Beeston & Chilwell
Integrated Transport

NCT (Nottingham City Transport) is a partner within the Line One contract - the project will therefore benefit from the provision of new feeder buses and a reduction in competing services (buses would not offer the same access, reliability, speed, ride quality or punctuality as the tram). The use of elderly and disabled persons' concessionary fares, joint ticketing and joint timetabling, on trams and buses are planned as well. With further lines there can be no guarantee at this time that any bus company will be involved. We have held initial discussions with the bus companies and should they be involved, we will encourage them to provide these integration benefits that are, as you say, very successful in Croydon and we hope will be successful in Nottingham when Line One opens next year.

2) I wrote to the Post some time ago commenting how the trams will be a godsend to me as a mother with two young children. However, since then I have learned that although the tracks will pass to within a few minutes walk of our house there is no stop proposed on Cator Lane. This means that I and several hundred people in the neighbourhood will derive no benefit from the trams. How can NET justify the disruption and loss of property by Chilwell residents without giving them a convenient stop?

The NET project team is currently carrying out further design work - this will include a detailed look at the location of all stops. We can confirm that investigations are underway regarding an extra stop near the Cator Lane crossing. Our investigations will model the likely usage of each stop, mindful that competitive journey times are also a consideration - the optimum number of stops will maximise local usage, whilst also providing for viable longer-distance journeys.

3) The tram will run close to several schools. How can you keep the children safe when trams will be thundering past at 50 mph?

All available evidence based on experience elsewhere suggests that trams are among the safest forms of road transport and, by reducing the overall growth in traffic, the tram should help overall to reduce accidents.

We take public safety considerations very seriously and we are concerned for the safety of children living near to the tram lines that we build. We are already focusing on this issue along the route of Line One. Our Road Safety Officers are closely involved in the project and will be involved if future lines are built. All public access and particular crossing points will be carefully considered and appropriate designs developed. Ensuring the safety of children will involve giving them a good understanding of the tram as well as safety being built-in to the system's design. Tram information and the 'new rules of the road' will be incorporated into our safety education programmes.

Operating speeds will be determined by the Highway Authority and Her Majesty's Railway Inspectorate to ensure that those selected are safe. It has been noted that some people have been worried by the thought that the tram could travel at 50 mph through their area. 50 mph is the top speed that the tram could reach, when running off-street and here tram speeds would be very carefully assessed relative to the surrounding environment. On street or where the tram is not separated from other traffic and pedestrians, the tram would strictly observe pre-set speed limits and often run well below them.

A tram has an efficient triple braking system; friction and dynamic (electric regeneration) braking in normal service, supplemented by a magnetic track brake for emergency use. Other road vehicles like cars only have friction braking. The braking force of the tram is electronically controlled, not relying on the pressure of the drivers foot, and is activated with less physical action, with a single hand operated controller. Consequently, a tram will consistently give high performance at stopping in emergency situations. Furthermore, the position of the driver gives excellent forward visibility and the drivers will receive a high level of training. The vehicle follows a predictable path and is easily seen by other road users, including pedestrians. Trams have an excellent safety record and should not increase danger outside local schools, where children having to cope with the many passing and parked cars are the main safety concern. By encouraging people, particularly car users, to transfer to the tram, the number of road accidents is expected to fall. For example, it is predicted that NET Line One will bring road accident savings valued in accordance with Government guidance at £5 million. In view of the tram's relative safety and its ability to provide an attractive alternative to car trips, the South Wilford Primary and Nottingham Emmanuel Schools have welcomed the proposals for a line through Wilford. We are confident that NET would run safely next to schools and be a positive benefit in transporting children, as occurs elsewhere.

4) RE The tram route along Chilwell Road, Beeston and the High Road Chilwell. The south side of this section, between the Police Station and Broxtowe College, is architecturally nothing special. But we do see the 'face' which is meant to be seen and has better brickwork and detailing. If they are demolished the less attractive 'backs' of the buildings behind, which were never intended to be seen by the public at large, will be exposed. Therefore a comprehensive re-development of the south side is essential if any sort of acceptable minimal amenity is to be preserved. As a comprehensive redevelopment is unlikely to be taken on by the Tram's private developers, can Broxtowe Council afford to undertake this level of work?

Should Line Three go ahead, measures to improve the visual impact of the buildings at the back of the new off-street parking areas would be included in a package of 'environmental improvements' for the area.

5) The building of Line One has caused huge disruption and in the Evening Post the traders in Croydon described the building of their system as a very difficult time. How are you going to build Line Three without blighting the life of local residents and destroying the businesses?

If either or both routes go ahead, the main construction would be expected to be completed in about two years, although, at any one location, works would be over in much less time. It is inevitable that construction would cause some localised noise and disturbance and involve temporary traffic arrangements. The impact on people living locally or needing to travel through the area would be mitigated by sensitive working methods, close public liaison and intensive communication of information, as is being utilised during the construction of Line One. The NET project team has learnt even more from the works involved on Line One and will make every reasonable effort to minimise any disruption during the construction of any other lines.

Work for the on-street sections broadly involves three stages:

* Moving and renewing the utility pipes and cables under the road (gas, electric, sewers, telephone etc.);
* Excavating a broad trench and laying communications cables and a concrete slab on which the rails are fixed and then surrounded by the final road surfacing as well as realigning and resurfacing the road and footways;
* Putting up poles and the overhead power cables, erecting tramstop shelters, signs, etc and installing signals.

Each stage is done as a rolling programme so any one location only has works for a limited period. Work would normally be undertaken in approximately 100 metre long sections and half the road width at a time. For example the most impact is in the second stage - track laying. Essential access to properties would be maintained; diversions would be implemented for passing traffic and safe routes provided for pedestrians. Crossings of important traffic routes would be undertaken so as not to cause major delays. There would, no doubt, be more impact if a route were chosen that utilised considerable lengths or numerous crossings of roads but for options that simply cross the road the impact would be small. Where the tram doesn't run on roads the works are simpler with much less need for utility diversion and a simpler track formation.

We would seek to enhance the Chilwell Road/High Road retail area by providing a larger number of parking spaces than now available, specific loading bays for local businesses and environmental improvements to make the area more attractive to walk around and to go shopping. An extra tram stop would be provided in the centre of the retail area to encourage people to visit.

By removing parking from the main road and by providing more spaces in the side streets and off-street, the flow of traffic through the area would be improved, creating a safer environment. The existing road is wide enough for the tram to operate in both directions along with other traffic and as explained above, the tram would not cause congestion. The removal of on-street parking would in fact reduce congestion and allow the tram to operate freely with other traffic. The extra parking provision in off street facilities would involve some property acquisition.

Great care would be taken to minimise disturbance during construction. We would enable the business community to continue working during the construction works and would maintain access into shops for loading and unloading and for customers.

A financial assistance package was implemented for small traders in the Hyson Green retail area to mitigate against any financial loss they may incur during the construction of Line One. A similar scheme is being looked at by the County Council for the Chilwell Road / High Road area.

6) BCT and BCBRA say the trams are going to be noisy, you say they will be quiet. How do you know that peoples lives won't be ruined by tram noise, especially at night, and what compensation will be made available for people on the route?

The tram is a relatively quiet form of transport. However it is true that the introduction of occasional noise impacts to a very low noise environment is likely be more disturbing than a similar impact in a location with higher background noise levels. Careful design can minimise any impact and this is one of the important factors that will be considered in the environmental impact assessment, which will aid design and will form the basis of the environmental statement to be submitted to Government along with the application for any Transport and Works Act Order.

Comparisons take no account of possible mitigation measures such as the speed of the vehicle (likely to be relatively slow through residential streets - less noise), track design, or the presence of any intervening obstructions (walls, earth bunds or from within a building etc.) all of which reduce the impact. Noise nuisance is also dependent on the number of vehicles passing. One tram has a similar passenger carrying capacity to three buses and so there are fewer incidents of noise overall. And experience elsewhere indicates 20-25% of tram passengers will be people who otherwise would have travelled by car - so even less noise.

If any property is acquired by the project, the owners will be fully compensated at the market value. Even if no part of your property is acquired you may, in due course, be entitled to compensation for 'injurious affection' (depreciation of your property due to 'physical factors') under Part I of the Land Compensation Act 1973. These physical factors are noise, vibration, smell, fumes, smoke, artificial lighting or discharge of substances onto your property from operation (not construction) of the tram. You may also be able to claim for noise insulation under the Railway Noise Insulation Regulations 1996. (Contact DTLR on 0870 122 6236 for a leaflet). There is currently no compensation for loss of amenity.

7) If a tram breaks down it will render the whole system useless. How long does it take to remove a tram and get the system back to normal?

A modern tram system is extremely reliable and as such breakdowns are very rare events. The operator is developing procedures to deal with events such as these. Measures include the provision of crossovers so that trams can turn back to continue on as much of the network as possible, the fact that one tram can push/tow another and that every tram will carry backup batteries. The operator will also have a road/rail vehicle (with road tyres and rail wheels), which would be able to tow a stricken tram vehicle to a safe place.

8) How will you stop people driving to tram stops and parking up, making life hell for those live near the stops?

We consider this as part of design and we would monitor the situation once tram operations were under way. Should parking problems arise, residents' parking schemes could be introduced. This has not been a recurring problem in other UK cities with tram systems.

9) Why are you bothering with a public inquiry? It's a waste of everyone's money because its just going to approve whatever NET wants.

As part of the Transport and Works Act (1994) process, the Government would call a public inquiry once we, the promoters (NET), have submitted an application.

An independent inspector, appointed by the Government, would chair a public inquiry. Inspectors are specially chosen for their ability to handle inquiries and weigh up the evidence.

The Inspector would: make sure that the inquiry is open, fair and impartial; report on objections that are presented at the inquiry; comment on the arguments for and against the proposals and consider the relevant facts and arrive at conclusions on the matters put to the inquiry and recommend whether or not the proposals should be approved with or without modification, or give reasons for not making any recommendation.

It is important to remember that the Inspector simply makes a recommendation. The Secretary of State makes the final decision after considering all the representations and objections, the Inspector's report and the Government's policies.

10) There was something in the paper about the tram being integrated with a new outpatient's department at the QMC. Can you tell me more about it?

The outline plans for Line Three at the QMC provide for the tram line to be raised up on a structure and to serve the hospital at first floor level. The line continues over Clifton Boulevard on this structure, before descending into the University of Nottingham campus. The QMC has indicated that should this route be built, they would redevelop this south side of the hospital. The QMC have yet to draw up any plans, but it is likely that these will include a new entrance to the hospital from the tram stop (so that you could get off a tram and directly enter the wards) and redevelopment around this new entrance.