The year in review

23 December, 2004

2004 has been a year of both successes and frustrations for the campaign in favour of the proposals for the tram extension to Beeston and Chilwell. However, the year has finished on a bad note, due to yet more locally caused delays to the scheme.

Looking back to January, NET Line One was running late in commissioning, and the Anti-tram groups were revelling and confident in their hope that NET would fail. Line One was finally opened by Alistair Darling on 8th March, and public service started the following day. Line One has been a roaring success, with patronage figures well above those expected. Its’ success has been a major hindrance to the anti-tram groups, who have tried to adjust their position, such that they are now claiming to be against the proposed route and not against the tram as they used to state.

In early 2004 the consultations for the line to Beeston and Chilwell continued. BACIT held members meetings with NET to talk through the proposals, and through constructive negotiation gained an extra stop at Cator Lane and some changes to the route through Beeston. BCBRA complained, since they missed the deadlines for consultation submissions.

The transport minister attended a big conversation event at Beeston Town Hall that became dominated by discussion on the tram. Broxtowe Borough Council held a vote on the tram scheme, which descended into farce when local anti-tram residents tried to have the meeting stopped by turning up late and complaining when the council chamber was full. It resulted in the police being called. The Council, despite intimidation, voted in favour of negotiation on the tram proposals by a massive majority.

BCBRA advertised a public meeting in the Evening Post, and then evicted people who did not share their opinion, claiming the meeting was in fact private. They then had to apologise for misleading people. The BBC held a groundswell debate on the tram, and the level of ignorance and disinformation still being spread about the scheme became apparent.

In the summer, the City and County Councils confirmed their support for the proposed routes by voting them into the local transport plan, and confirmed that the routes would be taken forward to a Transport Works Act Order. Again, huge majorities of both councils supported the scheme. At that time an assistance package was approved for shop keepers who may be affected by the construction. BCBRA (who claim to represent them) still refuse to negotiate with NET or the Councils on this.

The National Audit Office report on Light Rail was published, which has held Nottingham up as the gold standard for UK tram schemes. NET Phase Two meets all their requirements. However, due to a Department of Transport spending review the announcement of the funding of NET Phase Two, expected in the late summer, was delayed. Property blight and stagnation started to bite as investment was being held back to wait for the tram scheme decision. BACIT started pressing the Councils and Government on this, urging for a quick decision.

In November, BACIT and the two anti-tram groups (BCT and BCBRA) met with transport minister Charlotte Atkins, and an announcement on funding was finally expected before Christmas. However, a week before the meeting the County Council caused their second delay to the scheme, claiming not to be able to vote on submitting a TWOA until after the elections in seven months time, regardless of when the decision comes from London. The Council firmly blamed the Government for the delay, a claim rejected by the minister who said it is the promoters decision. BACIT subsequently discovered that there was no legal reason for the delay at the time it was announced, and the reasoning is more than likely political.

So the scheme has moved forward, and Line One is huge success. But an apparently un-necessary decision taken by our County Council (described by City Council sources as lacking political courage) is now holding up £1bn of inward investment on the Phase Two corridor, and the blight and stagnation in Beeston and Chilwell goes on. Let's hope for more progress one way or the other after the elections in 6 months and in 2005.