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[Brighton] Western Road Redevelopment



Oh_aye

Well-known member
Jul 8, 2022
2,120
They run on rails and are much easier to control, regulate and operate. Everytime I’m at Churchill Square there’s just a total mess of buses trying to pull up, pulling out, stopping, starting, stopping again. Its a complete mess. Contrast this to any modern European tram hub and youll see what I mean.

The current situation isn’t fit for purpose. And given the financial climate now is the time to do this. Makes perfect sense…..and it’s what other progressive nations are doing.
I'd love a tram system. You could get catch the tram to central Brighton, stopping at Rejection, Disappointment, Backstabbing Central and Shattered Dreams Parkway.
 




Sid and the Sharknados

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Sep 4, 2022
5,695
Darlington
They run on rails and are much easier to control, regulate and operate. Everytime I’m at Churchill Square there’s just a total mess of buses trying to pull up, pulling out, stopping, starting, stopping again. Its a complete mess. Contrast this to any modern European tram hub and youll see what I mean.

The current situation isn’t fit for purpose. And given the financial climate now is the time to do this. Makes perfect sense…..and it’s what other progressive nations are doing.
In other words, they're crippling expensive to build, much less flexible and lumber the city with an enormous maintenance liability.
While the advantage is... that they look a bit tidier and remind you of European cities (like Sheffield and Nottingham)?
Seriously though, they make much more sense as mass-transit for commuters between hubs, rather than as a way to move people around a city centre.
They should build one out to Falmer :lolol:
 


Badger Boy

Mr Badger
Jan 28, 2016
3,658
A tram running between the bottom of North Street and Palmeira Square would work fantastically well. It would reduce the need to have and run so many buses, the routes would be shorter so should be more reliable and they could dramatically re-design the routes to open up better links between, for example, Mile Oak and Southwick/Shoreham. It's a radical idea, but I think it makes a lot of sense to separate Hove and Brighton and link them by a tram which would be far more efficient and cost effective. You could still have routes running between Hove and Brighton, for example you could still have the number 7 running from Hove to link Hove and Brighton stations, but then have it turn left on Queens Road down North Road and then send it up Edward Street instead of St James Street, which would be well served by the current 1 route starting from Old Steine. If you could re-design the routes from scratch, I think that would be the ideal. It could also lead to a new route running a bus from Brighton Marina (or Rottingdean) into Hove and beyond along the A259 which is currently ignored on all Brighton and Hove routes between the Pier and Station Road, Portslade.
 


Herr Tubthumper

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 11, 2003
62,683
The Fatherland
would be excellent but is western road not too steep for a tram? certainly think queen's rd up to the station would be
I think it will be fine. Trams go up similar inclines over here.
 


Herr Tubthumper

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 11, 2003
62,683
The Fatherland
In other words, they're crippling expensive to build, much less flexible and lumber the city with an enormous maintenance liability.
While the advantage is... that they look a bit tidier and remind you of European cities (like Sheffield and Nottingham)?
Seriously though, they make much more sense as mass-transit for commuters between hubs, rather than as a way to move people around a city centre.
They should build one out to Falmer :lolol:
Interesting as it’s the opposite here, and in most other places I’ve seen I.e they’re city centre solutions as opposed to mass-transit for commuters.….that’s what trains are for.
 




Herr Tubthumper

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 11, 2003
62,683
The Fatherland
A tram running between the bottom of North Street and Palmeira Square would work fantastically well. It would reduce the need to have and run so many buses, the routes would be shorter so should be more reliable and they could dramatically re-design the routes to open up better links between, for example, Mile Oak and Southwick/Shoreham. It's a radical idea, but I think it makes a lot of sense to separate Hove and Brighton and link them by a tram which would be far more efficient and cost effective. You could still have routes running between Hove and Brighton, for example you could still have the number 7 running from Hove to link Hove and Brighton stations, but then have it turn left on Queens Road down North Road and then send it up Edward Street instead of St James Street, which would be well served by the current 1 route starting from Old Steine. If you could re-design the routes from scratch, I think that would be the ideal. It could also lead to a new route running a bus from Brighton Marina (or Rottingdean) into Hove and beyond along the A259 which is currently ignored on all Brighton and Hove routes between the Pier and Station Road, Portslade.
This is the spirit!

As an aside, people who know me, know that I have given my tram solution plenty of thought…….mainly at 5am one Saturday morning 10 years or so ago. It’s fully costed and funded, all the routes have been devised, staff arranged and I have even thought about the opening ceremony whIch will involve a live performance by Super Furry Animals who will be approached to reform for the occasion.
 


tigertim68

Well-known member
Sep 3, 2012
2,621
I find it insane that Brighton and Hove doesn't have any form of trams/metro/light rail going through the city (bar Volks Railway if we're being pedantic) and I think you're right regarding the buses at Churchill Square. It's a mess.
Yep they should try and get a tram network built like the one they have in Nice , which is a fantastic system
 


Monkey Man

Your support is not that great
Jan 30, 2005
3,224
Neither here nor there
I find it insane that Brighton and Hove doesn't have any form of trams/metro/light rail going through the city (bar Volks Railway if we're being pedantic) and I think you're right regarding the buses at Churchill Square. It's a mess.
Magnus Volk actually proposed an underground network that went from the station down Queens Road and West Street and then spurred along the seafont, in both directions if I recall correctly, which I may not have done.
 












Sid and the Sharknados

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Sep 4, 2022
5,695
Darlington
Interesting as it’s the opposite here, and in most other places I’ve seen I.e they’re city centre solutions as opposed to mass-transit for commuters.….that’s what trains are for.
The tram networks I'm familiar with (in Britain) generally have lines passing from some suburban or out of town population centre (like Hillsborough or Rotherham near Sheffield) through the centre and out the other side.
As I understand, the German networks were retained after the war, so they will be more extensive. It may well be that in financial terms it would make more sense to run some of them as bus routes instead but I expect people would complain, and obviously the infrastructure's already there.
The point is, to justify the construction cost you need really high passenger numbers, it can't just be about making it a minute quicker and a bit nicer to get down Western Road.
 
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talk2knighty

Member
Dec 26, 2014
73
Whilst I’d absolutely support and love the idea of trams in Brighton & Hove I’d love someone to explain who would pay for it and where the money would come from.
 


Oscar

Well-known member
Nov 10, 2003
3,864
London Road is better than Western Road in terms of shops now. That's how bad Western Road has got. It needs major investment.
 






Badger Boy

Mr Badger
Jan 28, 2016
3,658
Interesting, I’ve seen massive M&S lorries using it & buses already do up to Crown Street.
Probably following a satnav or just plain not knowing the best way to go. Buses currently all turn at Crown Street, nothing is schedule to drive the full length from Montpellier Road. That is going to dramatically change now. The road should probably be one way for the duration to ensure decent flow of traffic because that could be a nightmare pinch point and really clog up roads all over the place.
 


CHAPPERS

DISCO SPENG
Jul 5, 2003
45,090
That Montpelier Road/Montpelier Terrace junction is bad enough with just cars there. They need to stick some double red lines around the area for the duration and change the signalling so buses aren't having to wait for traffic coming south down Montpelier Road, to turn into to Montpelier Terrace.
 


Herr Tubthumper

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 11, 2003
62,683
The Fatherland
The tram networks I'm familiar with (in Britain) generally have lines passing from some suburban or out of town population centre (like Hillsborough or Rotherham near Sheffield) through the centre and out the other side.
As I understand, the German networks were retained after the war, so they will be more extensive. It may well be that in financial terms it would make more sense to run some of them as bus routes instead but I expect people would complain, and obviously the infrastructure's already there.
The point is, to justify the construction cost you need really high passenger numbers, it can't just be about making it a minute quicker and a bit nicer to get down Western Road.
I can’t give any figures on historical tram routes but what I can tell you is I have been in the country 10 years and during the credit crunch they built numerous new tracks and added new routes, I got 3 new services outside my apartment alone. And during the pandemic they decided to extend further and are now in the process of connecting an entire new area to the network. So no, not all the infrastructure was already present.

The last point I highlighted is the most salient imho. Its not just about direct revenue, it’s more about the overall value they bring. The fact my whole neighbourhood was welcomely dug up for 5 years, with little resistance or moaning, to install new tracks, tells you all you need to know about public support. The most moaning I heard was when the roads finally reopened and we weren’t pedestrianised anymore. And it was also done when money was cheap. And this cycle starts again but further down the road. Why wouldn’t you do this :shrug:
 




Herr Tubthumper

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 11, 2003
62,683
The Fatherland
Whilst I’d absolutely support and love the idea of trams in Brighton & Hove I’d love someone to explain who would pay for it and where the money would come from.
Give BVG a call, Im sure they can offer advice. In fact, there’s numerous countries you could call and ask.
 




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