Route mapped out for return of trams to city
A multi-million-pound tram system could take passengers from a new eco-town into the city centre in 15 minutes, new plans show.
A map produced by the Co-op, which wants to build a 15,000-home town south-east of Leicester, shows the route a tram could follow.
There are seven stops in the proposed eco-town, known as Pennbury.
These are followed by stops at Oadby university campus, Stoneygate, Knighton Park Road, Leicester University, Leicester Railway Station and Charles Street.
The plans also show how the tram network could be extended in the future, to serve Oadby and Wigston.
Another extension could be built to the north, along the A6 towards Loughborough.
The Co-op has estimated that the basic tram network would cost about £300 million, with another £100 million needed for the extension to Wigston.
A segregated tram line would run parallel to Gartree Road, then would share with bus lanes on the A6.
The Co-op estimates there would be between 10 and 12 trams an hour, each carrying a maximum of about 190 passengers, as in Nottingham.
It would take just over nine minutes to travel through the eco-town, and then just over 15 minutes to travel to Charles Street.
Trams would be given priority at the junction of the A6 with the A563 at Oadby racecourse.
London Road, outside Leicester's railway station, would need to be redesigned to provide a tram stop and an interchange. The bridge across the railway tracks at the front of the railway station might need to be replaced to make it strong enough to carry a tram.
Councillors have raised concerns that the cost estimates are not realistic.
Coun Nicholas Rushton, county council cabinet member for transport, said: "I would have thought that £300 million would be the absolute minimum.
"The thing about the tram system is it is essential if the town is passed out there, but how you get it into Leicester I don't know.
"How do you get it into the city centre without demolishing the whole of London Road?"
Coun Peter Coley, city council Liberal Democrat group leader, said: "How realistic is this figure? A tram system in Nottingham cost much more than this."
Coun John Boyce, leader of Oadby and Wigston Borough Council, said a link to the borough would be "important".
Ruairidh Jackson, head of planning and property strategy for The Co-operative Group, said: "The calculations we've done, we think, are fair and accurate.
"The Nottingham tram route was wholly in the urban area and when you are laying a tram onto an existing road system it is very expensive per square metre.
"The difference for us is that more than a third of the total route from the town to the city will be on our own land."
City council bosses have said that the project could be feasible with cash from the Government and the Co-op.
The Co-op says it could contribute about £40 million towards the tram project, plus £5 million for its development.
Leicester City Council says it would expect a contribution of about £225 million to come from the Government.
This would leave the council needing to find just £35 million for the project, which bosses say is within reach.
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by Kieran Smith, Leicester
Wednesday, March 25 2009, 12:10PM
“I am an 18 year old and have lived in Leicester all my life. And projects like Pennbury and the tram system are big benefits to people of my generation , yeah sure the will be there for the use of everyone but it will be you grandchildren that we big the ones looking for affordable housing in 15/20 years time, at the end of the day children are our future and if we campaign about the eco - town and it does not get built then they will suffer, especially as population is always on the up!”
by Mr LFE, Mr LFE
Monday, November 03 2008, 3:29PM
“Eco-worrier...
I don't care - good point well missed.!”
by Fed Up, Birstall
Monday, November 03 2008, 3:23PM
“I love these silly ideas coming to the fore.
Far more illustrious cities do not have trams so why should we, and how do we merit to do so!
Further more, after the High Cross construction grinding Leicester to a halt do we need yet more disruption.
Not that I often venture into Leicester but it would be nice to enjoy it without more hassle .
if you want trams live in Nottingham!”
by Cllr Phillip King, Kibworth, Leics
Monday, November 03 2008, 3:10PM
“So now we have the Tram to nowhere becoming the tram to the city centre- but only along the A6 London Road.
This is merely a sop to the LABOUR-CO-OP Party run government , from their financial backers, the CO-OP,
What is more nonsensical is that there are more 'back of fag packet' calulations for the cost of this scheme, which appears to be way ,way off the mark, given the amount of land that would have to be purchased along London Road
- Does anyone doubt that there would not be serious knock-on effects all across the City and along every aterial road?
It's not a question of NIMBYISM nor of it being a forgone conclusion. There is a proper process to be gone through and so far, despite the odd person in support of this scheme, there are possibly much better routes for a tram scheme in Leicester, if one is viable.
If the LABOUR-CO-OP Party run Leicester City Council wants a tram scheme then, rather than this half baked idea to solve the transportation issues of the CO-OP's Pennbury scheme, the City Council should commission a proper investigation and report into the feasibility of such a plan before going any further with it.
A number of key questions to be answered are:-
1) Who is going to pay for the capital costs?
2) Who is going to cover the running costs and any losses?
3) How many people along the proposed line would actually have need or use this system ?
4) What would be the peak number of people per hour to be transported on the tramway v the total number of people needing to be transported?
These question require more consideration than 'back of fag packet' calculations, and are in many people's view rather fundemental to the viability of any potential tram scheme.”
by Eco-worrier, Leicester
Monday, November 03 2008, 3:09PM
“Mr LFE:
Why do you care? You seem to spend more time on here than anyone else, but FWIW protesting has a very valid purpose. It makes people feel more in corntrol of their lives and can achieve great things, from the abolition of the poll tax to the right for women to vote. So your solution is to accept whatever we are told and get drunk, Soviet style- great. I have a very full life thank you, but I feel very strongly about this, what is YOUR problem with that? Read about a great example of local protests working, regarding the Applegate bus route in this edition.”