page. |
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For all previous news pages click here to go to the new News Index page which provides links to news dating back to September 2002. Photos on this page: Scaffolding type trelis as support for Metrolink during demolition of building in city centre. (added 7 November 2004) |
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News In Brief Midland Metro: Not previously mentioned on the site are some more namings for trams. 10 is named John Stanley Webb after a Walsall born tram expert and author whilst 14 is named Jim Eames, a long serving Birmingham City councillor and one time Lord Mayor. 10 was named in a ceremony back in July attended by Tony Depledge, President of the LRTA. (28/11/04 - Peter Courtenay) Nottingham: 204 has been fitted with extra poles for passengers to hold on to. The poles are in the middle of the tram and will help when trams are busy. All trams in the fleet are to receive them. (28/11/04 - NET) ------------------------------------------------- Crich: : The museum has won the BBC East Midlands Today Best Day Out Award 2005. In addition they were a Silver Award Winner in the East Midlands enjoy England Excellence Awards Visitor Attraction category. (21/11/04 - Crich Tramway Village) DLR: 08 was unveiled by Mayor for London, Ken Livingstone, on Tuesday 16 November in an all over advert for 2012 London Olympic Bid. A picture of the train can be seen here. Chairman of the bid Sebastian Coe and Paralympian Ade Adepitan were also present at the launch which was held at Canary Wharf Station. The train will remain in this style until at least July 2005. Three workers spent five days stripping back and painting and applying the graphics before the launching. (21/11/04 - DLR) Summerlee: Although not a British tram, Brussels 9062 has been scrapped on site by North Lanarkshire Council following vandalism involving the smashing of windows. (21/11/04 - Fylde Tramway News) ------------------------------------------------- Croydon: The London Transport Users’ Committee has welcomed news that Centrale is to get a tram stop after all. Assistant Director, Bryan Davey said: “It makes sense for the Centrale shopping centre development to be well served in terms of public transport and will be of benefit to both passengers and shoppers, as well as increasing the reliability on the Wimbledon line." (14/11/04 - Croydon Guardian) Manchester: Because of a Remembrance Day service Metrolink services were suspended between G-Mex and Piccadilly Gardens from 10am until 12.15pm today (14 November). Bus services were used in the trams place and normal services continued on the other sections of route. (14/11/04 - Manchester Metrolink) Manchester: 1003 has returned to the Queens Road depot in the revised livery and is currently supported on temporary trolleys without its motor bogies. (14/11/04 - Gordon Ferguson) Nottingham: A competition launched at the start of November and running until the end of 2004 could see your tram or bus ticket in Nottingham winning £100! The “Just the Ticket” competition is being run in conjunction with the Nottingham Evening Post where numbers will be published nightly and will refer to the previous days ticket numbers. Full details of the competitions rules can be found on the official NET website. (7/11/04 - NET) ------------------------------------------------- Blackpool: The recently released Metro guide reveals that the tram service will be curtailed to run between Tower and Fleetwood from 10 January 2005. This confirms that some trackwork will be undertaken in the Manchester Square area however there is no news on which sections of track or how trams will be accessing the depot. (7/11/04 - Paul Turner from Yahoo! Groups Blackpool Transport) DLR: Not previously reported on these pages is the new look livery for vehicles on the Docklands Light Railway. Following overhaul some of the earlier vehicles have been revealed in a livery which is mainly red, with a blue "river" going along the length of it. It has grey doors and features the DLR roundel on the side opposed to the old style DLR logo. During observation during the week 29 was seen in the livery although others are believed to have been so treated as well (unfortunately no photo though!) (7/11/04) Manchester: 1010 has now returned to service following overhaul and features the small fleet numbers on front and rear. 2005 has been spotted back at the depot, it will be remembered that 2005 was involved in an accident back in September with a dustcart and had to be sent away for repairs. There has also been another minor RTA involving a tram and a dustcart in the city centre. Finally a building in Mosley Street (between Piccadilly and St Peters Square) is to be demolished and pre-work for this has involved putting a scaffold type trellis across the track width to support the overhead. (7/11/04 - Gordon Ferguson) West London Tram:The Public Consultation ended on 8 October with over 17,000 questionnaire responses received and almost 9,000 people turning up for the roadshow. A full report is to be released in the New Year. (7/11/04 - Transport for London) ------------------------------------------------- |
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SOUTH HANTS LRT REVISED BID SUBMITTED Sunday 28 November 2004 On Wednesday (24 November) Hampshire County Council and Portsmouth City Council put a revised bid in for the South Hampshire Light Rapid Transit scheme, due to link Portsmouth with Gosport and Fareham. The two councils (joint promoters of the scheme) have been working since the rejection in July to rework the original bid to better meet the funding concerns of the Department for Transport. In order to reduce the overall scheme costs the proposed loop at the north end of the route between Fareham train station and the bus station is likely to be deferred. This was forecast to benefit the least number of tram passengers. Overall the Government’s contribution has been cut down to £170 million with the risk no realigned between the public and private sectors. Leader of Hampshire County Council, Ken Thornber said: “There's no stronger case for a tram scheme than here in south Hampshire, where unlike schemes in Leeds and Manchester we're proposing a totally new link rather than an extension or parallel scheme. The social, economic and environmental benefits far outstrip the costs, and it would be of massive benefit to commuters in the area. The SHRT1 scheme is the missing link in the transport network. We'd be putting in place a much-needed service that doesn't exist at the moment, and we believe that gives us a very robust case. Local transport infrastructure in south Hampshire is stretched to the limit, and we desperately need measures to tackle existing access and mobility problems. We also believe that we've done everything that Government asked of us when our initial revised funding bid was refused back in July. Government said then that light rail is very effective in persuading people to use public transport - we're urging it to give the people of south Hampshire the opportunity to have this choice." His comments were added to by Councillor Gerald Vernon-Jackson, leader of Portsmouth City Council: “It's predicted that by 2020 there will be a 40 per cent increase in traffic. It's imperative that alternative transport solutions are found if gridlock is to be avoided in busy urban areas such as south Hampshire. This link will assist in the regeneration of Portsmouth and Gosport, which is likely to be held back if transport improvements are not made. The very real problem of traffic congestion will not disappear. Viable ways to alleviate congestion are not a luxury, they're a necessity.” Source: South Hampshire Light Rapid Transit MARK HORNER TO DEPART SEATON Sunday 28 November 2004 Mark Horner, Managing Director of the Seaton Tramway, has announced his intention to leave the role in early March 2005. In a statement on the Seaton Tramway website he says: “This decision has not been taken lightly, and I have been thinking about it carefully for much of this year. For a combination of mainly personal reasons, I don’t feel able to carry on in my role. Given that fact, the worst course for the Tramway would be for me to stay on and get progressively staler in the job, which I fear would eventually cause the Tramway to stagnate as well. Therefore I feel that it is time for a fresh team to re-energise the Tramway and take it on to even greater success in the future, which for me is the most important thing.” He is to be replaced by a three pronged team of Jenny Nunn (Commercial Manager), Colin Brown (Operations Manager) and Ray Chalkley (Engineering Manager). On the tram front, 10 is due to start track testing before Christmas and if everything goes according to plan it should enter service just before Easter 2005. 8 is to have a truck overhaul and the body will receive attention before a full repaint (in the same Yellow and White style). The final of the trio of new trams, 11, is to have work commence on it as soon as all work is completed on 8 and 10. The aim is for 11 to enter service in autumn 2005. The section of track between Axmouth Generator and Bobsworth Bridge is currently being relaid. Following this the track relaying team will move on to the section of track to the south of Colyford Station, including the curve after Coly Bridge. Works Car 02 and the Tractor are in use on this work. Source: Seaton Tramway NET STAFF THREATEN ACTION OVER CHRISTMAS EVE TIMETABLE Sunday 28 November 2004 NET drivers and conductors have met with bosses to make clear their unhappiness over the Christmas timetable. Traditionally transport undertakings have ended service at 8 or 9pm on Christmas Eve and New Years Eve (as Trentbarton and Nottingham City Transport are this year) but NET have advertised normal weekday timetables as operating on both of these days this year. The Nottingham Tram Consortium have said that at present they intend to stick to their advertised service which will see tram in use from around 5.40am to midnight on both days. The decision was taken after discussions with Nottingham City Council, Nottinghamshire County Council and the Arrow Consortium. However, Martin Allen, regional organiser for the GMB Union told the Nottingham Evening Post: “From a local perspective they (tram staff) have said they want to take industrial action.” Further talks are now expected between the two parties before any decisions are taken over industrial action. Source: This is Nottingham, BBC News Online & Joe Mills MIDLAND METRO TRAM IN COLLISION Sunday 28 November 2004 Midland Metro services suffered delays for around an hour last Monday (22 November) after a minor collision between an HGV and tram between Wolverhampton and Priestfield. The incident occurred at approximately 12.25pm and a full service was resumed at just after 1.35pm. One passengers was injured and was taken to New Cross Hospital suffering from shock. Phil Bateman, Corporate Affairs Director said: “We apologise to the delay in service. We are of course very pleased that our staff and British Transport Police reacted so quickly to minimise the disruption to service . The British Transport Police are of course investigating the incident and it is too early to speculate as to where the blame for this collision can be attributed. We are as a company co-operating with the police in their investigation and the on-board computer is being down loaded to give additional technical information. I want to re-assure our customers that safety is a priority in this company.” Source: Midland Metro MAJOR TRAM DISASTER FOR CORONATION STREET? Sunday 28 November 2004 The Manchester Evening News ran an exclusive story this week that the next big storyline on the ITV Soap Coronation Street could be a tram crashing off a viaduct into the famous Rovers Return pub, killing several popular characters. A spokeswoman for Granada (the makers of the show) would not confirm or deny the plan: “Lots of storylines are discussed at long-term conferences and we never reveal our plans.” However the report in the MEN has an insider giving details on any possible storyline: “It would be a very expensive storyline to film and see the demise of much-loved Coronation Street characters. But no final decision has been taken. The idea is that a tram would plunge from the Rosamund Street viaduct, by the side of the Rovers, after vandals sabotage the track." If the storyline does ever get the go-ahead it would be written in conjunction with Metrolink to show the dangers of vandalising the tram tracks. Coronation Street writers are understood to be having a long build up to the storyline with one of the characters, nanny Claire (soon to be seen marrying Ashley at Christmas) having a career change by training to be a driver with Metrolink. She would be seen training and it is expected that references will be made to the government’s rejection of the “Big Bang” and the MEN’s “Get Our Metrolink Back on Track” campaign. Whether any of these plans ever get the go-ahead is another matter entirely. * On the subject of trams on television currently showing on BBC One Thursdays at 9m is Blackpool. The serial is all about an amusement arcade owner who discovers a dead body on his premises and this is all done with several song and dance routines. Trams are not a major part of the show but do make minor appearances. In Episode 3 (shown last week) there were 4 trams and the first episode saw 3 appearances. Source: Manchester Online SUPERTRAM, IT ADDS UP FOR LEEDS Sunday 21 November 2004 The Leeds Supertram project was officially relaunched in the West Yorkshire city last week with the slogan “Supertram, It Adds up for Leeds”. At the breakfast meeting on Monday 15 November it was revealed that they had been able to cut almost £1/4 billion from the costs that the scheme had risen to, this had led to the government throwing it out of the window back in July. Over 150 people attended the meeting including MPs, councillors, leading business figures and LRTA members. The figure that they have now come up with is very close to the £355 million that had already been committed by the government although it does mean that the 7km stretch of track to Tingley will now go only as far as Balm Road. Metro Director Kieran Preston told the meeting: “Revisiting the way we approach some of the engineering work, particularly relating to utilities, postponing the south line and creating a better balance of risk sharing between the successful bidder, the promoters and the Department for Transport for the operation of the tram system, has enabled us to cut the bids significantly.” The meeting was supported by Central Leeds MP and Government Minister, Hilary Benn, who said in a pre-recorded video: “Supertram does add up for the city and that’s why we’ve got to push for it as hard as we can.” He added that he would be supporting the bid and presenting it to Transport Minister Alistair Darling. The Leeds City Council Leader Councillor Mark Harris said: “As well as bringing the figures very close to the £355m the Government pledged to the city in 2001, the new structure achieves the affordability Alistair Darling called for. It also meets the recent National Audit Office recommendations on how light rail schemes should be financed, currently being looked at by the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee. Councillor Stanley King, Chairman of Metro added: “Short-term solutions can only aggravate the problem and leave an impossible burden for the next generation. We have got to do better.” The slogan is to be used greatly and badges are being made depicting this words and they will then be distributed at Metro bus stations and rail stations to the public. At the meeting a pack was also distributed showing endorsements from various people in Leeds and the surrounding the area, obviously I do not have the space to put them down here but they can be seen here. They include Councillors from Leeds and the surrounding area, the local Hospital Trust, business leaders, local MPs and various other public figures such as the Bishop of Leeds and Vice Chancellors of the University’s. However, despite all this good news at the start of the week the government appeared to pour cold water over the proposals later in the week. A Department for Transport (DfT) spokesman said: “We have just received a submission from the promoters. We are expecting some further information from the promoters, and will consider it very carefully. But from the initial look, the costs are still considerable higher than we agreed for the original scheme but we will work with them." The original cost promised by the government was £355 million and they are now asking for just under £400 million. Council and Transport leaders in Leeds are now pressing for a meeting with Alistair Darling to discuss the new proposals. It was believed at the meeting that the scheme could still happen and the chances of the system getting approval are improving by the day. However, what these comments from the DfT do to these feelings is not known. Source: Simon Reuben, Leeds Supertram & Yorkshire Post THE NATIONAL TRAMWAYS FORUM SET-UP Sunday 21 November 2004 “UK Tram” is the name for a new national tramways forum which has been set-up following discussions between the Passenger Transport Executive Group (PTEG), Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT), Light Rapid Transit Forum (LRTF) and TfL London Trams. The main purpose of setting up this group is to address the issues that were mentioned in the NAO report from earlier this year. It is to be jointly managed by the public and private sectors and is to concentrate of four main areas first: 1. Development of national guidelines, codes of practice and standards based upon experience in the UK and overseas. 2. Development of a body of technical excellence to provide a peer review function for project promoters 3. To review emerging national and EU legislative proposals and to identify changes in legislation that would benefit the safe and economic development of tramways 4. To work with the Government to establish alternative methods of procuring and funding tramway projects to deliver best value for the public sector and reasonable returns for private investors. Phil Hewitt, head of TfL’s London Trams section, said: “The agreement to establish UKTram demonstrates the desire of both public and private sectors to join together to ensure that, in appropriate circumstances, tramways can continue to play an important role in the future of public transport in the UK.” His comments were added to by Tim Larner, Director of the PTEG Support Unit: “As Britain's largest bloc of tram and light rail promoters we look forward to playing an active role in UK Tram. UK Tram will provide both the platform and the forum that light rail needs. It will also enable both the private and the public sector to deliver on the recommendations of the National Audit Office report on light rail. Light rail is the best solution for some of our busiest urban corridors. UK Tram will help us to ensure that we deliver those light rail schemes faster, better and cheaper.” Source: Transport for London SPEED RESTRICTIONS IMPOSED ON NET Sunday 21 November 2004 Nottingham Express Transit have has to enforce a number of speed restrictions on the tramway to ensure that they can perform to a greater level of reliability and so that the system is ready for further timetable improvement next year. The restrictions are in place on various points on the system so that work can take place on these areas. Trams normally travel at between 25 and 40 kmph over these points but the TSRs trams are limited to just 5kmph. The locations which are affected are mainly on the northern sections of track between Hucknall and Highbury Vale. This means that trams are taking a few minutes longer to make their journey to and from Hucknall. Source: Nottingham Express Transit FARE REVISIONS ANNOUNCED FOR METROLINK Sunday 21 November 2004 Due to rises in operating costs Manchester Metrolink have revealed that as from Monday 29 November a selected number of Family Off Peak Return and Adult Peak Return fares will rise. Previous to this rise prices had remained constant for 2 years. There is not enough space on this site to detail the complete price rises but there is a PDF file on the Metrolink site here. An example shows that the cost of an adult peak return from Bury to Altrincham will now by £4.80 whilst the same journey for an off peak family return is £5.90. Many of these fares do remain unchanged. Source: Manchester Metrolink MAN HIT BY TRAM IN CROYDON Sunday 21 November 2004 An elderly man was admitted to hospital last week (Thursday 11 November) when he was struck by a tram in Croydon town centre. The man was crossing George Street at approximately 3.15pm when he was hit by the tram in front of horrified onlookers. A witness, speaking to the Croydon Guardian, said: “The tram blew its horn as it was approaching. People started running and screaming. The tram driver was hysterical. The man was lying on the ground." The man’s condition was described as stable at Mayday Hospital. Tram services were suspended for two and a half hours and Roger Harding, General Manager of Tramlink, said a full investigation into the incident would be carried out. Source: Croydon Guardian NEWS UPDATE FROM THE BLACKPOOLTRAMWAY Sunday 21 November 2004 As BRITISH TRAMS ONLINE has previously reported the tramway is to see further engineering works in the new year, this time around the Manchester Square area. As a result of this it is not known how trams will be gaining access to the tram depot. On 11 October a trial was undertaken using the “reserve” track along Blundell Street and Princess Street using Centenary 643 and Balloon 719 to see if it is suitable for use. The trial did run without incident but it is believed remedial work will be needed before it is used on a daily basis. Centenary 645 has now been stripped to the frame and is now in the Electrical Compound for a start to be made on re-wiring whilst Balloon 713 is now in the Fitting Shop for continuation of its major overhaul. Quick progress has been made of Jubilee 762 (now undergoing a major overhaul) and it has been stripped to its underframe. It now awaits space in the Fitting Shop for attention to the underframe before any further progress can be made. The Fitting Shop also currently has Railcrane 260 in situ for modifications to bring it up towards modern standards. Finally for the month, as we have reported before Roadliner 611 is currently at Carnforth at the West Coast Railway Company premises and it has now been painted in the Dark Green and Yellow Metro Coastlines Line 14 livery. It is still expected that the tram will return to Blackpool for further evaluation. Don’t forget, the only way to receive full monthly news of the Blackpool Tramway is by becoming a member of the Fylde Tramway Society - details here or here. Source: Fylde Tramway News ALL THE LATEST UPDATES FROM CRICH Sunday 21 November 2004 Not a great deal to report from the home of the National Tramway Museum this month, with the main season now well and truly over. Leeds 602 has now been successfully recommisioned and is on engineering tests before re-entry into service. It fellow Leeds tram 345 still sees progress in the workshops with installation of various components as they become available. Staying in Leeds,180 has had six feet of the trim/gutter around the south end canopy removed because of rotting caused by water ingress. Moving further south in Yorkshire, Sheffield 510 has had one replacement trolley plank fitted and carriers, planks and base have been refitted. It appears that Blackpool Standard 40 has a defective aperture bearing which was discovered after the motor was making excessive noise. Further investigation is now to be undertaken. Why not become a member of the Tramway Museum Society? For more details see here Source: Contact from the TMS LATEST NEWS FROM NET Sunday 21 November 2004 Nottingham Express Transit celebrated 250 days in service on 13 November 2004. As a celebration of this fact Joe Mills provided us with some statistics on his website (link below). In these 250 days the system will have carried around 6 million people, the entire tram fleet of trams would stretch 495 metres (approximately from The Forest to High School) and there are 300 windows, 300 doors and 30 windscreens on the complete fleet of 15 Incentro trams. In other news from Nottingham, a driver was trapped in his cab at Station Street on 11 November after somebody super glued the door shut. Because of this services were delayed by 30 minutes. Christmas services have also been revealed by NET with only Christmas Day (that’s 25 December this year apparently) seeing no services at all. The Sunday/Bank Holiday service is to be used 26-28 December 2004 and 1-2 January 2005 whilst all other days from 24 December until 3 January 2005 see a normal weekday service. In addition today (21 November) saw tram services terminated at the Royal Centre between 2.30pm and 6.30pm whilst the Christmas lights were switched on. Source: Joe Mills & Nottingham Express Transit ENHANCED DLR SERVICE SHOWS LONDON READY FOR 2012 Sunday 14 November 2004 It has been claimed that the recent enhanced service on the Docklands Light Railway for the World Travel Market exhibition at ExCeL proves that East London is ready for the 2012 Olympics. The exhibition took place from 8-11 November and 830,000 passenger journeys were undertaken during this period - the highest ever carried by DLR in its history over a four day period. This is a 24% increase on usual Monday-Thursday passenger loadings and the Custom House for ExCeL station saw a 17% increase in passengers than from the same event in 2003. The service was significantly increased and on the busiest day of the lot (Wednesday 10) 99.2% of the trains ran to the timetable. Howard Smith, Director of the Docklands Light Railway said: “The preparation and execution of WTM services was faultless. The result was a triumph and to my mind represents the greatest operational achievement in the history of the railway - so far. The fact that such a tremendously disciplined operation was maintained in the face of record passenger numbers and whilst keeping the high levels of customer service and friendliness for which the Railway is loved, makes the achievement all the greater.” The increased service but extra pressure on staff across Serco Docklands with 80 trains in service instead of the usual 70 in morning peak periods meaning maintenance staff had to work extra hard. Trains were run every 2 minutes between Canning Town and Custom House and at peak periods there were more than 40 staff on hand on the platforms to assist passengers. Source: Docklands Light Railway METROLINK “BIG BANG” DECISION EXPECTED BEFORE CHRISTMAS Sunday 14 November 2004 Greater Manchester MPs and transport bosses are expecting a decision in time for Christmas as to whether the rethink of Metrolink’s extension proposals is rejected again or given the go-ahead. The deadline of Christmas has been set as transport bosses are concerned that any further delay will see the bidding consortia withdraw from the race the DBOM contract. Rochdale MP, Lorna Fitzsimmons, said at a recent Metrolink business summit: “At this meeting we will be in deal-making territory. Their own consultants have verified the figures and we will then be discussing what is possible. We do think we can cut a deal and we will have a decision before Christmas. We think there are people in important positions, like the prime minister, who are on-side to deliver a solution." During the past week a delegation went from Greater Manchester to London to put the case forward for the Metrolink delegations. They were initially delayed on getting to the capital as the train service from Manchester was cancelled and so they had to travel half an hour later than their original plans. Around 100 delegates were travelling to London for a key meeting with Transport Minister Tony McNulty as well as other MPs. Before travelling, Sarah Johnson, transport policy executive at Greater Manchester Chamber said: “The working party is so close to a permanent decision, and this is an opportunity for the government to realise the business community is behind the campaign, not just transport officials. The message we will be trying to get across is that Metrolink is imperative for economic growth. There are businesses that have set up along corridors where the trams are supposed to go.” At the actual meeting with Tony McNulty he said: “No one needs to tell ministers how important Metrolink is. We know what it does for Oldham and Rochdale, for Ashton and the airport. But no government will watch something go from £282million to £1billion and say `where's my chequebook?' That is what was behind the decision in July. We have got the working group, there has been a strong lobby and the meetings we've had have been very productive. We now have detailed figures and we are due to meet again to discuss these numbers in more detail. These are extremely complex deals." However, he refused to say when a final decision would be made despite the hopes earlier in the week but he did add: “There will be an exhaustive analysis of the details and what we get to will be something that satisfies the needs of Greater Manchester in all its glory." Roger Jones, the Chairman of the GMPTA said: “Every stage of Metrolink has been a fight and all of us know that you have to fight for your own region and your own area. Metrolink doesn't just give you great transport, it brings that investment that's so crucial to jobs." Source: Manchester Online NET LINES 2 & 3 DECISION DELAYED Sunday 14 November 2004 Nottinghamshire County Council and Nottingham City Council have decided that even if the government give the go-ahead for the extensions to Nottingham Express Transit a vote will not be undertaken until after the May local elections. Stephen Richeux, spokesman for NET, said: “It doesn't throw a question mark over lines two and three. It's more about them (the councils) saying it's an important scheme for them and they are keen to make the right decision." The reasoning behind the decision not to vote until after May is that the councils do not believe they will have time for the whole decision-making process to be completed before the elections. Whilst the councils wait for a decision from the government they are to examine ways to speed up the process of acquiring properties which will be directly affected by the two routes. NET Development Board Chairman, John Taylor added: “We continue to be encouraged by what the Department of Transport is telling us about our plans." Source: This is Nottingham & BBC News Online TRAMS FOR YORK? Sunday 14 November 2004 The City of York is considering whether a new tram line could be built from the western outskirts of the city into the city centre linking with a new Park and Ride site. A consultant working for the City Council is considering a number of public transport routes for either a tram route or a high quality bus service. The council’s assistant director (development and transport), Rod Jones said: “The passenger capacity required to provide for the demand for park and ride at other sites in York would require massive investment in infrastructure and rolling stock to make a rail-based element to park and ride viable.” He is not advising colleagues to give a rail based link high priority when they choose the park and ride site. He added: “Any link in with a new heavy-rail based service should be clearly recognised as potential for the future rather than one for the present.” Source: Yorkshire Today LEEDS SUPERTRAM BREAKFAST RELAUNCH ALMOST FULL Sunday 14 November 2004 It has been revealed that places at the breakfast launch of the new Leeds Supertram bid are filling up fast. The launch will be on Monday (15 November) and at it the audience will able to find out how the Council are confident of bringing the costs down. The Council are now combining a more appropriate approach to the share of the schemes operating risks, finding some new technical solutions to certain engineering problems and possibly deferring construction of a 7km stretch of the network. Councillor Stanley King, Chairman of the Metro, the West Yorkshire PTA, said: “We have already had over 150 responses from MPs, representatives of Leeds’ civic, business, legal, finance, retail, leisure and development communities.” The launch will also see speeches from the City Council, the Chamber of Commerce, Yorkshire Forward and Metro illustrating how important Supertram is for Leeds. Source: West Yorkshire Metro & Leeds Supertram CENTRO NO TO FEASIBILTY STUDY CASH Sunday 14 November 2004 Contrary to previous reports Centro, the West Midlands PTE, have said they will not be giving £50,000 towards the feasibility study into an underground railway for Birmingham city centre. It had originally been thought that they would be giving a third of the cost of the study but now they say they will only pay out if the study comes out in favour of street running on the Five Ways extension. Then the cash would go towards tunnel explorations for other routes in Perry Bar, to the airport and Eastside. The West Midlands PTA has been taken over in a coup by Black Country councillors and they have now been accused of being anti Birmingham. Councillor Paul Tilsley (Lib Dem, City) said: “They are flagrantly anti-Birmingham. It is time the city considered its position and started clanking the chains. We are being carved up by everybody else and treated like a parish council. They were all sniggering afterwards - it was very distasteful. Birmingham is being shafted.” Source: icBirmingham TRAIN DEPARTURE INFO ADDED TO NET STATION STREET STOP Sunday 14 November 2004 The Station Street terminus of Nottingham Express Transit has had a £9,000 departure screen added to the bridge which joins it with Nottingham’s railway station. This will enable rail ticket holders to go directly to the platform their train is departing from, rather than having to go to station concourse. This new screen has been funded by Nottingham City Council and Central Trains and will also give information as to when the next “Skylink” bus (to Nottingham East Midlands Airport) will be departing from outside the station. There is already a passenger information display for train passengers heading for trams to see when the next service is to their required destination. Source: Joe Mills, This is Nottingham & NET |
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As mentioned in the News in Brief section to the left, the Eagle Star building in Mosley Street is to be demolished and as part of the pre-works for this the Metrolink overhead is to be supported by a scafolding type trelis. Here this is seen over the tracks in Mosley Street. Photo: Gordon Ferguson |
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YET MORE TRAMS FOR NET IN RUSH HOUR
Sunday 7 November 2004 NET is to see an increase of between 10-20 trams a day during peak periods to try and alleviate overcrowding from 31 January. Colin Lea, from the Nottingham Tram Consortium said: “At the moment we're recording 25,000 people a day and we think from surveys we've done we're missing about eight to ten per cent of people. In terms of revenue that's not going to be that much because these will largely be people who've already paid for a pass or all-day ticket." At the moment there are trams every 6 minutes between 7am and 6.30pm but as from the end of January this will change. From this time there will be trams every 5 minutes from 7.30am to 9.30am and from 3.30pm to 6.30pm. In addition, as a trial for a month, there will be trams every 5 minutes for the whole period between 7am and 7pm. This is to test the system, although if it is a success this could become a permanent arrangement. It is hoped by increasing the frequency in rush hours that more fares will be collected as passengers should be slightly more thinly spread. Source: Joe Mills & This is Nottingham BIRMINGHAM UNDERGROUND RAILWAY CONSULTANTS APPOINTED Sunday 7 November 2004 In a week where Alistair Darling warned Birmingham that the plans for an underground railway in the city centre were holding them back, a firm of consultants were appointed to investigate the feasibility of the idea. Jacobs Consultants, who were involved in the Jubilee line extension in London, are to carry out the £150,000 study for the City Council and Centro. Centro have agreed to fund a third of this cost but on the understanding that the money is only used to investigate tunnelling future extensions of the Midland Metro tram system. A Centro spokesman told the Birmingham Post that they remained committed to the planned Snow Hill-Five Ways extension at street level. However Councillor Mike Whitby (leader, Conservative for Harborne) was not so committal, saying: “I am more than pleased that Jacobs are being recommended as they have an internationally recognised pedigree in delivering underground rail systems, such as the Porto Metro and the Jubilee Line extension. We promised to carry out a feasibility study into an underground metro in Birmingham and this is another example of the progressive partnership putting ideas into reality." He added that it was important to look at all options including the possibility of tunnelling for all or part of the Five Ways line. Jacobs are due to report their findings in May 2005 and will take into account all previous studies on tunnelling possibilities for Midland Metro. Source: icBirmingham PUDSEY GETS A TRAM NAMED AFTER HIM! Sunday 7 November 2004 In aid of the annual BBC appeal Children in Need, NET Incentro 202 has been named Pudsey! The tram is usually named D H Lawrence, and this name will be returned to the front of tram after Children in Need has finished for 2004. The tram was renamed on 1 November 2004 and there are to be NET staff collecting for the charity in the lead up to the event. In addition there is an under 18s competition to win a chance to drive a tram in association with BBC Nottingham, just by drawing Pudsey driving a tram! Full details can be found here. On Monday (1 November) there was a RTA near to the Phoenix Park terminus which meant that trams had to terminate short at Highbury Vale. The disruption was expected to be cleared within a hour. There was some basic maintenance work undertaken on NET last Saturday (30 October) with engineers studying the whole Wilkinson Street area in an attempt to improve ride quality. The drainage system was also checked and the “Points not Trailable” sign attached to the points at Delta Junction, Hucknall end was removed. The day was completed by the rare appearance of the shunter in front of the depot - this vehicle is usually used to tow trams into and out of the area of the depot which has no overhead. Photos from this day can be found here. Finally, there was a planned Fireworks display next to The Forest tram stop on Friday (5 November). It was likely that there would be heavy passenger loadings around The Forest at 10.30pm after the display finished and the attached funfair closed. Source: Joe Mills & Nick's NET Photos SECURITY GUARDS FOR NET? Sunday 7 November 2004 A security firm has offered their security guards to public transport operators in Nottingham for a free one month trial to protect passengers for late night services. Octavian Security from the city itself is offering up to four staff for late weekend duties on both trams and buses and it is reported that both tram and bus bosses in the city are interested in the deal. Colin Lea said: “We would be willing to talk to Octavian about this although we don't think we have a big problem at the moment.” Sukhi Ghuman, Octavian’s Managing Director told the Nottingham Post: “A lot of people are scared to use late-night public transport services, as they have encountered threatening behaviour from drunken late-night revellers and feel that bus drivers are often powerless to control any volatile situations that can occur. The people that we have spoken to, and women in particular, claim that they would feel much safer with a security guard presence on particular services." Source: This is Nottingham |
