http://www.transportbriefing.co.uk/story.php?id=3741

Quote
Cross River Tram needs route rethink and air-con
Filed 05/02/07

The London Assembly Transport Committee has given its support to the
development of the Cross River Tram project but has criticised some
parts of the planned route.

In its submission to a Transport for London consultation on the
proposals, the committee praised the regenerative and congestion-
relieving benefits the tram scheme would bring but members said a
number of critical issues still needed to be resolved.

Alignments through the Somers Town estate and Burgess Park were deemed
inappropriate with the roads in the vicinity said to be too narrow.
Members also called for the route to be fully linked up with the
proposed tram line along Oxford Street, and for flexibility to extend
the routes to Arsenal, Streatham and New Cross in the future.

In addition, the committee's submission said a suitable location for
depots at each end of the route must be found and the trams should be
air-conditioned.

Assembly member Geoff Pope, chair of the Assembly's Transport
Committee, said: "TfL and the boroughs have made a good start in the
early stages of their planning, but the devil will be in the detail of
ensuring that a whole series of local needs are achieved."

The committee backed proposals to route the Brixton arm of CRT via
Baylis Road and Kennington Road rather than Elephant and Castle.
unquote

Seems a very common sense response.
TfL launched its latest round of consultation on the Camden Town to
Brixton and Peckham tram link at the end of last year.

One of the questions asked related to the route of the Brixton arm.
Option 1 would see the Brixton and Peckham branches dividing at the
Elephant and Castle. Option 2 would place the tram junction outside
the Old Vic theatre, with Brixton-bound trams running down Baylis Road
to Kennington Road and Peckham trams continuing down Waterloo Road
towards the Elephant.

Pope told the meeting: "Option 2 is preferable on balance from the
evidence we have today."

In his official letter to TfL on behalf of the committee, he wrote:
"The committee supports Option 2 on this route, which runs down the
Kennington Road and past the Imperial War Museum. This would increase
tourist and visitor numbers, boosting the local economy. This route
would also serve St Thomas' Hospital, providing easier access for
patients and visitors."

The committee's response was agreed by a majority but Conservative
Members did not support the submission.

Bob wrote:
http://www.transportbriefing.co.uk/story.php?id=3741

Members also called for the route to be fully linked up with the
proposed tram line along Oxford Street

Surely the Oxford St Tram would be built later, in which case they should be
arguing for the Oxford St Tram to fully link up with CRT, rather than the
other way round.

On Feb 9, 12:15 pm, "John Rowland"
wrote:
Bob wrote:
http://www.transportbriefing.co.uk/story.php?id=3741

Members also called for the route to be fully linked up with the
proposed tram line along Oxford Street

Surely the Oxford St Tram would be built later, in which case they should be
arguing for the Oxford St Tram to fully link up with CRT, rather than the
other way round.

It's a good idea to take the necessary precautions already in a case
like this. I'm not exactly sure what they would be.

On Fri, 9 Feb 2007, sweek wrote:

On Feb 9, 12:15 pm, "John Rowland"
wrote:
Bob wrote:
http://www.transportbriefing.co.uk/story.php?id=3741

Members also called for the route to be fully linked up with the
proposed tram line along Oxford Street

Surely the Oxford St Tram would be built later, in which case they
should be arguing for the Oxford St Tram to fully link up with CRT,
rather than the other way round.

It's a good idea to take the necessary precautions already in a case
like this. I'm not exactly sure what they would be.

Routing it down Tottenham Court Road instead of Southampton Row!

Okay, so that's not likely. It probably just means making sure enough room
is left around the alignment at Holborn to be able to fit in a junction
with tracks along New Oxford Street. There's doubtless the matter of route
protection, too.

tom

--
inspired by forty-rod whiskey

On Feb 9, 9:19 am, "Bob" wrote:
The committee's response was agreed by a majority but Conservative
Members did not support the submission.

Theres a surprise. Good forbid the Tories should ever support a public
transport initiative other than when it involves flogging off some
public asset.

B2003

Bob wrote:
http://www.transportbriefing.co.uk/story.php?id=3741

Quote
Cross River Tram needs route rethink and air-con
Filed 05/02/07

The London Assembly Transport Committee has given its support to the
development of the Cross River Tram project but has criticised some
parts of the planned route.

In its submission to a Transport for London consultation on the
proposals, the committee praised the regenerative and congestion-
relieving benefits the tram scheme would bring but members said a
number of critical issues still needed to be resolved.

Alignments through the Somers Town estate and Burgess Park were deemed
inappropriate with the roads in the vicinity said to be too narrow.
Members also called for the route to be fully linked up with the
proposed tram line along Oxford Street, and for flexibility to extend
the routes to Arsenal, Streatham and New Cross in the future.

In addition, the committee's submission said a suitable location for
depots at each end of the route must be found and the trams should be
air-conditioned.

Assembly member Geoff Pope, chair of the Assembly's Transport
Committee, said: "TfL and the boroughs have made a good start in the
early stages of their planning, but the devil will be in the detail of
ensuring that a whole series of local needs are achieved."

The committee backed proposals to route the Brixton arm of CRT via
Baylis Road and Kennington Road rather than Elephant and Castle.
unquote

Seems a very common sense response.
TfL launched its latest round of consultation on the Camden Town to
Brixton and Peckham tram link at the end of last year.

One of the questions asked related to the route of the Brixton arm.
Option 1 would see the Brixton and Peckham branches dividing at the
Elephant and Castle. Option 2 would place the tram junction outside
the Old Vic theatre, with Brixton-bound trams running down Baylis Road
to Kennington Road and Peckham trams continuing down Waterloo Road
towards the Elephant.

Pope told the meeting: "Option 2 is preferable on balance from the
evidence we have today."

In his official letter to TfL on behalf of the committee, he wrote:
"The committee supports Option 2 on this route, which runs down the
Kennington Road and past the Imperial War Museum. This would increase
tourist and visitor numbers, boosting the local economy. This route
would also serve St Thomas' Hospital, providing easier access for
patients and visitors."

The committee's response was agreed by a majority but Conservative
Members did not support the submission.

Does anyone know why the Conservatives didn't support the submission?


--
Dave Arquati
www.alwaystouchout.com - Transport projects in London

On Fri, 9 Feb 2007, Dave A wrote:

Bob wrote:

The committee's response was agreed by a majority but Conservative
Members did not support the submission.

Does anyone know why the Conservatives didn't support the submission?

I would suggest looking on:

http://www.glaconservatives.com/

For comment. But this does not appear to be the website i was looking for
(more obviously so if you have javascript off, or a browser with sane
handling of script import errors).

tom

--
I have often thought that the questions which we were unable to ask and
the speeches that we never had a chance to deliver were probably the
best ones. -- John Wilkinson MP, on Parliament