Green light to start work on new Nottingham tram lines in January
WORK on the city's new tram lines will begin next month after the final contracts were completed yesterday afternoon.
A consortium called Tramlink Nottingham, which includes bus company Trent Barton, has now taken over the tram line and will build new routes to Clifton and Chilwell.
Until yesterday, the trams were run by Arrow Light Rail, a consortium including Nottingham City Transport.
New services are expected to start in late 2014 and the council claims it will generate up to 8,000 jobs in the long term and could boost the local economy by around £390m per year.
People will no longer be able to buy the joint NCT bus and tram tickets from today, but pre-paid Easyrider cards will be accepted until January 31. People who bought pre-paid cards before today, which remain valid after January, will be able to change them into Kangaroo cards – accepted on various forms of city transport – at no extra cost.
Councillor Jane Urquhart, Nottingham City Council portfolio holder for planning and transport, said: "This is fantastic news for Nottingham.
"In these constrained financial and economic times it means a significant boost to the local economy, more jobs and better public transport for thousands of people," she said.
And Transport Minister Norman Baker MP said: "I am delighted that we are able to finally approve funding so that construction of phase two of the tram system can begin.
"Line One of the Nottingham tram has proved to be a great success in encouraging people on to public transport.
"These extensions provide the opportunity to build on that success, and give people in the south of Nottingham quicker, more convenient access to the city centre as well as providing an alternative means of accessing the city centre for people commuting by car."
The council said the new tram lines would provide access to about 1,270 workplaces, to which about 55,000 employees commute, and a further 600 workplaces in Beeston and Chilwell, as well as two of the area's biggest employers – the University of Nottingham and the Queen's Medical Centre.
Roger Harrison, chairman of Tramlink Nottingham. said: "Our consortium, which includes some of the world's leading companies in the light rail and construction sectors, is excited by the prospect of developing the city's tram network and we are committed to providing an effective and efficient system of which the local community can be proud."
The Government has said it is paying about 66 per cent of the estimated £570m cost through a PFI arrangement, and the rest is coming from the city council, mainly through the workplace parking levy.
67 Comments
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by starving
Sunday, December 18 2011, 7:08PM
“All the Council have to do is list the benefits that Line 1 has brought to the City and Nottinghamshire.
Perhaps we could hear from the modern-day Navvies that dug the roads and laid the lines.
A list of the businesses and companies that have made a bee-line to the City because of the Tram would be useful.
A List of the Profits accrued by this Wonder of the Age would go a long way to allaying the fears of Taxpayers as to further inroads into their wage packets would help.
It also appears to me that passengers will be paying multiple times to travel on the Line: first by the fare and the hidden cost in their Community Charge and then increased prices at the shops and when parking etc.
Perhaps Councillors could assure us that they know what they are doing and will hold themselves completely responsible for the outcomes.”
by sime64
Saturday, December 17 2011, 7:28PM
“Theres no conundrum whatsoever because Cameron is no Tory! He's blue on the outside but pure yellow within!”
by ftmscf
Saturday, December 17 2011, 4:47PM
“Well done to the council for getting this done. A conundrum for the right wing bigots on here. Planned by a labour council but could have been stopped by a tory government, who of course saw the value and agreed it. Who do the right wingers blame? The council or their beloved 'call me dave'?”
by sime64
Saturday, December 17 2011, 2:50PM
“by FormerlyW
Saturday, December 17 2011, 1:54PM
""What have the citizens of Nottingham done to be lumbered with this terrible vile council?"
Voted for them."
Nowt so strange as folk!”
by Paul_NG5
Saturday, December 17 2011, 2:48PM
“And where are the trams being made? Derby? no....”
by starving
Saturday, December 17 2011, 2:32PM
“I think that it Is 9 to my pen and 5 are your contribution.
As most of the other contributors have similar complaints to mine I would say that your myopic and rather selective analysis of the feelings of many regarding the Tram are at the best sycophantic as far as the Band of Brothers in your beloved Council House and the echoing halls of Loxley Palace are concerned.
Come on explain what is successful and vibrant about travelling on a Tram rather than the previous bus service that the Tram simply duplicates and replaces at a vastly higher running cost to the Taxpayer.”
by codeblueuk
Saturday, December 17 2011, 2:16PM
“Well living just over the border in Gedling Borough, I didn't get a vote - just get lumbered with their decisons”
by FormerlyW
Saturday, December 17 2011, 1:54PM
“"What have the citizens of Nottingham done to be lumbered with this terrible vile council?"
Voted for them.”
by codeblueuk
Saturday, December 17 2011, 1:41PM
“It would have far cheaper and more flexible to implement a guided bus service but when I suggested this during consultation I was told they had already made up their mind to deploy trams. Incompetent idiots!!! Check the link to see how we could have done it:
http://tinyurl.com/72z4nnr”
by sime64
Saturday, December 17 2011, 1:29PM
“My heart goes out to the thousands of people who are going to have their lives disrupted by this monstrous waste of money! What have the citizens of Nottingham done to be lumbered with this terrible vile council? I'd like to see Collins, Chapman, Urqhart and their fellow miscreants thrown out on their ears, not only out of power but out of the city full stop, the nearest rubbish tip will do!”