Nottingham Tram Strikes

[tram21]

GMB Union have announced that their members at NET Nottingham Tram have voted to take strike action over pay.
They've said it's going to take place over Goose Fair, the busiest and most profitable week of the year.

https://www.gmb.org.uk/news/nottingham-goose-fair-tram-strike-confirmed-as-over-90-back-walkouts

Around 300 drivers, mechanics, control room and ticket office staff are expected to join strike action, with 92% GMB members voting to back strike action.

Union reps will agree and announce strike dates in the coming days

 

[neontrix]

NCT will be very busy over the Goose Fair then. Do they normally provide an increased service on the yellow/lime/brown/purple lines over that weekend?

 

[tram21]

NCT will be very busy over the Goose Fair then. Do they normally provide an increased service on the yellow/lime/brown/purple lines over that weekend?

They normally do, but its mostly covered by tram. They used to run specials from Queens Drive P&R, and if the strikes do go ahead then maybe they'll look at running something similar. How people will access Goose Fair with no nearby parking will be interesting to see.

 

[ChrisC]

Years ago many people from towns and villages to north of the city would use the bus to the bus stops on Mansfield Road, then walk down the long driveway to the fair. This was certainly the case for people from Hucknall, Kirkby and Sutton in Ashfield, Mansfield etc. Perhaps Trent Barton and Stagecoach will find buses from these areas quite busy if people can’t use the tram from Hucknall. As a child, I remember crowds of people waiting at bus stops on Mansfield Road by The Forest Gate and very full buses out to Hucknall and beyond.

 

[BJames]

For maximum impact they picked the right time - trams are always exceptionally busy around Goose Fair. It is the most cost-effective way for students to get from University Park over to the Goose Fair and indeed one of the rare times (potentially the only time) I ever ventured as far as the Forest in my first year.

NCT doesn't provide the best alternative from Uni Park campus as it'd be a change in town from 34/35/36, so I expect a lot of people will turn to Uber or similar if the strike goes ahead as this is significantly quicker. Price surges will be likely but with a few people in the car it would still be reasonably affordable.