Sponsored by
£100m tram plan
A £100 million green tram system to shuttle thousands of shoppers into Preston daily could be running within two years.
Talks are at an advanced stage with Network Rail to create a 'demonstrator line' for a light rail system on a disused piece of railway line in the Ribbleton area of the city early next year.
This would create a test bed on a section of line at the rear of the West View Leisure Centre in Ribbleton for a pair of vehicles, developed by Tram Power Ltd, which can run off wind power.
Plans would then press ahead create a 100m tram network backed by private cash along existing disused track to link the city's key park-and-ride sites close to Junction 31a of the M6 at Fulwood, Portway to the west of the city centre and Walton-le-Dale.
It is claimed it would double the number of people using public transport getting into the city and could even be used overnight as freight service for businesses on the Red Scar Industrial Estate.
Today, Tram Power director Professor Lewis Lesley, an eminent transport specialist and former Network Rail engineer, said it would not require public money to make it happen.
He said: "This would be our present to Preston for the 2012 Guild, it would not cost a penny to the public purse as we are seeking private investment to the tune of 100m.
"We can show the amount of profit an operational tram network in Preston will make will far exceed the costs of creating it and running it.
"The first key to the lock is securing permission for use of the track bed from Network Rail, once we secure that we are ready to push ahead."
He said it was confident of securing permission from Network Rail to use the section of Deepdale line in the New Year having made a formal application this week.
It would then hope to have the demonstrator fully operational by Easter 2010 while pressing ahead with talks with Preston Council and Lancashire County Council about extensions to the network north to Red Scar and south to the city's train station.
Prof Lesley said talks had even taken place with the Preston Tithebarn Partnership, the developers behind the proposed 700m redevelopment of the city centre, about integrating the network into its plans – and connecting it to the proposed new bus station on Manchester Road, Avenham.
Tram Power is also in talks about securing a start-up grant to open a factory to build its tram technology on the Lancashire Business Park in Leyland in a move it has said would create up to 200 highly-skilled engineering jobs.
Today, key figures including Steven Broomhead, chief executive of the North West Development Agency (NWDA), and Preston Vision Board supremo Eliot Ward back the idea.
Network Rail, Lancashire County Council, Preston Council, the NWDA and Preston Vision have all been involved in initial discussions over the plans.
The land targeted for the initial development is owned by Network Rail with land towards Junction 31a of the M6 owned by Preston Council.
Mr Broomhead said he had attended a number of meetings in recent months about the scheme including a site visit to Network Rail-owned land on the Miley Tunnel, which runs from the city's university campus through to Deepdale.
He said: "It is a big idea to which there have been a number of early initial meetings, but it is a very interesting idea and one which obviously would add another dimension to public transport in Preston."
Mr Ward said the idea would be something Preston Vision should support – but warned it would need to attract private investment to succeed.
It is believed that key figures backing the scheme believe it could easily secure bank finance due to the proven financial success of similar projects.
However, Cath Whelan, of Fulwood-based Funding Finders which supports bodies in finding grant funding, said Tram Power was keen to find backing of local private businesses to make the vision reality.
She said: "It is not the case that we are looking for a philanthropist to back this because there is no doubt this will turn a healthy profit once it is off the ground."
Coun Neil Cartwright, the cabinet member for development on Preston Council, said the matter would be discussed at a joint meeting of Town Hall bosses in Preston, South Ribble and Chorley next month ((JAN)).
He said: "It is a very exciting idea and one we support the principle of, but I am cautious because I know the costs involved in this kind of scheme."
A Network Rail spokesman confirmed it has been talking with Tram Power about its plans for the disused section of line.
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Weather for Preston
Tuesday 07 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: -6 C to 4 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: South east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: -2 C to 2 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: South east
