The Anonymous Widower

Nottingham Targets Multimillion-Pound Tram Extensions

The title of this post is the same as that of an article in Issue 901 of Rail Magazine.

The Nottingham Express Transit (NET) is a quality tram system and seems to have been taken to the heart of the people of the city.

Three separate extensions are proposed.

Clifton Pastures

Clifton Pasures is a proposed development of 3,000 houses and 2,000 jobs to the South of the Clifton South Park and Ride stop on the NET.

This Google Map shows the area, bounded in the West by the A453.

Note.

1. The red arrow marks the vehicle entrance to the Park-and-Ride from the A 453.
2. A short extension of the NET will be built, which has been costed at £49 million.

It looks to be a well-thought out extension.

Toton Lane Park and Ride To East Midlands Hub Station

This extension from Toton Lane Park-and-Ride stop to the East Midlands Hub station for High Speed Two was first proposed in 2015.

This Google Map shows the area.

Note.

1. Toton Lane Park-and-Ride is on the Eastern side of the map.
2. East Midlands Hub station will be built on the Western side of the map on Toton sidings.
3. It doesn’t look like there is any serious construction problems in between. There would probably be bridges or tunnels over the B6003 and the railway.
4. Would the NET cross the East Midlands Hub station on a bridge at right-angles, as it does at Nottingham station?

This extension of the NET has been costed at £106 million.

The original plans discussed here in Wikipedia, envisaged continuing to Derby.

Nottingham Racecourse And Gedling

The Rail Magazine article describes this extension as follows.

The third (and the longest) proposed route would involve construction of a new route towards Nottingham’s eastern suburbs via Meadow Lane, the Cattle Market, Daleside Road and Nottingham Racecourse.

It is hoped this route could one day stretch as far as a new Park & Ride site planned near Gedling Country Park, although this is not included in the current plans.

This Google Map shows Central Nottingham.

Note.

1. The red arrow shows Nottingham station.
2. Nottingham Racecourse is at the Eastern side of the map.
3. The A6011 is Meadow Lane, which passes Notts County football ground.
4. Daleside Road connects Meadow Lane to Nottingham Racecourse.
5. The estimated cost of this extension is quoted at between £96 million and £116 million.

 

 

It appears to me, that the branch will break East from the main route going South to Clifton South and Toton Lane tram stops and then on the streets along Meadow Lane and Daleside Road to Nottingham Racecourse.

Points And Questions

I have some points and questions on the route.

Access To The Football And Cricket Grounds

Will the Nottingham Racecourse extension improve access to the two football grounds and Trent Bridge cricket ground?

It  would be much closer to the sports grounds, than any current tram stop.

Access To Holme Pierrepoint

Will the Nottingham Racecourse extension have a stop at the Holme Pierrepoint National Watersports Centre?

Will There Be A Park-and-Ride At Nottingham Racecourse?

I think there already is one, so will the NET connect it to the City Centre?

Would it be useful to connect this Park-and-Ride to the Queen’s Medical Centre on the Toton Lane branch?

Will There Be Opposition To All The Street-Running?

Every time, I’ve driven near Meadow Lane, Daleside Road and Nottingham Racecourse in the past, it’s been very congested.

Will voters allow these roads to have street-running trams?

Will Trams Be Able To Go Between All Branches?

After the completion of these three new branches, there will be five branches; Clifton Pastures, East Midlands Hub, Hucknall, Nottingham Racecourse and Phoenix Park. All branches will have one or more Park-and-Ride sites.

I can see that there are arguments for these connections.

• Between the Nottingham Racecourse extension with all its major sporting venues and the other branches.
• Between the Queen’s Medical Centre on the Toton Lane branch and the Nottingham Racecourse extension.

I can see that the junction between the Nottingham Racecourse extension and the current NET network being rather complicated, as it must allow these connections.

• East to North
• East to South
• South to East
• North to East

This junction will need a lot of space and get increasingly expensive.

March 28, 2020 - Posted by AnonW | Transport/Travel | Nottingham Express Transit, Nottingham Forest, Nottingham Station