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This is the Conversation Forum for Talking Point: Congestion in our Cities << school runs. Pedal Power >> Subject: Road Tolls and Trams Posted Jan 16, 2003 by DoctorGonzo   Posting 1 There are plans for both in Edinburgh, and as soon as they are implemented the better. We have a pretty good bus service in the city - only marred by the traffic that hold up the buses, but it could still be improved with more park-and-ride services. Better public transport, I say, and penalise the car-owner in the city, where it's unnecessary. Read the First Reply to this Posting Subject: Road Tolls and Trams Posted Jan 16, 2003 by CMaster This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 2 builiding a new tram system is bad. Read the First Reply to this Posting Subject: Road Tolls and Trams Posted Jan 16, 2003 by DoctorGonzo This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 3 Why? I want to leap on to a tram and look dashing. Read the First Reply to this Posting Subject: Road Tolls and Trams Posted Jan 16, 2003 by CMaster This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 4 Because in Nottingham they've spent about 3 years ( and wont be finished till november) building a single tram line. It has caused lots of traffic and otherwise disruption and the amount of money spent could have transformed the local bus service and helped the whole city. Read the First Reply to this Posting Subject: Road Tolls and Trams Posted Jan 17, 2003 by Mat Lindsay (the researcher formerly known as Nylarthotep...now he has a name, all he needs is a face) This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 5 Surely the long term benefits outweigh the short term disruption? Read the First Reply to this Posting Subject: Road Tolls and Trams Posted Jan 18, 2003 by CMaster This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 6 Yesss, but the long term benefits of an improved bus system given the same amount of funding would have been greater. Of course, if the council had presented a well planned system designed to service the whole county rather to central government rather than an expensive tram system serviving a small number of people along its route they would never have got the funding. Subject: Road Tolls and Trams Posted Jan 19, 2003 by Born-again Cyclist This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 7 Didn't Nottingham have a tram system many years ago? I seem to remember having ridden on a tram (or perhaps it was a trolley bus) some time around 1953-1955. I was of course very young at the time . Read the First Reply to this Posting Subject: Road Tolls and Trams Posted Jan 19, 2003 by Researcher 216024 This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 8 Recent Appeal Court decision in favour of accident victim, and against Sheffield tram company, will effectively put the kaibosh on future tram developements for fear of litigation brought by people who can't seem to take responsibility for themselves..an increasingly common trait these days...... Read the First Reply to this Posting Subject: Road Tolls and Trams Posted Jan 20, 2003 by Mat Lindsay (the researcher formerly known as Nylarthotep...now he has a name, all he needs is a face) This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 9 Seen many tram accidents in the city of my birth (Sheffield, that is). The trams have both a loud bell that they sound whenever they are about to move off and a horn that makes me loose bowel control for the occasions where motorists and pedestrians ignore the former or put themselves in direct danger of death. My favourite Tram related incidents include the following: -Man in white van pulls out in front of tram...the tram takes off the front of his van. -Tram pulling away from platform (which are about three feet above the ground) when a, shall we say impetuous young lad, steps out in front of it. His leg is dragged under the tram and he's pulled twenty feet before the driver is even aware he's there. What were the specifics of the case you mention? Read the First Reply to this Posting Subject: Road Tolls and Trams Posted Jan 20, 2003 by GreyDesk This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 10 The first time I drove along the tram route in my car I got rather spooked by the loss of grip in the tyres as I encountered the tram rails - it was pretty wet at the time. Ever since then, driving along these routs is a case of dinking to the left and right to minimize the time spent in contact with metal. I would be interested to know if there have been any accidents with cars losing their grip totally because of the rails? Read the First Reply to this Posting Subject: Road Tolls and Trams Posted Jan 20, 2003 by Mat Lindsay (the researcher formerly known as Nylarthotep...now he has a name, all he needs is a face) This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 11 Driven on them myself in the wet...smell it? I was sat in it. Read the First Reply to this Posting Subject: Road Tolls and Trams Posted Jan 20, 2003 by Kelli - 89/89 pre-babies weight reached. 8/21 to wedding weight This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 12 Croydon has a tram system that is really good - the launch was delayed slightly due to a couple of pedestrians not seeing the huge red tram or hearing the loud bells as it approached (possible darwin award winners). The problem seems to be resolved now that people are used to them coming and going. The tram system is good, and is complementary to the good rail networks - the latter go north to south and the former east to west. Given how busy they are they must have had some effect on the number of cars driven into croydon. Read the First Reply to this Posting Subject: Road Tolls and Trams Posted Jan 20, 2003 by Mat Lindsay (the researcher formerly known as Nylarthotep...now he has a name, all he needs is a face) This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 13 Please pass on some diamond tips to the clowns that run the trams her in Sheffield! Subject: Road Tolls and Trams Posted Jan 20, 2003 by Researcher 216024 This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 14 Seems some guy totalled his life skidding on wet rails----possibly the rad signs were not too clear----also rails were 2mm too high----wouldn't deny accident "victim" financial assistance, but level of compensation was enough to make tram company say s-d it, and go home!!!! Seems the courts are very capable of rubbishing good ideas......was that treason---am I going to be arrested for contempt? Our youngest family member thinks that fox is the plural!! Read the First Reply to this Posting Subject: Road Tolls and Trams Posted Jan 20, 2003 by GreyDesk This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 15 The trouble with the Sheffield tram system is that, for the most part, it goes to places that you don't really want to go to. I mean who cares if you can get to Hillsborough by tram. If you could get out to the posher parts of town such as Fulwood by tram, then you might well encourage the richer car owners of the city away from their motors. Read the First Reply to this Posting Subject: Road Tolls and Trams Posted Jan 21, 2003 by Mat Lindsay (the researcher formerly known as Nylarthotep...now he has a name, all he needs is a face) This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 16 I care that you can get to Hilsborough by bloody tram as I'm not rich enough to move to one of the "posh" areas of the city! Read the First Reply to this Posting Subject: Road Tolls and Trams Posted Jan 21, 2003 by Pastey - the ranter This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 17 I like the tram system in Sheffield, I even remember them building it. It makes it easy to park out by the Meadowhill (hall?) shopping centre, jump on a tram into the city and not worry about the congestion in the centre. And they run late, which is more than can be said for most public transport. Read the First Reply to this Posting Subject: Road Tolls and Trams Posted Jan 21, 2003 by Mat Lindsay (the researcher formerly known as Nylarthotep...now he has a name, all he needs is a face) This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 18 They also run in the bloody snow, which can't be said for other forms of public transport or private vehicles most of the time. Read the First Reply to this Posting Subject: Road Tolls and Trams Posted Jan 21, 2003 by Myjo - Keeper of Decisions That Should Never be Made on Two Hours of Sleep This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 19 If politics there are anything like they are here, there may NEVER be trams/subways/etc. in the posher areas. Rich folk pay to keep them out because 1) They don't want the noise of construction; 2) Few of them are willing to give up any of their land to accommodate the necessary lines or stations (and they have the money to fight any plans a city might have of taking the property by force); and 3 they don't want to encourage an influx of outsiders into their part of town. The only way I can see them changing their stance on this is if public transportation becomes either so commonplace that public opinion forces them to comply or if for some reason it becomes trendy amongst the in-crowd (which I see as highly unlikely). It's too bad, really. I own a car, and I LOVE to drive, but I choose to take the subway into town for work. Turns out I really enjoy it. I like not having to fight rush hour traffic. I love the fact that it shaves 20 minutes off my commute. I don't have to pay ridiculous amounts of money just to park for the day. I enjoy being able to read and relax instead of getting frustrated with other drivers. In my area, public transportation is not always easily accessible, so I understand that it's not a viable solution for many people. However, I think if more people who live near the train or subway lines would give it a shot, they might just find that they enjoy it, too. Myjo Read the First Reply to this Posting Subject: Road Tolls and Trams Posted Jan 21, 2003 by CMaster This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 20 The problem is that its just the one line, I have nothing against trams. Oh, and most of the rails that i've seen are full of tarmac, so there either needs to be a big rail clearance system or there's gonna be a LOT of derailments when they start running. Read the First Reply to this Posting Conversation list Most of the content on h2g2 is created by h2g2's Researchers, who are members of the public. The views expressed are theirs and unless specifically stated are not those of the BBC. 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