TRAMS: ‘GREAT IDEA’ OR ‘PIE IN THE SKY’?
Mixed reaction to multi-million pound transport plan
MULTI-MILLION pound plans to link up the six towns of Stoke-on-trent with a tram system have been met with a mixed response from residents.
Families have broadly given a thumbs-up to the scheme – which would see a transport hub on the East-west development site in Hanley.
However, some have described the move as like ‘groundhog day’ after trams were last seen in the Potteries 92 years ago.
The original Potteries Electric Traction trams ran for 30 years up until 1928, when they were replaced with buses.
Since then there have been calls to reintroduce trams.
The new trams could run from Tunstall, through Burslem, and then along Waterloo Road to Hanley. After passing by the East-west site, it would then split into two branches, with one heading towards Stoke station, and the other going to Longton.
Council chiefs accept that their ambitious proposals for a metro system could take a decade or more to come to fruition, but say that they need to start developing the plans now to ensure they are ready to go ahead once funding becomes available.
Kevin Arnold said: “We had a tram network before and it was ripped up for scrap when they resurfaced roads.”
Maurice Arnold said: “Most youngsters will not know, but we used to have a tramway. They ripped it out and scrapped it. This feels like groundhog day.”
Kevin Smith thought it would be a great idea to revitalise Hanley and the other towns.
He said: “Anybody who has negative views on trams should take a look at how successful they are in Manchester, Nottingham, Sheffield and Birmingham.”
Some suggested a tram network could eventually be linked up with Leek along the old rail line and to Kidsgrove and Biddulph.
Tony Jackson said: “I personally think this is a great idea and if it can be linked to the train station even better. We need to modernise, other cities that have invested in similar projects have thrived including Manchester, Nottingham and Edinburgh to name a few.”
However, some residents were not as keen on the idea and others described it as ‘pie in the sky’ after the idea was mooted years ago.
Mike Edwards said: “The council is going to waste so much money on this then decide it’s not worth it four or five years down the line when there is so much that money could actually go on to improve the city.”
And Natalie Baker said: “It’s never going to happen!
“As much as I appreciate the ambition and forward thinking of these plans, without funding in place, they’ll just sit there gathering dust, like so many of these artist’s impressions we’ve seen over the last 20 years, none of which have ever come to fruition.”
The council originally proposed a tram network as part of its initial bid to the government’s Transforming Cities fund, although the scheme was eventually dropped from the final submission.
It has so far spent £5million acquiring and clearing the East-west site, after previous developer Realis abandoned its retail-led plans, with the demolition work being completed around a year ago. The authority already owned the former bus station site next door, which is now Birch Terrace car park.
Jonathan Bellamy, chairman of the City Centre Business Improvement District, welcomed the council’s latest regeneration plans for Hanley.
He said: “The pictures look great, and the ideas, scale and scope of the development look ambitious, which is really important for taking our city centre forward, not only locally but regionally and nationally. “It is also a huge chunk of our city centre space, much of which has been unproductive for at least 10 years already, so it is vital we see these wonderful plans come to fruition as soon as possible.”