CHANGES TO BUS SERVICES IN THE HUCKNALL AREA
Two TrentBarton bus services have been withdrawn between Hucknall and Nottingham - the express Flyer and the slower 45, as from Monday 10th. The faster service took about 30 minutes from the Hucknall western housing estates, whilst the no. 45 took 55 minutes via Bulwell. The bus company say their traffic has been lost to the tram. However, TB have introduced new feeder services to the tram at Hucknall called CONNECT. This means colour-coded circular bus shuttles between the western estates and the tram terminus, running at 15 minute intervals for most of the day.
However, the Notts and Derby bus company will still operate some peak hour buses from Hucknall to Nottingham, comparable to the former TB express, whilst Dunn-Line will run a replacement 45 service for the time being.
AN ASPIRING POLITICIAN
Steve Barber, BACIT Chair, will contest Beeston North ward in the county council elections on May 5 for Labour. He admits his strong pro-tram stance may alienate some Labour voters, but he thinks he will attract votes from tram supporters who have lately patronized other parties. Steve and his colleagues insist the Beeston-Chilwell proposed tram route is not the only local issue at stake.
HUCKNALL “NEW VILLAGE”
Over 116 acres of greenfield land east of Hucknall is due to be developed as a new community, with about half (56 acres) devoted to 700 houses, and the rest for social facilities and highways. The Government Office for the East Midlands (GOEM) do not wish to call in the planning application. Most of the proposed development is within walking distance of the tram terminus/railway station, so here is another opportunity to increase tram traffic and boost local property values.
PARKING LEVY BLUES
The city council has long considered imposing a workplace parking levy in its area, and many councillors on the ruling group are pressing the cabinet for an answer. The first ten car spaces are exempt from charges, accounting for 2/3 of employers. However, few other cities in the world have this scheme, an alternative to city centre road tolls.
The revenue is intended to pay for a package of transport improvements, including the Phase II tram extensions. The Nottingham Chamber of Commerce and many businesses oppose the Levy. So does the Opinion column of the Evening Post of today’s date, arguing that the Levy won’t apply to shopping and leisure visitors adding to peak traffic, whilst conversely many car commuters cannot readily switch to public transport.
EXTRA TRAMS FOR RUSH HOURS
From Monday 31 January the weekday peak service frequency on Line One will be increased from every 12 minutes on each branch to every 10 minutes. The same frequency will also apply in the Monday to Friday off-peaks between the peaks, experimentally throughout February .
There will be no changes in either fares or the weekend timetables.
GOVERNMENT INQUIRY ON TRAM SYSTEMS
The Transport Committee of the DfT will scrutinize costs and benefits of British tram systems to date, and report in public by the end of February. There may be implications for Norttingham Phase II.
For more information, Click here
PARLIAMENT AND NOTTINGHAM TRAMS
During a Parliamentary debate where Graham Allen MP raised a question, Transport Junior Minister Charlotte Atkins praised Line One. She used the expressions “effective” and “high reliability” in describing Nottingham’s buses and trams. The Parliamentary inquiry on Nottingham Phase II will contain six or seven sessions.
THE TRAMS AND CCTV
By June this year, all 15 Nottingham trams will have internal CCTV, in addition to the existing 80 at tram stops. Each tramcar will have 8 cameras, including front-mounted ones.
For more information, Click here
PARLIAMENTARY TRAM INQUIRY - FIRST SESSION
The National Audit Office has given evidence, stating certain deficiencies with British tram systems so far. These include insufficient car parking and not enough tram priority over road traffic at junctions.
For more information, Click here
WPL AGAIN - DECISION DELAYED
Nottingham City Council has postponed making a decision on the controversial workplace parking levy until Spring next year.
For more information, Click here
LINE ONE CONSUMER SURVEY
Marking the first anniversary of the opening of Line One, NET have conducted a customer satisfaction survey.
For more information, Click here
FIRST BIRTHDAY FOR LINE ONE
The public service commenced on Line One on Tuesday March 09 2004. An article in the Nottingham Evening Post suggests a prestigious cafe and restaurant could in future occupy the arches under the Station Street terminus. For more information, Click here . Pat Armstrong, Team Leader with NET for Phase II, is interviewed by the Evening Post Click here . The newspaper has also produced a 12-page colour supplement.
Reviewing the impact of the tramline on reducing car traffic, the Post has another article - Click here
.LINE ONE - A BUSINESS REVIEW
Now it's the turn of the Business Section of the Evening Post to review Line One. "Notwithstanding localised problems, the benefits of the tram to commerce in a city-wide context are obvious, with increased accessibility to the business, shopping, leisure and tourism facilities, and a general improvement in the working and living environment".
The review goes on to say that with the opening of Phase II, commuters, shoppers and tourists will be able to access park-and-ride from four junctions of the M1. Line One has stimulated regeneration at Phoenix Business Park, whilst Phase II will act as a catalyst for NG2, and the redevelopment of Beeston town centre.
A cautious note is made, however, on public attitude to the proposed workplace parking levy for the local finance.
HYSON GREEN AND THE TRAM IMPACT
Traders in Hyson Green give a mixed or undecided verdict on the tram in the Neighbourhood News section of the Evening Post. For more information, Click here
TRAM FARES RISE
...and on NCT buses as well. The Evening Post takes a dim view when the emphasis of public authority is ostensibly to boost public transport. For more information, Click here
DEPARTMENT FOR TRANSPORT ADDS TO DELAYS
The Parliamentary Select Committee on public transport has considered the cost of fresh light rail schemes, again taking evidence from NET, and has admitted the government's own delays have raised costs. For more information, Click here
EUROPEAN TRAM EXPERTS FAVOUR NOTTINGHAM
The European TransCite group will hold a conference in Nottingham this weekend, recognising NET is a centrepiece of transport excellence Click here . In its Opinion column, the Evening Post said that without the approval of Phase II, the "existing single-line system will be something of an under-achievement". Click here
FINANCIAL PROSPECTUS FOR LINE ONE
Arrow consortium spells out its prospectus for Line One over the next 30 years, expecting to make an average profit of £3m pa over the period, but with deficits for the first few years. For more information Click here
ELECTION SPECULATIONS
Polling day for the general and county council elections is tomorrow. Some pundits say the proposed Beeston-Chilwell route will have affect the outcome in the Broxtowe area. Steve Barber, BACIT Chair, refutes any idea that BACIT was set up as an appendage of the Labour Party, even though he is standing as a Labour candidate for the county council for Beeston North ward.
Local Conservatives remain resolutely opposed to the tram route. The Liberal Democrats are in favour, with a few reservations. Local MP Nick Palmer, and the Green Party, want some more radical route adjustments. For more information Click here
ELECTION RESULTS
Labour retain Broxtowe parliamentary seat, but Steve Barber was not successful in holding Beeston North for the party on the county council. South of the Trent, Ken Clarke keeps his Concervative stronghold of Rushcliffe, and Martin Brandon-Bravo is re-elected as county councillor for West Bridgford West, which includes Compton Acres.
Labour retain control of Nottinghamshire county hall, with a majority cut down to nine seats overall. An all-round case of as-you-were regarding the position of the local politicians and Phase II of the trams. For more information Click here
ARGUING ABOUT THE ELECTION RESULTS
A letter writer to the Evening Post claims Steve Barber lost vital votes in Beeston North because of the tram proposal. Steve counter-argues this in his reply. Click here Steve counter-argues this in his reply Click here
TRAMS IMPROVE AIR QUALITY ?
An Evening Post article says air pollution in West Bridgford is poor enough to warrant an air quality management area being declared. Click here A correspondent to the newspaper later on says building the CW tram would also help provide cleaner air. Click here
STILL WAITING ON PHASE II
A new government minister at the DfT post-election is Dr. Stephen Ladyman. He has been lobbied by Nottingham South MP Alan Simpson on when we can expect to hear whether the government is willing to finance its 75% share of the Phase II capital costs (Annexe E). Alan Simpson spoke of the "phenomenal success" and "incredible poularity" of Line One.
The Minister replied the DfT hopes to come to a decision before the summer recess of Parliament. For more information Click here
ENT LOBBIES THE COUNTY COUNCIL
Anti-CW group Environment Not Trams has lobbied all county councillors with a circular letter. In particular, the group is trying to persuade Labour members in the Mansfield-Ashfield area to vote down the Phase II tram extensions, on the grounds that the tram routes will bring no benefit to their constituents. Line One is slagged off, and it is claimed that county election candidates supporting the proposed tram extensions lost votes.
TRAM CASH IS ON THE CARDS ?
Professor David Begg, advisor on transport policy to the DfT, has said the performance of Line One places the financial bid by the city and county councils to the DfT in a strong light, but it is more a question of "when", rather than "if".
LINE ONE BENEFITS - A RESUME
Pat Armstrong, NET Team Leader for Phase II, writes to the Evening Post to answer the critics of the proposed tram extensions. Traffic was 8.4 million in the first year, and is now topping 30,000 daily. (This is equivalent to 11m pa, the target by the end of year 3). He also mentions more extensive use of public transport in the Leen Valley, park-and-ride, sympathy from business people, and a fiscal surplus.
CW OPPOSITION
There have been some letters in the Evening Post debating the extent of the local opposition to the CW route. The ENT group claim they represent "the community" and cite the election of Rushcliffe Borough and county councillors as strong objectors themselves.
However, these councillors only represent Compton Acres, and areas outside the catchment of the tram stops. Tram supporters point out the ENT group cannot afford to employ professional consultants, and claim its membership is restricted to people living immediately adjacent the disused railway embankment, unnecessarily over-anxious about the value of their homes.
The latest policy of the ENT group appears to be promotion of bus improvements "all over the county" instead of more tram routes to get cars off the road. So why didn't the group advocate this four years ago?
TRAM MURAL FOR STATION STREET
Schoolchildren and students have the chance, by autumn, to design a mural for a wall at the tram terminus. Other designs will grace the interior of the tramcars. The judges will be professional artists.
22 June 2005
IN DEFENCE OF LINE ONE ETC.
Two letters to the Evening Post, from Pat Armstrong and Colin Lea of NET, defend the success of Line One attracting traffic, and other transport matters. It is pointed out that tram passengers transfering from cars has been as much as 30%. Mr. Armstrong states trams are one important part of a total transport package keeping the local economy vibrant.
DfT TO RESPOND SOON ?
A full meeting of the county council has been told about discussions with DfT in London. A decision on Annexe E, the government contribution to the capital cost of the Phase II tram extensions, should be made before the summer recess of Parliament, starting 21 July. If not... the next Parliamentary session starts October 21.
Watch this space.
ANOTHER ENT LOBBY SESSION
At the end of May ENT sent a circular letter to all county councillors calling for the Phase II proposals to be abandoned (see ENT LOBBIES THE COUNTY COUNCIL, 03 June, above).
It now emerges the county council Environment Director, Peter Webster, has also written to all councillors, to counter ENT arguments.
ENT wish to send a second letter, emphasising wildlife on the CW route, and other excuses.
30 June 2005
NET TEAM GETS AWARD
A public-private partnership achievement of the year award has been given by the Municipal Journal to NET.
NEW SCHOOLS AT GRESHAM FIELDS
Outline planning permission for the new Emmanuel and Becket schools between Wilford Lane and the Trent was given a year ago by Rushcliffe Borough Council. The land is to be renamed Gresham Fields or Gresham Park. The detailed scheme for the Emmanuel was approved at committee yesterday evening. Both schools support the CW tram proposal, and will add traffic to the route. The new access for the Becket school will also serve 70 houses to be built on the site of the Chateau. The existing Becket sites will likely be given over to housing as well.
TALK ON TRAMS
Steve Barber, Chair of BACIT, gave a talk on NET Line One and the proposed Phase II to the Nottingham Industrial Heritage Association last night, using a notepad presentation.
RELAUNCHED BACIT WEBSITE
The BACIT website has been relaunched, and now has a BLIGHT-O-METER, measuring the number of days since the Transport Secretary and his various Junior Ministers pledged to give us a decision on whether government funding will be made available for Phase II. http://www.bacit.org/ .
> Click here