A New High Quality Transport System for Leeds

The Doggers · Post by **The Doggers** » Mon 20 Jul, 2009 10:37 am

This trolleybus thing, I have just watched the video animation on that site, and it struck me that it would surely be very hard for a driver to keep the electic contacts on the overhead line at all times if they are unguided. How would this work?

railnut · Post by **railnut** » Mon 20 Jul, 2009 11:08 am

The Doggers wrote: This trolleybus thing, I have just watched the video animation on that site, and it struck me that it would surely be very hard for a driver to keep the electic contacts on the overhead line at all times if they are unguided. How would this work? For anyone wanting a practical demonstration of trolleys and wires, go to Sandtoft National Trolley Bus museum near Thorne this coming Sunday and ride on the classics from Bradford, Nottingham, etc. The principle of trolleys and wires has not changed in a hundred years, and Leeds and Bradford were joint first world wide on electric traction for buses. So nothing new for Leeds then!

simong · Post by **simong** » Mon 20 Jul, 2009 11:12 am

The Doggers wrote: This trolleybus thing, I have just watched the video animation on that site, and it struck me that it would surely be very hard for a driver to keep the electic contacts on the overhead line at all times if they are unguided. How would this work? The technology is fairly solid - after all it's in use in plenty of other places in the world. The collectors do fall off the wires, but they're designed to be easy to replace. In addition the buses have batteries that allow about 15 minutes of travel disconnected.

rangieowner · Post by **rangieowner** » Mon 20 Jul, 2009 10:23 pm

So....! After reading the proposals and all the junk I see that WEST LEEDS is the poor relation AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cardiarms · Post by **Cardiarms** » Mon 20 Jul, 2009 10:50 pm

We've got a 2+ lane, what more do you want?

raveydavey · Post by **raveydavey** » Tue 21 Jul, 2009 9:05 pm

rangieowner wrote: So....! After reading the proposals and all the junk I see that WEST LEEDS is the poor relation AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Don't worry mate - over here in East Leeds we've got a duopoly maintaining Misguided Bus Lane that cost millions but offers no more than an ordinary bus lane and the "proposed" trolley bus route goes so far round the houses (if it ever gets built) that it may well be quicker to walk to town from Seacroft....

Post by **tyke bhoy** » Tue 21 Jul, 2009 10:02 pm

there is a pattern (or is that obsession) emerging.Supertram had 3 proposed routesSouth east through Hunslet to Stourton and originally on to MiddletonNorth West up the Otley Road Corridor beyond the ring roadand North Easterly out to St James and then wending its way towards Seacroft.NGT has 3 proposed routes. err take out the middleton extension of the original Supertram route and we aren't far off the above 3.SE Route? Well since the completion of the ELLR and IRR7 the 110 (and other arriva services) serve much of this route well and are regular, punctual and quick. If they really want a Park and Ride then an additional station on the Pontefract line at Stourton makes more sense.NW Route? While heavily congested a road based public transport system is unlikely to ease this congestion and will exacerbate it certainly through the construction period and probably beyond. Again this route is well served by a parallel rail route that just needs more encouragement to use.NE Route? Well this seems to be a dot to dot connecting important locations to the east of Leeds including St James' with little consideration on how long the journey time is. While Neville Hill is the only real and unlikely location for a park and ride rail option on this route the zigzag nature of the road route means the extended journey times are unlikely to attract passengers much beyond Burmantofts.Joined up thinking from the planners is required. Will we get it?

Post by **chameleon** » Tue 21 Jul, 2009 10:41 pm

tyke bhoy wrote: there is a pattern (or is that obsession) emerging.Supertram had 3 proposed routesSouth east through Hunslet to Stourton and originally on to MiddletonNorth West up the Otley Road Corridor beyond the ring roadand North Easterly out to St James and then wending its way towards Seacroft.NGT has 3 proposed routes. err take out the middleton extension of the original Supertram route and we aren't far off the above 3.SE Route? Well since the completion of the ELLR and IRR7 the 110 (and other arriva services) serve much of this route well and are regular, punctual and quick. If they really want a Park and Ride then an additional station on the Pontefract line at Stourton makes more sense.NW Route? While heavily congested a road based public transport system is unlikely to ease this congestion and will exacerbate it certainly through the construction period and probably beyond. Again this route is well served by a parallel rail route that just needs more encouragement to use.NE Route? Well this seems to be a dot to dot connecting important locations to the east of Leeds including St James' with little consideration on how long the journey time is. While Neville Hill is the only real and unlikely location for a park and ride rail option on this route the zigzag nature of the road route means the extended journey times are unlikely to attract passengers much beyond Burmantofts.Joined up thinking from the planners is required. Will we get it? Joined up - like dotto! or is it just dotty There's no doubting something is needed but trying to please everyone will result in something unsuitable to many. That assumes i't use ultimately is practical and affordable.

Reginal Perrin · Post by **Reginal Perrin** » Thu 30 Jul, 2009 2:48 pm

I'll tell you now that the Southern route is pointless. All areas from Stourton into town are extremely well served by bus routes at present as all Cas, Ponte, Wakefield and Rothwell services run though here, the traffic is much calmer than it was due tot he Cross Green link road being opened and no-one will drive from further out to Stourton to get on a tram as they could do that now with buses and park fro free on a side street but don't.If someone can ttell me any circumstance where someone would use it then I'm all ears. Unless all buses are scrapped or turned back at Thwaite Gate I suppose. That just screams "pay twice" to me.

raveydavey · Post by **raveydavey** » Thu 30 Jul, 2009 8:45 pm

Reginal Perrin wrote: I'll tell you now that the Southern route is pointless. All areas from Stourton into town are extremely well served by bus routes at present as all Cas, Ponte, Wakefield and Rothwell services run though here, the traffic is much calmer than it was due tot he Cross Green link road being opened and no-one will drive from further out to Stourton to get on a tram as they could do that now with buses and park fro free on a side street but don't.If someone can tell me any circumstance where someone would use it then I'm all ears. Unless all buses are scrapped or turned back at Thwaite Gate I suppose. That just screams "pay twice" to me. Exactly - you get into your car in (for example) Wakefield, drive towards Leeds, with your choice of ambient temperature, music and travelling companions, then park up when just 10 minutes away from your destination to go stand in a queue in the rain to wait for an electrified buses to take you the last couple of miles, at extra cost, while you sit next to someone with swine flu and a very loud MP3 player, then face another 10 minutes walk across town in the rain as this new service doesn't stop near your office, rather than park a couple of minutes walk from your desired location. Then repeat it all again on the way home.Sounds like a plan to me!