Could The Ironbridge Line in Telford become a light rail/tram route?

[jfowkes]

Moderator note: Split from https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/the-ironbridge-line-in-telford.237182/

Wouldn't this be better turned into a light trail/tram system rather than heavy rail? It would be a good starting point for a small tram system covering the Telford area in general.

Population is ~175,000 (and that's before the Ironbridge development), which as I understand it is on the low-ish end of population for a tram system, but not outrageously so. And of course the town will keep growing.

 

[AlastairFraser]

Wouldn't this be better turned into a light trail/tram system rather than heavy rail? It would be a good starting point for a small tram system covering the Telford area in general.

Population is ~175,000 (and that's before the Ironbridge development), which as I understand it is on the low-ish end of population for a tram system, but not outrageously so. And of course the town will keep growing.

The junction on the existing line faces the wrong way, away from Central Telford unfortunately. And a tram system would have to find a new alignment from there into Central Telford, not neccesarily easy.

A tram train system might not be a bad idea with this as a pilot line. It's (the Brum to Shrewsbury line) a not particularly heavy trafficked line and the branch would be useful connecting several sizeable employment and housing areas to Central Telford.

 

[boing_uk]

The junction on the existing line faces the wrong way, away from Central Telford unfortunately. And a tram system would have to find a new alignment from there into Central Telford, not neccesarily easy.

A tram train system might not be a bad idea with this as a pilot line. It's (the Brum to Shrewsbury line) a not particularly heavy trafficked line and the branch would be useful connecting several sizeable employment and housing areas to Central Telford.

A tram train with additional stops at key local points that don't warrant a full heavy rail station would be helpful.

And maybe expand upon it using some of the reserved ways on the "grid" roads.

The layout of Telford does to a degree lend itself a tram network between its major centres for living and employment.

 

[AlastairFraser]

A tram train with additional stops at key local points that don't warrant a full heavy rail station would be helpful.

And maybe expand upon it using some of the reserved ways on the "grid" roads.

The layout of Telford does to a degree lend itself a tram network between its major centres for living and employment.

The only issue with the layout of Telford for a tram system really is the layout of the town centre hemmed in between large roads. The rest, yes, is sufficiently well built for public transport corridors to be inserted.

 

[boing_uk]

The only issue with the layout of Telford for a tram system really is the layout of the town centre hemmed in between large roads. The rest, yes, is sufficiently well built for public transport corridors to be inserted.

Is that really an issue? West Centre Way, Malinsgate, Grange Central up to Hollins Gate and Telford Way would be a reasonably sensible route through as that would pick up most destinations such as Telford Centre and the new Station Quarter.

With getting through between the residential areas it really all depends on imagination and willingness to CPO and potentially demolish buildings to route through as some routes are not necessarily the best via existing roads.

 

[StKeverne1497]

The junction on the existing line faces the wrong way, away from Central Telford unfortunately. And a tram system would have to find a new alignment from there into Central Telford, not neccesarily easy.

A tram train system might not be a bad idea with this as a pilot line. It's (the Brum to Shrewsbury line) a not particularly heavy trafficked line and the branch would be useful connecting several sizeable employment and housing areas to Central Telford.

Firstly, I'm not from the area though I did visit quite a lot in the 1970s and 1980s because relatives lived nearby.

To a casual observer, the Ironbridge branch looks like an ideal starting point for a light rail system - it passes near quite a lot of high-population areas and right next to one of the museums. Regarding the problem junction, would there be enough room alongside the building labelled "Stericycle" on Google maps for a curve suitable for tram-trains? Heavy rail wouldn't need to negotiate that. Alternatively the aerial images make it look as if there's enough space between the factories which back on to the A442 queensway to squeeze a single light-rail line along that hedgerow (probably have to dig the hedgerow up I suppose).

I can't understand why more councils aren't looking seriously at possibilities like this - there are loads of disused lines which could be reconsidered for reopening as light rail, many of which now pass very near to new housing and industrial areas.

 

[Bald Rick]

I can't understand why more councils aren't looking seriously at possibilities like this - there are loads of disused lines which could be reconsidered for reopening as light rail, many of which now pass very near to new housing and industrial areas.

Because buses are much, much cheaper to operate, and cost essentially nothing in infrastructure costs.