On track for big changes
Electric trams could soon be seen on the streets of Oxford, more than ninety years after their horse drawn equivalents were last phased out.
As reported in The Oxford Student last week, Capital Shopping Centres, owners of the Westgate shopping centre, plan to expand the thirty year old precinct with a view to creating over a thousand jobs.
The new Westgate Centre is part of an urban rejuvenation project which includes a the redevelopment of Bonn Square. The area has been cited by councillors as in need for specific attention.
In a city plagued with transportation difficulties, the lack of accompanying plans for improved parking facilities means that the expansion of one of Oxford's main shopping centres will rely heavily on developing transportation links.
Oxford's seven Green councillors are lobbying for the introduction of a tram link running from the railway station to the Westgate centre.
Leader of the group Craig Simmons told The Oxford Student: "A double-ended lightweight tram to carry shoppers from the station to the new centre could be part of the solution."
The tram proposal has cross-party support, with Labour city councillor Dan Paskins telling The Oxford Student: "I think it would be a great idea in principle to have trams in the centre of Oxford."
Trams are also heavily promoted by 'Railfuture', an independent transport body that works with government on all levels.
It has stated that "trams are generally able to offer higher passenger capacity than buses... and safety is higher, [while] energy consumption and emissions are lower."
Green councillor Mary Jane Sareva also expressed support for the paper, saying that their "environmentally friendly appeal was obviously a good thing" and she was pleased it was being considered.
However, the county council's executive member for transport, David Robertson, has urged caution, stating: "At the moment all suggestions are welcome and are being considered. However they may only remain aspirations."
Paskins shared some of his concerns: "it would cost a lot of money to install these trams, and if it comes to a choice I'd prefer to see the money spent on building new homes for homeless people in Oxford or reducing poverty in less well-off areas of the city."
Liverpool, which beat our own dreaming spires to the accolade of 'European city of culture 2008', plans to introduce a similar Merseytram project. The Department of Transport envisages that the introduction of tramways will create "a model shift away from the private car", and "help to create a sense of city pride in Liverpool." Whether Oxford will take heed remains to be seen.
27th Jan 2005