Trams in London

[Deleted]

Ken want's to run Trams along the whole of Oxford Street by 2012!

[Deleted]

I heard this rumour a few months ago, anything official yet? As most of you are aware edinburgh is being dug up to have its trams put in at the moment we are having utility works to move pipes etc away from the route and as from saturday the main artery through the west end of the city will be closed for at least two months , details of this are available on lothian buses website or www.tramtime.com

[jrussa]

Yeah I heard it to! It is a fair proposal with advantages and disadvantages.
So what would happen to routes like 73, 113, 176, 82, 13, 139, 16, 6, 9??
Wouldn't like 82 and 16 be diverted from Baker Street via Edgware Road
Then 73?? (dunno)
176, probably divert to Warren Street Station


Truly! What do you guys beleve would happen?

[ServerKing]

No way is that happening - could you imagine the disruption?! Shop owners would definately be opposed to having one of the world's most famous shopping areas turned into a building site for months on end. And where would the tram run to? After the West London Tram was sucessfully opposed, (I used to live in Hanwell Broadway, it wouldn't have worked) I'm sure this hare-brained scheme will die on its ass. Where would all the routes be diverted to? 73's on Wigmore Street?! Let's see if Ken still has a job by the end of May first More of our money to pi$$ up the wall, with 'consultations'....(sigh) Trams on Oxford Street will never materialize, I've got more chance of marrying Keyshia Cole ;D

[Deleted]

ServerKing, totally agree with you there... Oxford Street is quite narrow in some places and there wouldn't be any room for both trams and taxis/buses to run together. Narrowing the pavement wouldn't be a good solution to that either due to the amount of shoppers around. Surely Ken saw the amount of disruption caused around Croydon when Tramlink was being built? A vast building site, diversions and traffic galore - fun fun fun ;D

[Deleted]

Yes, but what a good tram system we now have in Croydon. Was the pain experienced whilst building it worth it - yes I think it was.

[beaver14uk]

As a colleague said to me if this was to happen where would you build a depot to house them!!!!

[Deleted]

steve517757 said:

Yes, but what a good tram system we now have in Croydon. Was the pain experienced whilst building it worth it - yes I think it was.

There have been a lot of problems and safety issues with the Croydon Tram system. It is though not really a tram system but a ligght railway with almost all over it running over segrageted old railway lines. All the problems are occuring in Croydon where it runs onto normal roads. A very high accident rate is occuring there.

As far as I know there is now a goverment block on any new tram lines. Glasgow was too far down the road to sensibly stop, The proposed Shefield system was binned as was the West London Tram link. Running trams though Oxford street would be nothing short of lunacy. It one of the busiest streets in London and its also quite narrow. The safety issues alone would be fat to high and the cost would run to Billion. You have to move all the services put in new foundations and endless other work.
Quite what they would do if services needed to be renewd I dont know as they would have to shut the footpath.