Nottingham Express Transit Phase Two opens!

Three years after construction began – and 12 years after the first discussions – Phase Two of Nottingham Express Transit has opened to the public with the first trams departing the two new termini, at Clifton South and Toton Lane, shortly after 0600 on Tuesday 25th August 2015. As is always the case when a new tram line opens in the UK the first day of public journeys were busy and friendly affairs with many people – both local and not so local – eager to try out the trams as soon as they can.

As 25th August started and with final preparations now over two trams made their way from Wilkinson Street Depot heading to Toton Lane and Clifton South respectively to start a new era in public transport for Nottingham. Running without passengers all the way through to the termini – from now on these trams will run in service all the way from Wilkinson Street (well Radford Road at least) but to mark the special occasion the decision was taken to make the first departures more special. Both trams left the termini just after 0600 (the services are timetabled to leave Clifton South at 0601 and Toton Lane at 0602) with the service from Toton Lane – with 231 in charge – the more popular of the two. The Nottingham Post reported that 70 passengers were on board the Toton Lane service and 20 took the chance to catch the first tram from Clifton South. These numbers are probably not as high as has been seen on other systems but with less than 24 hours notice given it was difficult for many people to change their plans to get there in time to avail themselves of the service.

All trams were fitted with window banners throughout the day telling the public that the extensions were now open. Three different banners were affixed to the trams as the publicity machine went into full swing to get the message out there that members of the public were now welcome to join the tram for a ride.

After the local bigwigs had their moment in the limelight loadings were healthy for the remainder of the day as more and more people started to wake up and want to try out the new lines and, probably crucially, no major problems were reported with the service. Fortunately a lot of the negativity which had been in media in the lead up to the opening has been replaced by more positive news stories during the first day (although obviously it is still bubbling under the surface). Local television and radio stations were on hand at times throughout the day to provide coverage of the historic opening of the lines with interviews of both local politicians and the general public.

There is no doubt that the gestation period of Nottingham Express Transit Phase Two has caused some disruption and resentment but with the new lines now up and running this needs to be forgotten and the lines need to be allowed to settle into operation. Nottingham now has an extended modern light rail network and if that cannot be celebrated on this website what can?