The opening of two new tram lines to Chilwell and Clifton in Nottingham – a £570million extension to the city’s tram network – today (Tuesday August 25) has been welcomed by the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership.
Trams began running on the new lines at 6am this morning, doubling the size of the 32 kilometre network. Trams now serve the NG2 Business Park, where the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership offices are located (see photo below).
The network now serves 20 of the 30 largest Greater Nottingham employers, as well as key regeneration sites and locations including Beeston town centre and Clifton.
The network will also aim to support major regeneration to the south of the city centre and the city’s Southern Gateway regeneration area; and provides links to the A52, the Queen’s Medical Centre and serves the three M1 junctions nearest to Nottingham.
NET Line One opened in 2004 and has carried nearly 100 million passengers. The expanded network has an extra 28 tram stops, with 22 new trams added to the original fleet of 15, and has the capacity to serve up to 20 million passengers a year.
David Ralph, Chief Executive of the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership, said: “As an organisation dedicated to expanding economic growth in the D2N2 area, we welcome today’s opening of the extended tram network.
“The tram extension will be transformational; creating a better connected city which gives people easier access to employment, makes areas more attractive to developers and increases footfall for retailers. This is all good news for the area’s economy.”
For more information about the new tram network and fares see website www.thetram.net
