TRAM: British and Australian (American usually streetcar also trolley) noun [C] An electric vehicle that transports people, usually in cities, and goes along metal tracks in the road. (Taken from the Cambridge English Dictionary)
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PLEA TO ENSURE CRT DOES CROSS THE RIVER
Nottingham Express Transit – Sunday 21st October 2007
Campaigners have urged Ken Livingstone, Mayor of London, to ensure that the Cross River Tram does make it across the River Thames with current plans looking for the tramway to be built in two stages – with that south of the river most likely to go-ahead.
Mr Livingstone has told a meeting of the London Assembly that the South London branch would be the first to be built and would be terminating at Waterloo and campaigners fear that because of opposition in the north it may never get any further.
Eileen Conn, from Peckham Vision – a pressure group, said: “We agree it is essential the tram crosses the river in its first phase, but it has to link with a Tube station."
Jenny Jones, Southwark councillor and Green Party member of the Assembly, added: “It is vital that remaining concerns regarding the route are ironed out as quickly as possible to allow the entire project to proceed and give a much-needed boost to public transport across South London and particularly in areas like north Peckham which are currently very poorly served by transport links."
The south London branch would likely be operational by 2016 but the northern branch from Waterloo across the river would not be built until 2020, and then only if the southern branch had proved to be a success.
Local MPs are also of the opinion that the tram has to cross the river. Kate Hoey, MP for Vauxhall, said: “It's pointless spending all this money if the tram doesn't go north of the river. I don't know why the Mayor has even contemplated it. The plans were for the tram to always go as far as Camden Town and I don't know why it has changed. We're having a link built for west and east London and it's vital the tram is built to link the north with the south."
Harriet Harman, MP for Camberwell and Peckham, commented: “I will be campaigning for the tram to go as far north as possible in the first stage, preferably to Euston, and will continue to work closely with Val Shawcross and all those involved to see this happens."
And Simon Hughes, North Southwark and Bermondsey MP, added: “A Cross River Tram should mean what it says. This is a great opportunity for a north-south link between Camden and Southwark going through Westminster and Lambeth in between. I hope the mayor will be brave enough to push it with all his might. Certainly, at least one of his opponents will strongly do so."
