West End Extra - LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Published: 14 March 2008
Let’s get trams back on track
•YOUR February 29 issue led with Ken Livingstone pledging to open a tramline along Oxford Street by 2018 (Mayor Ken’s pledge for an Oxford Street tram).
A private consortium offered in 2005 to build a tramway along Oxford Street, at no cost to the public purse.
Since then this proposal has been further developed. A presentation was made in January to the GLA transport committee for a “free” tramway between Notting Hill Gate and Limehouse, serving Oxford Street, the West End, the City, and with an interchange to the DLR at Limehouse, Canary Wharf.
Recently the South East Bayswater Residents Association mentioned these plans in its newsletter.
We believe that a privately funded, commercially operated tramway could be opened in time for the 2012 Olympics.
The proposal is for a tram stop at every Central Line Tube station, with one or two tram stops in between.
The innovative British City Class tramcar will be used, which can carry 200 passengers in comfort and safety.
With a junction at Kingsway, we plan links to the proposed Cross River tramway between Euston/King’s Cross and Waterloo, giving new lines, which presently cannot be conveniently made by public transport.
Is there a willingness to look at new ways to deliver better public transport, with TfL in partnership with private sector promoters? PROFESSOR LEWIS LESLEY
Technical Director of Trampower
Send your letters to: The Letters Editor, West End Extra, 40 Camden Road, London, NW1 9DR or email to letters@westendextra.co.uk. The deadline for letters is midday Wednesday. The editor regrets that anonymous letters cannot be published, although names and addresses can be withheld. Please include a full name, postal address and telephone number.
Letters may be edited for reasons of space.