Annex
LIGHT RAIL SYSTEMS IN GREAT BRITAIN
Blackpool. Conventional historic tramway
system with some street running and some segregated track on promenade
and between Thornton and Fleetwood.
Croydon Tramlink. (28 km). Due to open at
the end of 1999, Tramlink uses former rail routes and some new
construction, linked with street running across the centre of
Croydon. The network will link Wimbledon, Croydon and Beckenham
Junction with an extension on a new alignment to New Addington.
It will be operated by a consortium, Tramtrack Croydon Ltd, under
a 99-year concession agreement.
Docklands Light Railway. (22 km). The existing
network from Bank and Tower Gateway to Island Gardens, Stratford
and Beckton is being extended. The 5km extension to Lewisham will
open later this year, and that to City Airport has just been approved
in principle. Operated under a seven year franchise agreement.
Fully segregated and automated system.
Manchester Metrolink. (31 km). The existing
system from Altrincham and Piccadilly to Bury links two former
suburban rail lines with street running across Central Manchester.
Work is under way on an extension to Salford Quays (which will
open later this year) and to Eccles, due to be completed in 2000.
Further extensions to Ashton under Lyne and to Manchester Airport
are proposed. The system is operated by the Altram consortium.
Midlands Metro. (20 km). The line from Birmingham
to Wolverhampton opened in June. The route uses an abandoned main
line railway, with street running in Wolverhampton. Extensions
are planned. Travel West Midlands is the operator.
Nottingham Express Transit. (14 km). Approval
has been given to the first phase of this scheme, which will link
the city centre with Hucknall, partly street running but with
8km alongside an existing railway and construction work has started.
It will be operated under a 30 year concession by the Arrow consortium
which includes the local authority.
Sheffield. (29 km). This system links the
suburban areas of Sheffield with the City Centre and Meadowhall.
Part street running, part reserved track. Stagecoach operates
the system under a 27 year franchise.
Tyne and Wear. (59 km). Using former suburban
rail routes from Newcastle to Tynemouth and South Shields, the
system also involved a new underground section in Central Newcastle
and a new bridge across the Tyne. The network has been extended
to the airport, and an Order for extension to Sunderland was sought
in 1997. It is operated by Nexus, the Tyne and Wear PTE, and is
fully segregated.
OTHER SCHEMES
Powers have been or are being sought for other
light rail schemes in Bristol, Leeds, South Hampshire (Portsmouth
to Fareham). Many other schemes have been evaluated, as described
in the 1991 Transport Select Committees report, but are still
some way from implementation.
October 1999
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