News from May 2002

"The most striking thing about the meeting was the turn out. About a hundred and thirty people squeezed in the the hall which meant it was standing room only for the late comers."

Read the full report of BACIT's high succesful 1st public meeting. You can also read our press release.

The agenda is being finalised for BACIT's first public meeting which is taking place next Wednesday, the 29th. The main presentation will be by Norman Shelly who has a lifetime of experience and is world renown expert in trams and similar transport systems. We will also have short presentation by Peter Fox, railway engineer and Sheffield Supertram expert. Plus a telephone link to traders on the Croydon tram route. The evening will finish off with a question and answer session.

All are welcome to what we hope will be an informative evening. The meeting starts at 7.30pm at the Church Hall, Church Street, Beeston.

From Sheffield resident, Paul Jackson.

"...it is like turning the clock back to the late 1980s in Sheffield. Without exception all their arguments are the same as we had.... The nice thing now though, is the amount of times those who did their utmost to stop the tramway being built are seen travelling on the TRAM. There are now no tram opposition groups at all in the city, on the contrary there are those who want the tram extended to their areas" Read on.

One of the most amazing things about the anti-tram campaigners is the way they spread false rumours and misinformation. BACIT have been told by three separate anti-tram supporters that Nottingham County Council have either thrown out or delayed approval for Lines Two & Three. This is of course rubbish. As we reported on 20th, the council voted on the 16th May by a large majority to push on with the plans. I would like to be able to point you to either the NETor the Nottinghamshire County Council web sites for more detailed news but neither organisation has actually updated their web sites with the news. However you can watch a webcast of the meeting and download the report of the NCC Cabinet prepared for the full council meeting.

Scott McIntosh, Croydon resident and Project Manager for Croydon Tramlink has sent BACIT some comments about trams covering a broad range of issues including

"Construction: If handled carefully road access to properties can be maintained at all times.... Loss of Trade: The Council found that the rate of business failure and closures during construction was NO HIGHER than in the preceding years. House Prices: ...NOT A SINGLE PROPERTY EXPERIENCED A FALL IN VALUE. Inital Results: ... number of people visiting the shops has increased by 11%. ... Secondary shopping areas are showing 100% occupancy... Safety: Road accidents fell ..... Trams are also fitted with extremely powerful magnetic brakes .... provide double the normal braking – irrespective of rail and road condition."

Read the document in full.

BCBRA, the anti-tram group, like to think they speak for everyone in Beeston. Here at BACIT we often receive notes of support from people on and off the tram route including this one from a residence on Chilwell Road very close to a prominent anti-tram campaigner's business.

"Dear Mr Barber
Re:BACIT
You have all our support re: the tram. We feel that our street cannot possibly be worse than it is now!"

Which neatly summarises BACIT's view that the tram will be good for residents and businesses in Beeston.

Last Thursday (16th May), Nottinghamshire County Council voted by a substantial majority to accept NET's recommendations for lines 2 and 3 serving Chilwell and Clifton. The City Council had already voted in favour. This now paves the way for NET to proceed to the next stages of seeking funding from Central Government and to prepare detailed plans to obtain a Transport and Works Act Order (TWAO). It is likely that this will take at least seven or eight months.

You can read BACIT's press release here.

In the BCBRA April Newsletter it claimed that "Independent research shows that tram noise in Sheffield falls outside government-set levels for residential areas". So we BACIT emailed the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions to find out what those levels might be (we also emailed BCBRA and had no reply). The DETR was:

"Thank you very much for your email. I contacted the Health and Safety Executive about your questions and they in turn have taken advice from Her Majesty's Railway Inspectorate. HMRI is not aware of any regulations which specifically limit noise from trams in the public highway."

Another BCBRA lie put to rest. Read the DETR full response.