Surely, there's no likelihood whatsoever of the tram going to EMA, there's just too little there (even the regular buses take few passengers). Much the same for Derby, no chance in next 10-20+ years.
The only reason I thought of that is because of the lack of buses in the area.
If there isn't enough patronage to support buses, then why does spending hundreds of millions on a tram make sense?
There's really not many problems. Yes a few peak services are cancelled but there's a tram 7 mins max either side.
Fair enough but NET themselves seem to regularly list problems, parts of routes that can't be served, accidents etc. In tram system terms Nottingham is small, just 2 cross-city routes - they could do with building some confidence with potential travellers.
It's difficult to stop idiots driving onto the segregated track sections and getting stuck, despite the extensive signage and bollards; also difficult to stop idiot drivers just driving straight into trams, or to stop general RTAs happening on or near the tracks. All these factors completely outside of the tram operator's control add up to a good percentage of the problems.
Perhaps it's that they routinely advise the publlic of every problem?. I don't recall hearing that much about problems on the bigger systems (i.e Manchester, Sheffield etc), but that could simply be that they don't broadcast each and every issue.
Yes I think that's probably right. Manchester only show it on the Bee Network app, so you'd have to check that constantly. Sheffield seem to constantly publish cancellations.
The other thing is that because it's a pretty small network where everything goes through the same core section between David Lane and Nottingham Station, any incident on this section quickly affects all services, so it is quite fragile.
With the partial exception of Manchester, every UK tram system relies on a single set of tracks through the city centre.
Not a local, but my thought was that it would be a fast run to the Ratcliffe development and East Midlands Parkway, a stop just to the west of Kegworth serving there and the logistics park north of the airport, before going into the airport. ie connecting things to the station and people to employment rather than just just connecting those places into the city centre. Some serious engineering needed though.
I did think it was odd that they came up with 3 options, two of which were minor extensions by one of a few stops of the existing terminus - and the third option is an entire new route. Surely these aren't fare comparisons - the Gedling idea surely won't stand a chance as it's way more ambitious/expensive than the others
Yes, it was presented like they were all in competition with each other but I don't know if that's actually the case, I can't really see it being so... Although it may potentially be the most cost-effective (e.g. have the greatest benefit)
Thanks, I was going to take a walk at lunch to get some of my own
I would have thought that as this is a street section, the track being embedded rather than ballasted and exposed would minimise any damage to it?
Yes, that's what I would expect, but judging from its position the tram took a hell of a whack, so I wouldn't rule it out entirely. Most tram accidents just involve minor damage to the front or side and no derailment. This must have been terrifying for the passengers in the front end, feeling the entire tram being shunted sideways like that.
There is no obvious damage from the original impact amongst that caused by hitting the pole, so I would say this was probably quite minor but enough to derail the tram which must have been moving quite fast. After derailment to one side, the front section of the tram will start to follow the new direction of its wheels and deviate further from the line of the track, not helped by the magnetic track brakes no longer working on the derailed part.
I can’t see new trams being ordered unless to replace the Incentros (which is a few years off yet) or to go alongside an extension (at least a few years off) so they’ll just muddle along with peak cancellations
One reason modern British tram OLE is much heavier than historic systems is because it is designed not to drop below a certain height if any one support is lost.
Interesting, I didn't know that. I suppose that makes a lot of sense when parts of the route are vulnerable to road users running directly into the supports (in addition to the indirect cause in this case). If the OHLE came right down, while still live, on a crowded street I'd imagine the consequences could potentially be very severe.
It's 350m from the site of the accident to the junction, so I wouldn't expect any effect from the physical damage at the junction; and I guess the system was probably designed so the two sections diverging from the junction can be isolated independently (it makes a lot of sense, for engineering works as well as incidents).
Just to update on this, the suspension is the whole Clifton line this evening, but it is expected to revert back to today's arrangements tomorrow.