Nottingham tram network extension to areas like Eastwood ‘likely at least eight years away’

Past studies of potential extensions have included talk of taking the route to areas like Eastwood, Kimberley and Watnall, which could see up to an extra 11 million passengers using the network each year.

But Tim Hesketh, the chief executive officer of Tramlink, the group of companies behind the network, including Nottingham Express Transit (NET), said the extensions, which were in Nottingham City Council’s feasibility plans before the Covid pandemic, have now ‘effectively been shelved after the authority effectively declared bankruptcy, at the end of November.

Instead, he says hope now lies with the new East Midlands Combined County Authority, being created this year.

Mr Hesketh said: “It is a complicated situation.

“But as funding of transport strategy moves to the combined county authority, they have a lot of capital funding coming from central Government and devolved authority over how they spend it.

"So if there was going to be an extension to the tram network, it would likely come through the mayoral authority.

“Having said that, these things don’t happen overnight.

“It is a minimum five, and more probably eight to ten-year process, before they even put a spade in the ground.”

A city council spokesperson said: “The East Midlands Combined County Authority is being awarded £1.5bn from the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement Fund.

“In using these funds it will need to consider which schemes best meet its objectives across the combined authority area.

“NET extensions are certain to be looked at as part of that review.”

Some believe there may also be hope in the £9.6bn the East Midlands is set to get from the Department for Transport for transport investment, following the axing of HS2 last year.

Coun Ben Bradley MP (Con), Nottinghamshire Council leader and mayoral candidate, said: “It is absolutely fair to say the city council is in no position to invest in it at all, so the combined authority comes at a really good time not just for the tram but also wider transport connections.

“Having all of that stuff, trams buses, all organised in one place means it can be a much more integrated service, and yes we can look at the potential for tram extensions.

“The tram needs to be commercially viable, however, so we need to look at how we do that, but there is new capital investment and actually adding routes to the right places to bring additional passengers might help balance the books.”

Kimberley councillor Will Mee (Lab) says there have been a series of feasibility studies conducted since the early 1990s for routes in the north of Broxtowe to help tackle the ‘massive problem’ of traffic on the A610 corridor.

He said: “It has been a long-standing policy of Broxtowe Council to support tram extensions in the north of the borough.

“This would include an extension from Phoenix Park serving the areas of Nuthall, Watnall, Kimberley and Giltbrook retail park, with a view to extend further to Eastwood and Amber Valley.

“If the tram is to extend, it must be to as many places as possible, with integrated ticketing across buses, trams and trains and opening up old lines like the Maid Marian Line to increase services to Amber Valley.”