| Topic: | Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Time to reconsider the west london tram scheme | |
| Posted by: | Chris Veasey | |
| Date/Time: | 08/08/10 18:10:00 |
| The only 'principle' trams share with trolleybuses is electric traction. It's not a matter of one being more up to date than the other; rather which system is best in which circumstances:- A long on-street route through a succession of crowded narrow town centre high streets like Uxbridge Road is a 'natural' for a trolleybus route, and anything but for a street tramway. By contrast, the Croydon, Nottingham or Manchester situations where redundant or decrepit heavy rail routes can be and have been converted to off-rosd tramways, and where use can be made of lightly-trafficked central area streets previously relieved of other vehicle traffic by bypasses (unlike Uxbridge Road), can be very suitable for tram operation. I can't see we'll even get rid of motorbuses entirely, certainly on the more lightly-trafficked suburban routes (notwistanding that I just don't agree with you re their comfort), but I would like to see a comprehensive trolleyroute network replace motorbuses in the more densely-trafficked routers, which in my judgement swouldor should include all routes which require double deck (or bendy) buses to cope with the traffic. This would transform both public transport service quality and the local environment. Unfortunately the redneck dinosaurs in control at the top of TfL couldn't give a toss about either - I've heard them as good as say so in public - so we ain't getting decent road-based public transport in London any time soon. There would be significant cost and implementation timescale involved in converting motorbus routes to trolleyroutes (though most of the timescale problem, and a significant part of the cost, is thanks to the imposition by our political, lords and masters at Westminster of a mindlessly and destructively complex and bureaucratic requirement for this comparatively simple technology to be subject to the full rigours of the Transport and Works Act, just like a proposed new railway or tramway - other countries are more sensible). But in any event, a trolleyroute could be provided at a fraction of the cost, implementation timescale, and disruption (temporary and permanent) of a street tramway. The main infrastructure construction element for a trolleyroute would be the electricity substations, which would be required essentially as for an electric tramway. That could raise local issues and concerns in some localities and circumstances which would have to be addressed, as did the substations which were planned for the Uxbridge Road tramway. |