91热爆

Unlike some I remember the trams in Nottingham. As a child I remember going on the tram to Arnold to walk up Dorket Head. I have used the trams in Manchester and find them good. Last year I went to the Kirchentag in Stuttgart and was most impressed wuth the transport system, bases on trams. I look forward to seeing them again in Nottingham.

John Phillips
Milnthorpe, Cumbria

A FANTASTIC DEVELOPMENT FOR A FORWARD THINKING CITY. It is inevitable - the inner city car/bus combination is not the answer to a clean/vibrant urban environment. Although it may seem expensive now, the investment in NET will ensure that we and future generations live in a more sane city centre. When will the car be totally banned from the city centre?

Simon
Lenton, Nottingham

If Nottingham council want trams it is for the voters of Nottingham to agree or disagree. However NO part of the County rate should be given to the project as it is of NO benifit to the rest of the county.

Gassman
Mansfield, Notts

Accepting for a moment some of Stephen Barker's arguments, judging by the number of correspondents who feel that this is the case, then his PR department should be sacked for not properly explaining the situation prior to formal planning going ahead.

This is a faux-pas on the grandest scale!

Examination of his arguments show that they hold little water either. Certainly the former coalfield areas are disadvantaged - as much by politics as economics, so the Robin Hood Line is a welcome addition in assisting their transport needs. Despite overcrowding at times and delays (often due to vandalism of the infrastructure), I believe that the project has been a great success, and wish it well.

But another North-to-city alternative as the next step? Almost unbelievable for someone presumably interested in the transport needs of the city as an entity! What are the residents of Beeston, Clifton, Gedling, West Bridgford, Long Eaton, etc., supposed to ponder whilst they undertake their daily 'shuffle' into the city centre?

How nice it will be for Hyson Green residents, once the construction chaos eventually subsides.

Stephen - no doubt rightly - notes the "low car ownership and high public transport use" in the areas to be served by Line One. Great. If public transport is so efficient (and I believe that it can be), then why for heaven's sake do you not chose as a priority more congested routes which are less well-served by buses, and where the 'polluting' car currently dominates? Your arguments do not make any kind of sense!

The tram concept is brilliant - it can be efficient, convenient and an environmentally-friendly way of 'getting into town'. The Manchester system is a huge success from what I understand. Speaking to colleagues in Sheffield though, their system is apparently under-used and generally held in disrepute. And the reason they give? "They built it in the wrong place - it's of no use to us". Plain incompetance or worse?

Money may have been available to assist much-deserving former coalfield areas, but in terms of the overall environment and benefits to Nottingham's future prosperity, this route remains unjustifiable, even on its own proponents arguments. I am not privy to the detailed finances involved in this project, but I am left with the distinct impression that 'something stinks here'.

Gary
Ilkeston

Now can you see we need the tram?????!!! Look how heavily we rely on petrol, if we had the tram at the moment we'd be laughing our heads off at the rest of the country while we Nottingham-ians continue work as normal. HURRY UP TRAM!

Annoyed future tram user
Bramcote

Perhaps people in this city should go over to Europe and see how an intregated bus, tram and train, (sometimes underground), system works in places like Berlin, Florence, Lucerne.. etc. The list is endless!I recently visited Berlin and used their excellent roam-pass for the three days. We were never delayed. No connection left us waiting more than 2 minutes at a stop or platform. It was clean, efficient and EASY to get around! This tram is the best thing that could happen to Nottingham and should be extended quickly, even more so after this weeks events showing just how pathetically reliant we are on the car. The next area to benefit should be Carlton and Sherwood, through town and out to Wollaton and Bramcote. But then I suppose this will never happen as we are located by the Trent not the Thames and don't have a big tent,( sorry drain), to throw money at!

Phil H
Nottingham

I think the Tram system would be a good addition to Nottingham. The Manchester system is excellent, the only criticism being the relatively expensive fares.

Ian G
Stockport

I think the tram system will be a godsend in the Nottingham area. I have relatives that live in Nottingham and if it makes it easier for me to see them more often I am all for it. It is great to see that money is being spent on a city north of London as it seems that they get the majority of public funds spent on the south east.

Adrian Lings
Chesterfield, Derbyshire

The use of Tram systems has been proven effective in Manchester, Sheffield and Croydon but my only criticism is why duplicate the route of the Robin Hood line with a tram system in direct competition?? Admittedly this will improve competition but surely extending the tram system to Gedling and Beeston would improve its catchment area.

Kevin Heath
Long Eaton

I hope the tram system will be more reliable than the Robin Hood Line. I have to travel to Sheffield and the supertram system is excellent. I did consider using the robin hood line to get to Sheffield but, after being left standing waiting for trains I resorted to using my car. Anything that goes toward relieving congestion on the roads must be a step in the right direction, however it needs to be reliable and not suffer like the robin hood line.

Steve
Kirkby in Ashfield

I am in total agreement with the introduction of the trams and I trust the scheme will be extended through other parts of Nottingham(shire). Any thing that reduces the invasion of the motor driven vehicle in the city in particular must be good news. Reading other postings to this discussion, it would seem that some do not like to travel by public transport no matter how pleasant, unless the public transport picks them up from their house door and drops them of at their destination door they will never use it. These no doubt are the same people that bleat on about the environment how every body (except them) is polluting the very air we breathe whilst driving their car to work with no doubt just them in the car. Yes this project does cost real money, but this kind of system like the London Underground, and the Teeside Underground has substantial benefits in the long term, as any Londoner and visitor to London will tell you. The public transport in Nottingham must be improved generally and hopefully and all motor vehicles prohibited from the inner city, this includes all disabled vehicles unless no polluting i.e. electrically powered (The orange badge appears to be misused anyway by the vast majority of users anyway). Delivery to shop etc could be made by electrical driven vehicles from a lorry park to the shops concerned.

John
Arnold

Can we trust the planners in Nottingham. They wre short sighted enough to allow the destruction of a superb network of railway lines we had in Nottingham running right into the city centre, only to now spend millions on a tram network that will surly harm the road services.

Steve Mathers
Carlton Nottingham

Steve, I think that the planners today may well be different to the ones who closed the rail network down 35 years ago! Rail was closed because we were switching resources to the private car. Now we know that to be unsustainable we're switching resources back to PT - sorry if it causes a little inconvenience to car users.

Dan
Bramcote Nottingham

Trams? On the road? A bit old-fashioned isn't it? A monorail - that's what we want. Let's take to the skies and say goodbye to the congestion below! And while we're at it, let's reopen the canal network and the old railway lines.

Paul
Nottingham

and in reply...

Strange you should mention the canals Paul; the Grantham canal is being extensively renovated. This will provide passage by boat to Grantham and possibly more importantly allow drainage/extraction once again to drain areas of flooded land and permit watering of farmlands. It was always a bad move to permit the canal system be come derelict look at most areas of water in other counties, they make a feature out of it, a money making one at that. Having a drink at a pub with a view over a canal beat looking at a congested road.

John
Arnold

Nottingham SHOULD benefit from a tram system, but WHY OH WHY does it have to follow a route which is already well served by public transport already??? What about the rediculously congested routes between Nottingham and Derby? These routes should be PRIORITY in easing car traffic entering the City. A good park and ride system could be implemented further towards the outer suburbs of the City, rather than in the City itself. Unfortunately, Nottingham is still a "little big city", and will be until we opt to expand the borders to encompass the likes of West Bridgeford, Arnold, Carlton, and Beeston, which are all OUTSIDE the City. That is why the tram system is not considered for these areas!

Eddie Smith
Stapleford Nottm

The tram project is not worth it, neither is the sharp increase in traffic calming measures. People want to go places quickly and trams and speed humps slow them down. TRAMS = SLOW PEOPLE WANT FAST! So what if a few little kiddies get killed by passing cars, they shouldnt be out on the streets they should be inside on the computer costing their parents hundreds of pounds in new software titles. More money should be put into keeping streets free of people and widening roads enableing people to drive faster. So don't waste money on slow trams!

Pho-torp
Ilkeston

My Name is Matthew and i am 14. I think it is a good idea about the trams, but i would like it to go to west bridgford as-well. The only thing is i hope riding on the trams will not be expensive to ride if so they could do a tram pass like the Easy rider card from Nottingham city transport.

Matthew
West Bridgford

Trams - Well needed although it would have been a damn site easier to have not ripped down Nottingham Victoria station in the '60s! Although I never saw it myself it looked a million times better than Victoria centre! Also it provided the city centre with a link to any part of the country as well as most of the city. It seems such a waste to see those railway viaducts being torn down through the city. Nottingham's rail network was extensive to say the least- you could get almost anywhere in the city! Our current network is overloaded and far too small. But we can't go back so yes the trams are needed. The initial route may not satisfy all but as said it is only the initial route- to see how the system fares in an area already used to using public transport. The system will certainly need expanding into areas like Beeston and West Bridgeford (although how you'd get it into Beeston is beyond me...). Someone had suggested an underground system- this simply isn't viable to a city the size of Nottingham (or as hilly!). Fares will need to be cheap and the service reliable and frequent. Close links with trains at the railway station should be ensured (like having one ready when the London train arrives). Anything that keeps cars away from the city centre will be a definite bonus!

Nick Willis
Chilwell, Nottingham

I spent 12 months working in Nottingham in 1999 and spent my time getting to and from work in utter frustration and aggression caused by the constant traffic congestion. We live near Melbourne which has possessed an extensive tram system through the city and suburbs and thank God wise heads prevailed through the 60's and 70's when the pundits wanted to scrap the system for more freeways and highways. The system is efficient, environmentally friendly and convenient and carries thousands of passengers per day. I say Tram It!

David
Geelong, Australia

It would be nice if the forgotton side of the city & county were remembered once in a while. Coming from the A52/Grantham side we seem to get ignored - we don't even have a park & ride system unless we travel all the way to Colwick (not much of a saving journey wise). I have no doubt than a tram route stretching (or following) the route of the A52 towards Grantham would get plenty of use

Caro
Vale of Belvoir

I am a 15 year old teenager and I have very mixed veiws about the tram system as it will bring the centre of town to a halt for a long time. But I also believe that if everyone is willing to use it it will cut down on congestion in the city centre drastically. Personally I would be very willing to ride on the tram system but if it does go ahead I will not be looking forward to the construction of the new system. One more thing that bothers me is whether it will cost more than the current bus fares as this will be a huge factor as to whether many of todays society would be as willing as I am to tram it. I recently took a trip to Stutgart in Germany and they had a tram system. From the many comments I heard about it the general opinion was that they wouldn't be without it for the world. It has cut down on congestion and levels of pollution in the beautifal city centre. The fare was also the same price as the local buses and the service was much cleaner, reliable and comfortable. As an overall view I say "Go for it Nottingham!!!!"

Helen Douglas
Arnold, Nottingham

its a waste of time and effort to get this thing going, we had atram years ago, (although somewhat differant) and what did they do with the lines -ripped up or covered over. now they want to re-discover them what a laugh!

Jean edwards
Nottingham

Trams are not a solution, but they can be part of a solution. I have been working in Manchester for the last 6 months and seeing the way all forms of public transport - trams, buses and trains - are combined there is quite amazing. Introducing a tram system is not just about helping people get from A to B - it's about regenerating the town centre. Don't think that trams will solve all your problems, or solve nothing - only if it is combined with a sustained effort over many years will there be change in the City.

Michael Nolan
Nottingham

Have you ever tried to travel to Arnold from Hucknall to get to work? Not an easy task on a wet, windy and cold winter day! Two buses, bad connection times. When will there be a direct public transport service on this route?

As for the trams, why didn't the planners create a route along land at the side of Hucknall bypass, to serve the Western side of Hucknall instead of duplicating the route alongside the Robin Hood Line?

A Gregory
Hucknall

Living in the north part of Notts what purpose would the tram serve to us.Virtually none.However when it comes to asking for the money we'll see a substatial rise in our council tax.Paying for Police ,Libraries etc is acceptable but this is not.The nonsense about local jobs is rubbish as per usual outside contractors will come into the area for a year or two then go elsewhere.Why not improve the current shabby rail link?

Marc P
Sutton in Ashfield