spermann Posted August 20, 2011 Share Posted August 20, 2011 http://www.manxtube.com/video/3667/Douglas-prom-2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Robertshaw Posted August 21, 2011 Share Posted August 21, 2011 http://www.manxtube.com/video/3667/Douglas-prom-2 If the promenade roadway is going to be refurbished and the tram track moved then we would be absolutely crazy not to take a once in century opportunity to ensure that if it does prove possible to bring the trams right into town, to the shops, offices and the entertainment facilities, at some point in the future then we should prepare for that eventuality when and where we can. Finishing the tram track where it does, at the edge of town, was always the wrong thing to have done but was, at the time, more related to thousands of visitors promenading down to the exisiting terminus station and being happy to do so. No doubt there will be those who wish to jump right down my throat for what I have said here but before they do so I would ask them to take into account that the trams and the buses from the north are to some extent competing with each other with both losing very considerable sums of money each year whilst doing so. Meanwhile Douglas gets ever more congested and the cost of petrol keeps going up and up and up............. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capt W E Johns Posted August 21, 2011 Share Posted August 21, 2011 The opportunity should definitely be taken to extend the electric tram tracks round to the railway station Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In fact . . . Posted August 21, 2011 Share Posted August 21, 2011 http://www.manxtube.com/video/3667/Douglas-prom-2 If the promenade roadway is going to be refurbished and the tram track moved then we would be absolutely crazy not to take a once in century opportunity to ensure that if it does prove possible to bring the trams right into town, to the shops, offices and the entertainment facilities, at some point in the future then we should prepare for that eventuality when and where we can. Finishing the tram track where it does, at the edge of town, was always the wrong thing to have done but was, at the time, more related to thousands of visitors promenading down to the exisiting terminus station and being happy to do so. No doubt there will be those who wish to jump right down my throat for what I have said here but before they do so I would ask them to take into account that the trams and the buses from the north are to some extent competing with each other with both losing very considerable sums of money each year whilst doing so. Meanwhile Douglas gets ever more congested and the cost of petrol keeps going up and up and up............. Just how much extra tax do you want us to pay for such a ludicrous scheme? The bus is far quicker than the tram, far more effective, far more efficient (even if the drivers earn more than any other bus drivers in Europe and probably the world) and far cheaper to maintain than 100-plus-year-old rolling stock and track. Oh, and they already operate. A Victorian tram system is not the answer to congestion problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manshimajin Posted August 21, 2011 Share Posted August 21, 2011 A Victorian tram system is not the answer to congestion problems. Horse drawn Park and Ride? I guess a Victorian town is not the answer to traffic congestion problems either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In fact . . . Posted August 21, 2011 Share Posted August 21, 2011 The opportunity should definitely be taken to extend the electric tram tracks round to the railway station If it was too expensive to extend the horse trams to the steam railway station, it would be maddeningly more expensive to extend the MER with its power supply etc. Why not have hovercrafts, an underground railway or teleportation? They're as sensible and affordable. The government will have £189million a year less to spend from 2013 than it had in 2008. That's more than £500,000 less to spend every single day - for ever. When you hear candidates promising grandiose nonsense like this, remind them of that fact. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Robertshaw Posted August 21, 2011 Share Posted August 21, 2011 The opportunity should definitely be taken to extend the electric tram tracks round to the railway station If it was too expensive to extend the horse trams to the steam railway station, it would be maddeningly more expensive to extend the MER with its power supply etc. Why not have hovercrafts, an underground railway or teleportation? They're as sensible and affordable. The government will have £189million a year less to spend from 2013 than it had in 2008. That's more than £500,000 less to spend every single day - for ever. When you hear candidates promising grandiose nonsense like this, remind them of that fact. There is nothing what so ever graniose in taking the precaution to link the newly positioned tram track with the MER to provide for future potential. I think you are intentionally misrepresenting the proposition - but that is more or less what I expected anyway - that or you have simply misunderstood what I have said above. It would be foolish not to form the link down at the MER terminus if the opportunity presents itself. Pretty straight forward really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shake me up Judy Posted August 21, 2011 Share Posted August 21, 2011 Great idea Chris, Douglas desperately needs to get its quality back and this would be the perfect time to do it. Let's make it the catalyst to turn this town around and this is the sort of tasteful investment in our infrastructure that will in the medium and long term prove a wise investment for once. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trueblood Posted August 21, 2011 Share Posted August 21, 2011 An electric tram service than ran into the heart of Douglas would be very popular I believe and would be a boon to traffic congestion. I also believe that would be passengers may have a different attitude to using Electric Trams as opposed to Buses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In fact . . . Posted August 21, 2011 Share Posted August 21, 2011 The opportunity should definitely be taken to extend the electric tram tracks round to the railway station If it was too expensive to extend the horse trams to the steam railway station, it would be maddeningly more expensive to extend the MER with its power supply etc. Why not have hovercrafts, an underground railway or teleportation? They're as sensible and affordable. The government will have £189million a year less to spend from 2013 than it had in 2008. That's more than £500,000 less to spend every single day - for ever. When you hear candidates promising grandiose nonsense like this, remind them of that fact. There is nothing what so ever graniose in taking the precaution to link the newly positioned tram track with the MER to provide for future potential. I think you are intentionally misrepresenting the proposition - but that is more or less what I expected anyway - that or you have simply misunderstood what I have said above. It would be foolish not to form the link down at the MER terminus if the opportunity presents itself. Pretty straight forward really. Perhaps I am misunderstanding. Are you talking about extending the MER tracks or the horse tram tracks? The horse trams already go from Derby Castle into town. So I can't really understand the point you're making, unless you want them to extend them along Strand Street or on to the North Quay. If you're talking about the MER line, you've just come up with a "pub talk" policy that will never happen because it would cost us taxpayers millions to extend the line. Just to renew the line from Laxey to Ramsey cost £5m in 2008. To put tracks and an electricity supply line along Douglas promenade would cost so many millions more. That's millions of pounds the Isle of Man doesn't have and is unlikely to have in the next 20 years. You said it was something to do with relieving congestion above. As I said above, buses are a much more realistic, efficient and cheaper way of trying to relieve congestion. As Douglas East MHK you're in a difficult position here. The truth is that parking is far too cheap in Douglas. While it's still cheaper to drive into town and park at Chester Street than it is to get the bus, people will drive in. Congestion will increase as a result. You can't actually say that though. Shopkeepers would cry out. Your constituents would boot you out. If you're really suggesting that the MER might one day go along the promenade and that commuters would ever be tempted to use them as a a viable transport option (when buses are more comfortable, quicker and already do the job better) you're sidestepping far more important issues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nitro Posted August 21, 2011 Share Posted August 21, 2011 How much would the fares be? Last time I checked Douglas to Ramsey was close to a fiver (one way), so it was more expensive, slower and bloody uncomfortable. I'd rather get the bus, cycle or walk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Hedgehog Posted August 21, 2011 Share Posted August 21, 2011 And to think people say our politicians live in cloud cuckoo land dreaming up ridiculous money wasting schemes........ Who the hell is going to travel from Ramsey to Douglas each day for twice the cost in double (or more) the time with half the comfort? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kopek Posted August 21, 2011 Share Posted August 21, 2011 If the Busses and the Trams are competing for the northern service, the answer is to get rid of one of them, the Trams? Given the choice between a Bus or a Tram, People have already voted with their bums on Bus seats. What purpose would the MER link to where ever be? Park and Ride has not worked in the past and would presumably not do so now. Where would the Car Park be? Not Summerland, that site has to be put to viable use. Groudle would probably be the next place a Park could be, so People drive north to Groudle to get the Tram south into Dlas? Really? Chris, could it be that we are not 'intentionally misrepresenting you' but that you do not explain yourself clearly? If you propose that the MER track is taken across the Prom or linked to the Horse Tram track at Strathallan for possible future use but not for immediate use, then say so clearly. This 'link' does not need to be made during the Prom renovation, it can be done when a clear business case has been made for the extension. Check out Edinburghs' Tram proposal! Both the MER and the Horse Trams are an anachronism and fit only for Tourist use, bringing either into Dlas town would create far more problems for motorists than they would take cars off the streets. Why not put the Horse Trams on rubber wheels and do away with the Tracks all together? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScotsAlan Posted August 21, 2011 Share Posted August 21, 2011 http://www.manxtube.com/video/3667/Douglas-prom-2 If the promenade roadway is going to be refurbished and the tram track moved then we would be absolutely crazy not to take a once in century opportunity to ensure that if it does prove possible to bring the trams right into town, to the shops, offices and the entertainment facilities, at some point in the future then we should prepare for that eventuality when and where we can. Finishing the tram track where it does, at the edge of town, was always the wrong thing to have done but was, at the time, more related to thousands of visitors promenading down to the exisiting terminus station and being happy to do so. No doubt there will be those who wish to jump right down my throat for what I have said here but before they do so I would ask them to take into account that the trams and the buses from the north are to some extent competing with each other with both losing very considerable sums of money each year whilst doing so. Meanwhile Douglas gets ever more congested and the cost of petrol keeps going up and up and up............. Makes sense to me. We don't need to run Victorian trams on them. We could have modern trams at rush hours, and the old trams in between. We could make it work by giving the old trams to a volunteer group. I seem to recall a similar idea was put forward for the steam railway. Seems a shame to have decent tracks not being used.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EORH Posted August 21, 2011 Share Posted August 21, 2011 While Chris is on his flow to spend money on electric tramway extentions into Douglas Centre,think about 1929 when they done away with the cable cars which went from the Jubilee Clock up Prospect Hill all the way to York Road and down Broadway back to the Jubilee,it was operated by a under ground cable,so as the saying goes,"Done that and got the tee shirt",maybe he has other ideas for a new cast iron pier for Douglas Beach,which used to be there years ago,surely we could all think of wonderful ideas which are Tourism related,the only trouble is,there is a vast shortage of available tourists,plus as he should know Hotels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.