Thu Jan 16, 2020 12:46 pm
I'm not keen. Cardiff doesn't really have a congestion problem, it has too many traffic lights, terrible road layout and under used bus lanes. As to pollution, never believe any numbers from the public health lobby.
If they go ahead with the tram/train system it will be delivered late and over budget. The disruption will drive a number of business under, increasing Cardiff council's budget pressures.
My experience of tram systems elsewhere (Manchester, Edinburgh, Birmingham, Croydon and Melbourne) leads me to believe Edward England and the lower levels of zenith will be uninhabitable due to the noise as trams turn at the top of Lloyd George avenue.
By the time it is running (if ever) it will be redundant as electric, maybe fuel cell, self drive cars will result in car ownership dropping with a big switch to car hire and sharing making large sections of public transport no longer needed. That puts the mockers on the congestion charge as well.
Why so pessimistic?
My first job was in Soho in the 1970s, they were talking about crossrail in London then. Over forty years later and it might be running later this year, over budget and late. Jubilee line extension very late and unreliable. The Edinburgh tram system, massively over budget and very late and not really needed. Cardiff council are no more competent than any others around the UK so their chances of delivering this as planned I'd rate close to zero.
Better off concentrating on delivering those bike lanes, more buses and fixing some of the dodgy road layouts that should be doable and shouldn't bankrupt us.