Metrolink

Hi Jay,

I saw this report today and think it's really bad news for the area. Metrolink into the city would be wonderful step in the right direction, as you say getting people out of their cars. People will go to the airport whether the Metrolink is there or not. I suppose if they are going, then the Metrolink at least lessens the impact, even if only a fraction.

Particularly horrifying, to me, was the news that Tameside Metropolitan Council has already started work which has involved evicting people from their homes and demolishing them to make way for the scheme. Clearly they assumed it was in the bag, which seems to be the way that TMC likes to operate.

From the Government's side, it seems they're back on the road-building agenda. My cynical take on this is that they're saving their money for road schemes in the area instead.

Cheers,
Emma

Hi Jay,

I saw this report today and think it's really bad news for the area. Metrolink into the city would be wonderful step in the right direction, as you say getting people out of their cars. People will go to the airport whether the Metrolink is there or not. I suppose if they are going, then the Metrolink at least lessens the impact, even if only a fraction.

Particularly horrifying, to me, was the news that Tameside Metropolitan Council has already started work which has involved evicting people from their homes and demolishing them to make way for the scheme. Clearly they assumed it was in the bag, which seems to be the way that TMC likes to operate.

From the Government's side, it seems they're back on the road-building agenda. My cynical take on this is that they're saving their money for road schemes in the area instead.

Cheers,
Little Em

This is definately not good news. Personally, I find the metrolink incredibly convenient, to the point at which I've decided not to even bother learning to drive. Extending the metrolink to other parts of manchester would getat least some people out of their cars, and the system is certainly not underused, unlike some rail services. I've been on many train journey's when I've had the whole carriage to myself and maybe 2 other passengers, but I can't remember a single time when I've been on the metro and at had less than a quarter of the seats full. Let's face it, whether or not you're going to have to take a taxi to the airport is not going to affect anyone's decision on whether or not to book a flight.

Could someone explain how at the beginning of the last century
thousands of miles of tram track were laid in our cities and yet
today it is impossible to extend urban tramways beyond a couple of
routes? Is the economy so much poorer now? Is there so little
need for rational systems of mass transport? Or is it something to
do with the drastic curtailment of local government powers over the
last three decades, and policy choices to favour roadbuilding and
the private car?

All governments seem in thrall to the car lobby. The motoring press and manufacturers have yet to put forward a convincing argument as to what building a road ever solves in the long term.

Light rail schemes have been shown to be better for the environment, better for retailers, better for regeneration and better for quality of life. It is ridiculous, therefore, to consider taking away the funding and committing yourself to (a great deal more) funding of roads.

As for TMC, they would naturally have to CPO some houses in order for the tram to go in. I don't think you can criticise them for that really.

I despair of transport strategies in this country.

Something which confuses my simplistic desire to believe that "public transport good, private bad" is who owns/operates Metrolink - Serco.

Serco profits/manages/etc private prisons & hospitals, nuclear missile 'defence' systems and long-range ballistic missiles, is generally involved in the arms trade and is involved in the privatisation of council services (they run 'council' leisure centres in Manchester, wanting to Union-bust...). They are involved in many 'invisible' areas of your daily life, but maybe most noticeably in Metrolink. They are one of the few companies that have an extremely cosy ongoing relationship with the City Council (like AMEC).

Metrolink & GMPTE also ran a consultation on carrying bicycles on trams, and then when the results came in decided to discount them and claim they'd been hijacked (it might have helped them if they'd actually tried a bit to distribute the forms beyond the Piccadilly Travelshop!).

Use the tram but don't pay.