"Once again, Ken Livingstone is telling us 'I know best'"

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Member of London Assembly says Mayor ignores majority against Tram

Letter for publication:

"Dear Sir,

Once again, Ken Livingstone is telling us "I know best" when he ignores the 2 to 1 majority against the Tram from the 17,000 responses to TfL's own consultation. He prefers the 54% in favour from the 815 responses to his own Market Research. His argument is that something has to be done to ease congestion down the Uxbridge Road, and because it can carry the most passengers (300), and force the most cars to use other routes, then the Tram is the answer.

Of course the Tram is not the only answer to ease congestion along the Uxbridge Road. There is a very viable alternative called a Trolley Bus. A Trolley Bus has all the environmental advantages of the Tram but with much more flexibility. It could go where a Tram cannot, like up to the entrance to Ealing Hospital, and can run under its own power if necessary, for example if there is a power cut. Since it has rubber tyres, there would be no need to dig up the Uxbridge Road for 13 miles over 3 years to lay tram tracks. It could be up and running in about 1 year, and the cost would be between one eighth and one quarter the cost of the Tram. The Uxbridge Road could be the backbone of a Trolley Bus network, with Trolley Busses running down roads to either side, like Northfields Avenue. We could have a proper transport network for less than the cost of the Tram.

The Tram is out of date technology already. Unfortunately, the Mayor, and Transport for London, don't seem to want to listen."

Peter Hulme Cross
Member of the London Assembly Transport Committee

March 6, 2005