Australia: Gold Coast Light Rail Extension for Commonwealth Games May Not Happen in Time

Date

February 23, 2015

• Tony Moore

A new rail line, meant to be transporting visitors to the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, is behind schedule. Mayor Tom Tate said if money wasn't committed by the end of March the crucial rail link wouldn't be ready for the main event.

Gold Coast City Council hopes to link the city's existing light-rail line to the Brisbane-Gold Coast passenger line in order to transport for hundreds of thousands of sports fans travelling to and around the Glitter Strip during the major sporting event.

The Gold Coast City Council hopes to link its light rail line with SEQ's passenger line. Photo: Glenn Hunt

However Cr Tate said the project remained up in the air.

"If we don't get a commitment [from the state government] about starting work by March 2015, then it won't be ready for the Games in April 2018," Cr Tate said.

"The design work is done, the engineering part is ticked off and we propose going from Griffith University [on the Gold Coast] up to Parkwood and then to Helensvale," Cr Tate said.

He said John Witheriff, the chairman of GoldLinq which is joining the project in a public-private partnership, said the scheme was "shovel ready".

"GoldLinq are confident because Gold Coasters voted with their feet, with the first stage of light rail," he said.

"You can imagine if they connected it to heavy rail, how many more are going to embrace it from further west and the commuters from Brisbane."

Cr Tate met with new Commonwealth Games Minister Kate Jones to explain the project on Thursday. 

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk last week said the LNP's promise to connect the Gold Coast's light rail to the heavy rail passenger rail was based on asset sales.

"I recall about three years ago – about three and half years ago - the former Labor government commissioned a study to see what is feasible in terms of that extension," Ms Palaszczuk said.

"I will be asking the Deputy Premier [Jackie Trad], who is also responsible for transport, to find that report so we can have a look at in detail."

Ms Trad is still receiving departmental briefs on a series of transport and infrastructure projects.

The Queensland government declined to provide a more detailed response on Sunday.

Alstom to deliver Citadis X05 trams for Sydney's CBD Light Rail

26 February 2015 http://www.railway-technology.com

Mocked Up image of trams in Sydney's 'main street' George St - just outside the Queen Victoria Building.

French rail manufacturer Alstom has been assigned to deliver and commission 30 coupled Citadis X05 trams for Sydney's $2.1bn CBD and South East Light Rail project.

In December last year, Australia's New South Wales (NSW) Transport contracted the ALTRAC consortium, which comprises Alstom, Transdev, Acciona and Capella, for the construction of this light rail project.

Alstom will be also responsible for the power supply equipment, including APS ground power supply, signalling systems, the energy recovery system HESOP, depot equipment and maintenance.

Alstom Transport Asia Pacific senior vice-president Dominique Pouliquen said: "Alstom is very committed to Sydney's transport network.

"This project will transform Sydney and provide a step change in the city's public transport capability and reliability while protecting the aesthetic appeal of the Central Business District."

With the support of permanent magnet motors and easier sub-system integration, Alstom Citadis X05 trains will be able to offer less energy consumption and reduced lifecycle costs.

Features of the vehicles include constant CCTV monitoring, emergency intercoms and the wayfinding aids for real-time passenger information.

The consortium will carry out works, including the design, construction, services relocations, operation and maintenance of the project, as well as the operation and maintenance of the Inner West Light Rail network.

The project is expected to be completed in 2018 with services scheduled to start in early 2019.

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Image: Citadis X05 for Sydney will offer double-doors for better passenger flows, large balcony-style windows, multi-purpose areas and ambient LED lighting. Photo: courtesy of Alstom.

China: Shanghai: Trams to make comeback in city after more than 40 years

Shanghai is planning on installing around 13 kilometers of tram lines in downtown Shanghai, over 40 years after the city's tram network was closed down. 

According to Shanghai Daily:

Work on a line between Xupu and Nanpu bridges along the Huangpu River will start by 2017, according to a three-year riverside public space construction plan.

Under the plan, the line will mostly run in Xuhui district, along Longwu Road or by the riverbank.

It will help ease traffic congestion and provide a low-carbon transport option for residents and tourists, the city’s Huangpu Riverbanks development general office said.

Trams began operating in Shanghai in 1908, and more than 300 of them ran in the city before the network was closed back in the early 70s. Currently, only one tram route exists at the Zhangjiang High Tech Park in Pudong (above).

 
Trams seen on Jiujiang Road in the 1920s

Last year, we reported that the government was launching an environmental impact assessment into two electric tram lines that would go up in the Songjiang district and connect with Metro Line 9. The plan has since been approved and the lines are set to open in 2017. 

The electric trams will have four carriages that can hold at most 368 people. The trams are considered highly energy efficient and will have a maximum speed of 80 kilometers per hour.

Two more routes are planned for the city's Qingpu district, as well.

[Images via Wikipedia]

Contact the author of this article or email tips@shanghaiist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

Sydney Australia: Corporates Back Plan to bankroll light rail line from Parramatta to Sydney Olympic Park (Western Sydney)

DEBORAH FITZGERALD PARRAMATTA ADVERTISER FEBRUARY 18, 2015 12:00AM

An artist’s impression of the Parramatta light rail, which a group of businesses want extended to Sydney Olympic Park.

A CONSORTIUM of up to 20 high-profile businesses have formed the West Line Alliance, offering to tip in hundreds of millions of dollars to bring the Parramatta light rail link to Sydney Olympic Park.

The business group hopes to bankroll the project and make the Olympic Park line the State Government’s preferred route for stage one, with a final announcement expected before the State Election.

The West Line Alliance includes corporate heavy-hitters such as Goodman Fielder, General Property Trust, Australian Turf Club, Accor Hotels and ANZ Stadium and has brought a number of influential business leaders to the table.

Big business is pushing for a light rail link from Parramatta to Sydney Olympic Park.

Until now, the favoured route for the first stage of the Parramatta light rail link was to Macquarie Park via Carlingford.

The route, one of four options outlined last year, has been the frontrunner because the land corridor to Carlingford has ­already been reserved for heavy rail and could be built faster and cheaper.

Parramatta MP Geoff Lee and Parramatta City Council have championed the Carlingford line. However, the alliance wants the government to consider moving on the Sydney Olympic Park link sooner rather than later.

Sydney Business Chamber Western Sydney director David Borger.

The government is examining four potential corridors before it choses a light rail route

Convened by the Western Sydney chapter of the Sydney Business Chamber, the alliance wants to use a ‘value-capture’ funding model which sees beneficiaries of infrastructure stumping up money for the project.

Western Sydney Business Chamber director David Borger said the link could be partially funded through contributions from developers along the route.

“If they are going to spend $1 billion building a light rail link, well there could be a few hundred million dollars from the private sector to do two routes rather than one,” he said.

Rosehill Gardens racecourse is on the proposed route to Sydney Olympic Park.

ANZ Stadium is part of the West Line Alliance behind the push.

“If they are going to build a link to Macquarie Park, then build one to Sydney Olympic Park at the same time, or bring it forward rather than a stage two project.

“It pushes the public dollar further and makes sense for the beneficiaries of the light rail to make a contribution.

“The Gold Coast has levied all the businesses along the light rail route to fund the build and we need to consider all options in terms of public-private funding.”

Mr Borger has been a long term supporter of a route from Westmead to Sydney Olympic Park via Camellia.

“There is a real opportunity here to connect Westmead, Parramatta and Sydney Olympic Park as one city,” he said.

Western Sydney Light Rail 

“I just think western Sydney hasn’t been able to capture a lot of knowledge jobs,” Mr Borger said.

But Mr Borger’s suggested route would require an extension northwest from Parramatta to Westmead, which was not one the four preferred routes released by Transport Minister Gladys Berejiklian late last year.

The business chamber said the Parramatta light rail project had the potential to transform the region and support Parramatta as Sydney’s second CBD.

The chamber said the project should be prioritised because of its potential to stimulate economic growth and housing supply in western Sydney.

“A stark jobs deficit remains as 200,000 people leave the region for work each day and this is forecast to grow to more than 400,000 by 2051 without drastic action,” a statement from the chamber said.

Australia: Traffic Light Programming May Mean Trams Never Stop: The Age.com

Melbourne trams may never have to stop at traffic lights, under VicRoads plan 

Green light: Trams may never have to stop at traffic lights again. Photo: Craig Abraham

Trams may never have to stop at traffic lights under congestion-busting plans being developed by VicRoads to accommodate Melbourne's growing population.

Traffic lights could one day be programmed to sense when a tram approaches and turn green, giving the tram right of way, VicRoads director of network policy and standards Andrew Wall said.

"It is possible that one day, trams will only have to stop to pick up and set down passengers," Mr Wall said.

He said traffic lights could also be linked with tram timetables so trams could be given priority based on whether they were running early or late.

"It will also be possible to determine when the tram doors are open and shut and only give priority when the tram is ready to go," he said.

"Many tram stops are now being located on the far side of intersections. This means that trams can be given priority through the intersection as soon as they arrive.

"Trams already get significant priority at traffic signals. The biggest challenge for Melbourne is tram routes that share the road with other vehicles. The delays are not due to traffic signals, but rather the queue of vehicles ahead of them."

For the past seven years, VicRoads has been working with researchers at the University of Melbourne and Monash University to determine how changing traffic conditions, including traffic light frequency, might ease congestion in the city.

The research team has used mathematical modelling to test alternative ways to run the network.

Mr Wall said the research focused on developing ways to maximise the number of people moving around the transport network, rather than the number of vehicles.

The study also examined the restriction of on-road parking with clearway zones.

It found that there was only a real benefit in restricting on-road parking within 100 metres of intersections.

With Melbourne's population expected to reach about 8 million by 2053, Mr Wall said the roads authority had to explore new congestion management methods.

Mr Wall said mathematics was being used in a similar way in European countries including Germany and Switzerland, because it was a cheap and effective alternative to traditional forms of modelling.

The research team has now turned its attention to Melbourne's inner-northern suburbs, around Brunswick and Coburg.

"There is extensive growth in higher density housing in this area and trams form a vital role in meeting the transport needs of this community," Mr Wall said.

"It will be critical to ensure that the existing road network in this area is managed as efficiently as possible to maximise the movement of people."

New Zealand: Christchurch tram opening breaks down with PM John Key aboard

DAVID WALKER/The Press

Prime Minister John Key was on hand to open the Cashel Street extension to the rebuilt Christchurch tram line. He unveiled a plaque and was given the opportunity to drive the tram down Cashel street.

Stacy Squires

Prime Minister John Key's ride on the Christchurch tram did not go smoothly.

Prime Minister John Key's inaugural ride on Christchurch's new tram loop had a minor hiccup when the tram's trolley pole detached from the overhead line.

The tram, driven by Key, lost power and came to a standstill.  

Tram staff scrambled to place the trolley pole back on the line and it then operated normally for a trip up and down Cashel St mall. 

Key was in Christchurch today for the opening ceremony of the Cricket World Cup, but attended the opening of the tram loop's new extension this morning.

The new electric tram loop extends the existing tramway along Oxford Tce and through Cashel Mall and parts of High St. 

Key said more tourist ventures re-opening showed "Christchurch is open for business".

"I sometimes get a hard time from the Greens about never taking public transport, so next time they ask when was I last on a tram or a train, I'll say 12 February 2015. So that will help that parliamentary question," he said.

The council decided to lay new tracks in Cashel and High streets between 2007 and 2009 but the plans were derailed by the February 2011 earthquake.

Last year the council committed $1.875 million to finish the loop, including completing tracks behind Christ Church Cathedral, creating a crossover at the intersection of High and Manchester streets, and completing the erection of overhead poles, arms and wires.

UK: London: Tramlink boss rules out South Croydon and Crystal Palace extensions for the time being

By Croydon Advertiser  |  Posted: February 10, 2015

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Q&A: Sharon Thompson answered questions from tram users on Twitter

HOSE hoping to see the Tramlink extended down to South Croydon are likely to be disappointed for a good while yet.

The woman in charge of Croydon’s iconic mode of transport has driven the idea of a new southern route firmly off track.

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In a Twitter Q&A on Tuesday, the Advertiser asked Sharon Thompson, director of Tramlink, whether an extension down the Brighton Road, towards the Restaurant Quarter, might be considered.

But she replied: “Feasibility work was done years ago, there are currently no plans for this project.”

The Advertiser was also told there is no intention to widen the recent experiment which involved a tram being painted yellow, to raise awareness of the need to be vigilant when crossing tram lines.

“The yellow tram is part of a safety campaign and there is currently no plans to increase the number,” Ms Thompson added.

The Tramlink chief answered queries from the public during the social media session, with questioners using the hashtag #asktrams

She restated a previous commitment that, by early 2016, there would be four extra trams on the network, and revealed work was in progress to make sure all tram ticket machines were set up to accept Oyster and card payments.

Mrs Thompson was also asked the age old question of when the Tramlink would be extended to Crystal Palace – an issue which Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London, has been accused of breaking his promises on.

She suggested this proposal was some way from becoming a reality, saying a design was in place but there was no money available or a business case on the table at the moment.

Mrs Thompson also hinted the possible redevelopment of Crystal Palace Park could be a key factor in deciding whether or not the extension happens.

Read more: http://www.croydonadvertiser.co.uk/Tramlink-boss-rules-South-Croydon-Crystal-Palace/story-26003149-detail/story.html#ixzz3RWZduF6v 
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UK: Possible new tram system in Oxford: Source ITV.

Consultation opens for Oxford tram system

Oxford city centre trams are part of the county council's vision for Oxfordshire Credit: Oxfordshire County Council

A consultation on city centre trams and a new train station has now been opened by Oxfordshire County Council.

The council's Connecting Oxfordshire plans are designed to cope with the growth in population expected by 2031, with 80,000 new jobs and 100,000 new homes.

Ideas include city centre trams, a new railway station and larger buses.

Cycle super-routes could be introduced across the city along with a new A40-A44 link road as well as improvements to Junction 9 of the M40.

The consultation on the council's website is open until Thursday, 2 April. 

Last updated Sat 7 Feb 2015

New Zealand: More Christchurch tram sections opening after Earthquake

More Christchurch tram sections opening

Photo: Edward Swift

Sydney Australia, Out with the Old Trams.. In With the New..

As Sydney builds its light rail, its last tram leaves for Victoria. www.smh.com.au January 30, 2015

Half a century ago, Sydney's last tram pierced the streets of Sydney's eastern suburbs on a journey that would mark the end of the light rail in the hearts and minds of many Sydneysiders. On Thursday, the last tram of that era embarked on a journey of resurrection, departing from the Rozelle tramsheds for Victoria after being neglected by successive NSW governments who enthroned cars and buses as the kings of Sydney's roads.  

Battered, bruised and graffitied with "bonez" and "babs was here" scrawled along it, the tram began its trip at the same time as the City of Sydney released its George St: 2020 paper on Thursday. 

Sydney's last tram in the Rozelle tramsheds, which are about to be redeveloped. Photo: Nic Walker

The paper gives the city a glimpse of a familiar future as the council mapped out its plans for the return of the George Street light rail route, on the exact path that up to 1500 trams once pounded the concrete. 

During the 1920s, Sydney's tram network was the largest in the southern hemisphere. So ubiquitous was the tram that entire suburbs and areas, like Bondi Junction and Maroubra Junction, were named after the point at which its lines met. 

From 2019 the 21st century's version of the "transport of the future", or trams rebranded as light rail, will once again propel their way down George Street and Anzac Parade. 

An artist's impression of the City of Sydney's plan for George Street in 2020. Photo: Supplied

According to the City of Sydney plan, light rail will run down the middle of George Street, with a tree zone on either side, followed by a variable ``flex-zone" for street furniture and an almost four metre pedestrian area along  buildings' edges.

Though glamorised with all the mod cons of 2015, it's a route that was already well established in 1920. 

"This transformation is a unique opportunity to ensure that George Street becomes a world class boulevard that is also a thriving business and retail environment,"  Lord Mayor Clover Moore said.

Trams on the corner of George and Druitt streets, outside the QVB in the Sydney CBD in 1920. Photo: Supplied

The cost of building the light rail  from George Street to Kingsford is expected to blow out to $2.1 billion by the time it is complete in 2019. 

It is a figure that has left some wondering what would have happened if Sydney had just left its tramway network intact. 

"Having the infrastructure there would have made a huge difference to the city today," said Harold Clark, the president of the Sydney Tramway Society. "We would have a world class system but we gave it away because it was the flavour of the month to give it all up for cars and buses." 

Trams run down George Street in the early 20th century. Photo: Supplied

The cost of the light rail project may prevent the government from expanding its capacity to anywhere near the level of its heyday, said Gavin Gatenby, from the advocacy group EcoTransit.

"The whole point about light rail is that it's affordable, high-capacity and very flexible. It should be much cheaper than this. The fact that prices have been driven up so high means that we are not able to afford the amount of light rail we should be able to get."

Mr Clark, who rode the city's last tram in 1961, also regrets that the city's last vintage trams have been left to rot.

"Now that we have light rail returning, they could have been made into fantastic tourist attractions, like the city circle line in Melbourne or the cable car in San Francisco." 

As for Sydney's last tram, after the graffiti is cleaned and the emerald green restored in Victoria, it will come home again to its final stop at Mirvac's Harold Park precinct in Sydney's inner west. There it will form the centrepiece of the old tramsheds, which are being redeveloped into a shopping centre that also promises to blend old and new.