(Dominic) wrote in message . com

2. Buses can easily rival trams at shifting passengers - just 2 of
these 180 passenger Van Hool double-artic buses carry more than a
Croydon tram:
http://www.vanhool.com/products_bus_detail.asp?

The new Porto eurotrams can carry 290 people each, and can couple
together to make one long tram. (Alternatively you could construct
long trams, the new modular tram designs allow that.) That's 580
people on one smooth, quiet tram.

Pics (single units) at
http://mercurio.iet.unipi.it/pix/pt/...otram/pix.html

They're a bit unwieldy, but so would Croydon trams be if they really
had to mix with the traffic!

Trams aren't unwieldy at all (and I have had the pleasure of driving
one). The length makes little difference to the driver, as the track
steers it. Length doesn't impair braking performance either.

3. Buses ride just as well as trams, if you put them on a well
surfaced road.

Guided buses may ride well, but non-guided buses can't avoid lateral
movement. There is also the engine noise and vibrations that detract
from the internal ambience. Because trams don't have significant
lateral movement, the are usually wider, improving comfort levels.

6. One final point - buses require no fixed infrastructure to be built
on their route.

But they cause significant wear and tear on the road surface.

If there are
roadworks, you drive around them!

One of the reasons that tramways cost so much is that underground
services are removed, and the road is usually rebuilt. Tram tracks
laid in concrete are designed to require very little ongoing
maintenance over their lifespan.

regards,

Rob Ferguson