Nottingham Tram Groups Correspondence released by DfT

23rd April, 2006

Following a series of freedom of information act requests to the DfT, they have released correspondence from the various pro and anti tram groups. The correspondence released can be inspected at www.dft.gov.uk. It includes correspondence the DfT have had with BACIT, and anti-tram groups ENT, BCBRA and BCT.

BACIT received a request from the DfT to release our information a while back and were happy to agree. It has been speculated within the BACIT discussion group that a journalist may have put the requests in.

The information from the anti-tram groups contains all the normal arguments about "no proper consultation, no one is answering questions and no one wants the scheme". The following main items of interest have come out of the information released.

  1. BCBRA accuse our local MP of trying to hijack the meeting he arranged for both pro and anti-tram groups with the transport minister for political reasons. They have also been pursuing Alan Simpson MP. (see selected emails here).
  2. The chair of ENT have potentially mislead both the Secretary of State, Mr Darling, and a number of transport ministers with their cost comparison errors and on Line One patronage figures (among other issues).
  3. BCT have presented their normal noise arguments. It seems they have now corrected some of the factual and technical errors from their earlier reports circulated in 2002/3. This seems to have only further clouded their arguments.
  4. BACIT's main points seem to revolve around the need for a decision one way or the other to help end blight.
  5. Of all the groups BACIT has written least, BCBRA have submitted most information but ENT have written most. BCBRA's correspondence seems to be mainly from one committee member that runs a small business and appears to be from Mr. S Williams from the bed shop. The reports submitted by BCBRA make for interesting reading. ENT's correspondence is much as expected with a derisory and patronising attitude to both the scheme and the promoters.

The information lays down a series of clear markers for likely arguments that will be put forward at an enquiry when that point in the project is reached.