Will tram bring a joined-up transport system to town?
WITH an estimated five million people set to pass through it every year, there is an urgent need for a new Beeston bus and tram station, campaigners say.
A recent Post survey of 100 people in Beeston found that 28 per cent of those surveyed thought transport was one of the best features of the town, and two thought the bus station was in need of improvement.
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Vision: Councillor Steve Barber at Beeston Bus Station, which he believes is in need of a makeover.
But as the tram work progresses, the bus station is set to. shift to make way for a new combined bus, tram, bicycle and taxi interchange and councillors have been setting out their vision for the future.
The current bus station stands between Station Road and Styring Street, but the new interchange will run along Styring Street, using some of the current land. It will be built as part of the tram extension scheme, which is being delivered by Tramlink, a consortium of companies. It is due to be completed by 2014.
Councillor Steve Barber, chairman of Beeston and Chilwell for Integrated Transport, said the current bus station needed "a complete facelift".
Mr Barber, who is also a councillor for Beeston Rylands, added: "Currently, we have a bus station that is looking dated and doesn't really give a good impression of the town and this needs looking at.
"With the extension of the tram, we need somewhere that is bright and open so that people can change from taxi, bus, bicycle or tram with ease.
"I imagine in the future the majority of tickets won't be bought on the trams or buses themselves but at kiosks outside the interchange, like you see in mainland Europe. It would be great if we could have a little cafe by the kiosk as well to create a welcoming atmosphere."
The bus station will be redeveloped to coincide with the tram work regardless of the progress on development of Beeston Square.
The two developments will take place separately, under different plans, but Mr Barber said talks were under way so the plans could be submitted together.
He said: "We will have millions of people passing through each year and we need an attractive hub to ensure that as many people as possible don't just pass through but stop off and visit Beeston."
Councillor David Watts, portfolio holder for economy and regeneration at Broxtowe Borough Council, said: "At the moment, the plans are being drawn up and it's just a case of seeing what we would like to see in the development and what we can do.
"It's an exciting project and we can hopefully come up with something that makes it easy to change between different modes of transport for people coming to and from the town."
The station is served by four bus companies with routes going to the city centre, Long Eaton and Ilkeston.
It is proposed that the third line of the tram system will travel to Beeston via the Queen's Medical Centre and the NG2 business park before continuing along Chilwell Road and terminating at a new park-and-ride site near Bardills Island, between Toton and Stapleford.
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by longstreetfan
Thursday, February 09 2012, 10:04PM
“People will get off the tram and wander into Beeston, and then get back on and continue thier journey into Nottingham?
Of course not1
They will travel through our lovely town of Beeston, which will just be left as a ruin after the tram comes, as the shops will close and people will find other places to shop.
Thank Nottingham council.
Great to know people outside Beeston and Chilwell will have a lovely journey through our wasteland.”
by MarkXBSSensor
Thursday, February 09 2012, 11:36AM
“From today's letters:
"follow the example of mainland Europe by introducing parking under the Old Market Square was considered far too radical, although such parking is included in the Playa Major in Madrid, our twin city of Karisruhr, Caen and Metz."
"Strasbourg pedestrianised one of their main squares when they introduced their tram system with underground parking beneath it."
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm:
I wonder where Nottingham is going wrong?!”
by MarkXBSSensor
Thursday, February 09 2012, 11:28AM
“"make way for a new combined bus, tram, bicycle and taxi interchange and councillors have been setting out their vision for the future."
Not cars though, as even fewer people drive or get lifts than cycle.
Of course, instead of giving your doddery old mum a lift to the station you could always fork out for a taxi.
Or get her to cycle.
Or even drive her all the way to somewhere car friendly!
Is it any wonder 80% to 90% of travel and commuting is by car?!?!?!”
by _Zeus_
Wednesday, February 08 2012, 1:33PM
“MOF
The ruling em***bants at the council have put an immeadiate ban on pandas any where near the tram or at any if its stops.
they have however allowed elephants as they are much larger and also come in shades of white just like the the tram itself another huge white elephant.”
by white__rabbit
Wednesday, February 08 2012, 1:04PM
“Meeki1 - Have you considered using a phrasebook so you could actually speak the language of the country you are in?”
by BLawrenson
Wednesday, February 08 2012, 11:05AM
“Millions of people speaking a wide diversity of languages appear to be able to use the rather complex ticket dispensing machines at London Underground stations. I don't see why the much simpler tickets for trams couldn't be dispensed in a similar manner at halts or on the tram. Frequent inspection and meaningful on the spot fines would soon convince passengers that they must pay to ride. It does on the Continent and most of the machines there are fairly self explanatory even if you do not speak the language. Having said that having conductors does at least provide jobs and also should keep down anti social behaviour.”
by mof_gedling
Tuesday, February 07 2012, 5:56PM
“Marbled if those two people are councilors then yep its viable,
Meekie1 they are doing away with conductors so its the only way forward,if we can trust the good people of Vancouver to be honest i am sure we can trust the good folks of nottingham also,”
by meeki1
Tuesday, February 07 2012, 4:02PM
“Tram tickets bought kiosks outside the interchange, like you see in mainland Europe!
Strasbourg has a similar set up for purchasing tram tickets. Due to the information in a foreign language, we had to use the tram without paying. However, because a train conductor could communicate with us we paid our fares.
How many non English speaking people live within the trams catchment area?
Another brainstorming idea doomed to fail.”
by Marbled
Tuesday, February 07 2012, 3:34PM
“I would love a Panda. If 2 people out of 100 want one does that mean it's a viable option?”
by mof_gedling
Tuesday, February 07 2012, 3:30PM
“Marbled i dont know, do you want a panda or not ?”