SuperTram Mk II?

[raveydavey]

Ah, the Emperors New Clothes have surfaced again.Most consultants (more fees) more discussion and nowt actually happens.For goodness sake, the original tram system was proposed in the 80's and we're still no nearer.ftr (the purple slugs) aren't the answer. Too few seats (practically half the maximum capacity is standing), get stuck in the same traffic as everyone else and are often subsituted for whatever ratty old double decker (with single crew operation) is to hand.Park and Ride should have been built at Scholes and used the central reservation to speed commuters down a dedicated (few / no intermediate stops) roadway in the centre of York Road. Instead we go the misguided bus lane, duopoly for First and Arriva and massive congestion as a result of the bus priority light stopping everything else moving as buses meander from one side of the road to the other and back again, before the misguided lane ends and the buses joing the rest of the traffic.The obsession with any new route serving St James' Hospital is another bugbear. The place is already served every couple of minutes by a dozen bus routes, so why does every new additional public transport idea have to be funnelled into such a restricted area?Why, oh why, the new Pontefract Lane - M1 Jct 45 route wasn't designed from the outset with dedicated bus lanes and a big park and ride directly off the motorway I will never know. It's a brand new road so it could easily have been incorporated at minimal additional cost.A cynic could argue that it's in the politicians / governments interests to design as much congestion into the roads so they can cripple us with "green" taxes.Anyone who things that is wrong should look at York Road immediately before the misguided bus lane (after the M1 extension had opened and removed most west-east and vice versa through traffic) and now. Traffic hardly ever tailed back past the Torre Road flyover. Now it's back to Marsh Lane and beyond most nights.One final thought. A recent traffic survey advised that the average rush hour speed across Leeds was 23mph. This was dressed up as very slow and another sign of congestion. Eh? The speed limit on most roads is 30mph, so allowing for all the traffic lights, bus lanes etc 23mph sounds pretty damn good to me.

[chameleon]

With ftrs:'ftr (the purple slugs) aren't the answer. Too few seats (practically half the maximum capacity is standing), 'In these days of super-safety, encouragement to 'belt-up' or face the panalty or worse, even a campaign being pushed today by an A&E surgeon aimed at childrem and safe travel, how on earth can standing on a moving bus as a passenger be considered acceptable?Perhaps, and please excuse my synicism, it's a case of more bodies means more revenue - in something like this, it could be literally more bodies! I was once a passenger on a bus, standing waiting to alight at the next stop when th driver had to make an emergency stop. Somehow I managed to grab and hang onto a young child as well as the handrail long enough for the bus to almost stop before loosing grip. The poor child during this was hanging at my arms length and would otherwise have been hurled at full speed through the windscreen. Enough, even without my other good reasons, for not using buses.

[cnosni]

Am i wrong or are we all getting shafted by quangos here.The council are not in charge of the rail and bus infrastructure.Therefore the people we elect do not make the important overall transport decisions for our city.These people down at the NGT roadshow seemed to be more like social workers rather than town/transport plannersThey now seem to be cowtowing for any money from the government for small menial bus routes that will be the laughing stock of the country.Never thought id say this but WE need to be able to elect someone with real power.Someone who can be given the resources to run our city,and i include the places within the new extended metro zones.If that means a Boris Johnson or Ken Livingston then fair enough,we can get shut of em if they dont do the job.Lets go for a mayor in the London sense,then we may see some movement.It will cost us financially,but we cant amble along for decade after decade fudging the issues that affect us all,and make no headway.We need to bite the bullet,spend what we dont have,and go forward.Being middle of the road is now killing the city,lets borrow and spend that money wisely,on projects that will benefit the city as a whole in the long run.I am so kin mad at the lack of passion in this city,its stifling.Andrew Carter may get some stick,but atleast hes sticking his neck out for the arena,he knows how vitally important it is to Leeds.By the way,no im not a Tory,its just i can recognise someone with balls,despite the fact hes not in the party i normally vote for........oops, another rant.

[Reginal Perrin]

Great idea about Ponte Lane, it's so obvious it will probably not be possible for some strange reason. Rail beds in Hunslet? Another great idea. I suggested part of the the canal network in town for a light rail system, after all the canals are nought but a pretty sight in town.Whatever is decided upon needs to be out of the traffice and unaffected by congestion otherwise it's pointless.I'd go for a Mayor but someone with national profile, all the efforts of Andrew Carter are admirable (again, I'm no tkin Tory) but he's profile is low. I'd sugggest John Battle, someone with clout, balls and passion who might stand up for Leeds.

[BLAKEY]

As a life long transport employee (retired) and avid enthusiast and archivist my blood boils at the maniac marketing and consultancy nonsense that has taken over the bus and train industries since that dreadful day in October 1986 - De-regulation Day - when, to put it simply but accurately, public service became profit above all else.To make matters worse the millions, yes millions, of pounds which are frittered annually on zany expensive liveries, consultants and London Underground style route networks which the publis neither understand nor want is criminal.I am sick to the back teeth of travelling in West Yorkshire on "furniture vans" where you can't see out of the windows for external Company advertising which I'm confident no one but no one takes any notice of. Perhaps the worse examples in Leeds are the new handful which are totally plastered with red and blue nonsense advertising the Belle Isle/Middleton/Rounhay Moortown services. Some new single deckers have two complete offside windows covered by solid advertising hordings - the last time I saw anyhting like this was in London in WW2 when LT were forced to operate bomb damaged vehicles with missing windows replaced by wood.Even more serious is the fact that manufacturers and operators are seemingly oblivious to the abominable build quality of most modern buses. The public now seem to simply accept vehicle sides flapping in and out, totally inadequate rear suspension where pssing over a matchstick(very slight exaggeration I admit) produces spine jangling thuds through the virually solid seats - I see though that some of the newest ones do have rather improved upholstery.Turning briefly to what others describe as the "purple slugs." here we have the ultimate in "marketing" nonsense. For a start they cost in excess of £300,000 each for 38 seats plus 5 in the "Lounge."The original plan for them to be one person operated soon disappeared when a system for everyone to pre- pay at street meters etc failed immediately.Our intelligence was insulted grossly when the articulated monsters were fitted with wheel spats, painted purple and called "streetcars" (American term for a tram) - to be propelled by a PILOT in a COCKPIT assisted eventually by - you think I'm going to say a conductor don't you ?? - a CUSTOMER SERVICE HOST. At least we and the latter official are spared the pompous title of CABIN CREW or STEWARD/STEWARDESS.I am angered and very sad indeed by all this nonsense.Like our friend above I admit to another "rant" but somebody's got to !!

[Si]

Don't worry, Blakey. You and cnosni are ranting for all of us!!!

[cnosni]

Reginal Perrin wrote: Great idea about Ponte Lane, it's so obvious it will probably not be possible for some strange reason. Rail beds in Hunslet? Another great idea. I suggested part of the the canal network in town for a light rail system, after all the canals are nought but a pretty sight in town.Whatever is decided upon needs to be out of the traffice and unaffected by congestion otherwise it's pointless.I'd go for a Mayor but someone with national profile, all the efforts of Andrew Carter are admirable (again, I'm no tkin Tory) but he's profile is low. I'd sugggest John Battle, someone with clout, balls and passion who might stand up for Leeds. How about our very own Steve Jones for Mayor?Hed be great,anyone gets in his way he can either send em down or turn em into a frog,depending what time of day it is.

[cnosni]

Si wrote: Don't worry, Blakey. You and cnosni are ranting for all of us!!! Come on then Si,lets have a rant from yer!!

[Si]

cnosni wrote: Si wrote: Don't worry, Blakey. You and cnosni are ranting for all of us!!! Come on then Si,lets have a rant from yer!! You wouldn't like me when I'm angry...I've ranted several times on here, I think, usually marketing aimed (Budweiser, McDonalds, Harry Ramsden's to name a few.)

[cnosni]

Si wrote: cnosni wrote: Si wrote: Don't worry, Blakey. You and cnosni are ranting for all of us!!! Come on then Si,lets have a rant from yer!! You wouldn't like me when I'm angry...I've ranted several times on here, I think, usually marketing aimed (Budweiser, McDonalds, Harry Ramsden's to name a few.) Then you have been strangely silent about Carlsberg then.