South Wales Evening Post - 17 February 2009
A controversial proposal for a new multi-million tram system for South Wales has the full backing of council leader Chris Holley.
The scheme, which could cost more than £500 million, would see a new line running from Port Talbot through Swansea to Llanelli.
It has sparked huge debate, with critics arguing the project is not needed and would duplicate services provided by bus, rail and the soon-to-be-run Metro service, dubbed the bendy-bus.
Engineers Laing O'Rouke believe the scheme would cost £521 million to deliver. They carried out a free feasibility study as a favour to the council, according to Councillor Holley.
He has backed the scheme and thinks the public should bear in mind this isn't something that will be done overnight.
He said: "This is not something the council has spent millions on, we haven't spent any money. We are looking for partnership to fund it in the future."
Despite having the backing of the leader, there is no across-the-board support among the council's environment, regeneration and culture and overview board, which is looking at the plans.
Councillor Roger Smith, is worried the city centre would be disrupted, as it was when the Metro was being introduced.
He said: "We have seen the major problems the Metro has caused in the city centre. I think it's a waste of time."
Councillor David Jones is also concerned, saying the trams would cost too much money.
He said: "We discussed this project for years. It is interesting but we have spent a lot on a different system, the Metro.
"Who is going to pay for this, is foreign money going to be brought in? We've done all this research before."
However, the possibility of bringing trams back to the area is being examined by the board.
Councillor Rob Speht, who chairs the board, said that they would now look at gaining external funding to carry out further feasibility studies into the plans. Universities, transport companies and other councils could be brought on board.
Councillor Speht said: "There's a lot of interest in it but there is a lot of people who think we can't afford it with the credit crunch. The plans for trams could be realised within eight years, the credit crunch would be long behind us and there could be a financial boom, perhaps."
Councillor Cheryl Philpott, the deputy chair of the board, insisted any tram service would not overshadow the Metro scheme.
She said: "The trams would be going along the main roots for people and all major employers to use.
"We've got to look at all opportunities to look at more ways to travel. It's very exciting if we lead the rest of Wales."
Councillor Speht said all options were open. He said: "We don't know what is feasible, whether it is elevated trams, monorails or light transit trains.
"Personally, I would like to see trams run along Swansea Bay to Oystermouth Road, Blackpill to Dunvant, Bynea to Llanelli and to the bus and rail stations, as well as the Liberty Stadium.
"We will bring in some outside experts in to see if its feasible."
Plaid Cymru leader Darren Price hopes the plans will go ahead, said: "In principle, I welcome it but there are still a lot of questions that need to be answered, including funding, environmental impact and routes."
A council spokesman said: "At the board's meeting earlier this week it agreed to seek views from partners and transport groups and look at how tram systems have been introduced in other cities.
"Once this information has been gathered the board will consider the next steps of its review."
WE SAY
(editorial)
LAST week when the idea was mooted, the Post questioned the thinking behind the enthusiasm for building a tram system in Swansea.
Apart from a nostalgic desire to bring back the old Mumbles train we couldn’t fathom what benefits it would bring. On the (very steep) downside it would cost hundreds of millions of pounds, the disruption caused by building it would dwarf the work that has been done for the Metro bus, and trams can only go where their rails lead them.
Since then the council has met and its leader Chris Holley has given this half-baked scheme his backing.
Yes, in Nottingham they have a well-used tram system, but it’s not exactly a tourist attraction.
London, the most visited city in the UK, conversely does not.
This newspaper is all for public transport, but in which way is a tram better than a bus?
It would be far better, and cheaper, to look at why there is no circular bus service that links High Street Station, The Kingsway, County Hall, Singleton Hospital, Sketty Cross and Uplands.
