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Tram Scheme For Wirral Is Put On The Agenda

Feb 1 2012 by David Bartlett, Birkenhead News

TRAMS are back on the agenda in Merseyside – but this time in Wirral.

Transport authority Merseytravel is investigating whether to create a tram system around the proposed £4.5bn Wirral Waters skyscraper scheme for Birkenhead’s docklands.

The authority voted to instruct consultants to look into the costs of the scheme, which would also involve taking over Wirral council’s heritage tramway in Birkenhead.

Wirral council is currently trying to offload the heritage tramway and wanted bids to take it over by next week.

But councillors on Merseytravel said they did not have enough information to sanction a bid, because the tramway requires a subsidy of £250,000-a-year.

Councillors were reluctant to commit to bidding for the tramway without an update report into the costs. Developers Peel have agreed to pay 50% of the cost of a study to investigate the costs.

Merseytravel will vote again on the tram scheme for Wirral once a full breakdown of the costs of the scheme is known.

In February last year Merseytravel pulled out of similar negotiations to take over the tramway, because Wirral council wanted to sell the Pacific Road theatre as part of the deal.

The council removed the arts centre from the deal, bringing Merseytravel back to the table.

But councillors were still concerned about the potential costs.

Labour’s Cllr Joe Hanson, who represents Liverpool on Merseytravel, said: “Merseytravel wants to do what it can to support Wirral Waters and Wirral council, but there are a number of issues here.

“The costs of £250,000 a year put us in a terrible position.”

Wirral representative Cllr Chris Blakeley said that the authority needed to take a leap of faith.

“Wirral Waters is a scheme that will bring jobs to the region and we should do all we can to support it.”

were would the tramline run to? from pacific road to wirral waters. it would cost loads to do at least look at connecting a transport hub i.e secombe ferry or conway park station to make it worthwhile

Perhaps some of the tolls from MerseyTravel's cash cow (the tunnels) could be spent on the Wirral for a change?

Shouldn't this be “Merseytravel wants to do what it can to support Wirral PEOPLE but there are a number of issues here."

It's all about money with Merseytravel. How about seeing more return for our tolls and setting up and running a tramway. You'd get your money back when the development is complete through increased usage. A lot of existing unused track around the docks means a lot of the pressure to find track-ways doesn't need worrying about. Do something for the long suffering Wirralonians Merseytravel.

The original plan was to run it through the docks to Seacombe Ferry. Eventually it would go to New Brighton along the prom. There's an interview somewhere on the web with Neil Scales, ex-Merseytravel boss, about his plans for the tramway.
There was also talk of the Birkenhead end going on to Hamilton Square Station, the town centre and terminate at Birkenhead. Alas, just a pipedream for the moment.

see touchstone that plan would be good it would make the most of the opertunity out there for this kind of scheme but the cost would be huge

Never ever seen the trams running, thought they were using them for very very special occasions, £250,000 a year is a lot of running costs in an invisible tram system.

We also have the redundant section of dock railway from Rock Ferry ,past Birkenhead town centre , then close to the existing tramway & onwards to the international trade centre & finally Birkenhead North.Plenty of interchanges there ,plus lots of existing heavy duty rail still in place, although the sleepers & ballast probably need replacing.

Bob.

Here's an interesting article about extending the Merseyrail network using existing tunnels to give a truly comprehensive rapid transit network.

If we want a rapid transit network over here then just put the bus routes back to the way they were. Hub at Woodside and spokes and circulars out from there, it used to work a treat.

Whatever happens it will:
a) not go ahead,
b) not go ahead.

Like the proposed Liverpool/Everton stadium, I'm sick of hearing about 'proposed' tram system.

I'd rather extend the line and make a continuation underground from New Brighton and turn it into the "Wallasey Loop" where it goes under Liscard, Egremont,Seacombe, The Twelve Quay's near the Hydraulic Tower and rejoin the main line at either Conway Park or Hamilton Square. That way there's a loop around the docks to suit the Wirral Waters and it gives everyone in Wallasey easier access to the rail network.

What again! there goes a flying pig

Had a meeting a wile back with wirral invest that where talking about this development but in a nut shell its destined to never get off the ground even with local developers like CBRE etc buying up the waterfront etc, not enough people will use it to warrant it getting of the ground.

Look at Manchester though, that works

I think the cost of this would be astronomically high and unviable, not that it wouldn't be a boon

Sadly, that wont happen under the current privatised system. Ever since Maggie deregulated the buses they've done pretty much whatever they want. Arriva are slowly but surely pulling out of Woodside.