Preston City Council and Lancashire County Council are hoping to have the 'Guild Tram Line' open as early as 2012. They are working with Preston Trampower who are promoting the idea of a four-line network, which will connect many key parts of the city with Park & Ride stations outside the city centre. It will also connect areas of the city to the railway station, retail parks, hospitals, football stadium and the University. It is proposed that initially a demonstration track will run from the West View Leisure Centre.
Preston Trampower will be inviting schools, local businesses and residents, who will all be able to experience the benefits of the tram network and learn how trams operate by taking a ride on the demonstrator line.
The Transport Minister, Norman Baker, has given his support to the scheme which apparently has already received planning consent from Preston City Council.
This is an interesting scheme which has support from many directions and it will be interesting to see whether the required funding is forthcoming, or, whether, like many such proposals, it falls by the wayside, a victim to lack of confidence and funding.
http://www.prestontrampower.co.uk/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-14322070
David Gambles
