"Trams 4 Swansea" Campaign Launched

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 6th Sep 2007

Rob by Nottingham Tram

Swansea's traffic problems have been getting steadily worse. The city's economy is growing, and with £1Billion pounds worth of building projects in the pipeline, traffic chaos is set to get even worse. Many people have asked the question, whether Swansea could see trams again as part of the solution.

September 12th will see the Official Launch of the "Trams 4 Swansea" campaign, a campaign that aims to put pressure on the City's Council to look seriously at the options to bring back trams to Swansea.

The campaign is being led by Rob Speht, who as Chairman of the City & County of Swansea's Cabinet Advisory Committee for Economic Development 2004 - 2006, brought the idea of trams back onto the Council's agenda. The committee started the process of looking into the feasibility of trams for Swansea, even visiting Sheffield, Manchester and Nottingham to take evidence from their City Council's.

In 2006 the committee structure was reorganised following new rules from the Welsh Assembly and the Committees abandoned, along with their policy development work. Rob Speht has however not given up, and has pushed for the idea of trams to be considered for Swansea on every possible occasion since.

The Trams 4 Swansea campaign is a mechanism by which residents of Swansea and visitors to Swansea can register their support for trams to come back to Swansea. The Launch event will take place at 12pm at the metal archway of the old Slip Bridge near the War Memorial in Swansea Bay.

Rob Speht, Local Councillor and Environment Champion said "Cities like Nottingham have found that a new tram system frees up the roads and enables residents travel in and out of the city to work, study, shop and access services without the need of owning a car and the hassle of driving and parking"

"Swansea is the birthplace of the tram. From 1807 the World's very first passenger railway system ran between Swansea and Mumbles, it is a real shame that this city, of all cities, does not have a tram system today"

"There is evidence from around the World that cities that make the effort to build a tram system, experience an economic, cultural and social boom as the city is opened up again. The contribution to the local economy usually outweighing the cost of the build project by a factor of 10 times" he added.

Speaking about this time when he chaired the Committee "We looked at options for funding a new tram system from private investment, with the Council contributing to the planning elements and giving land to the project, thus minimising the cost to the Swansea taxpayer and safeguarding existing Council budgets"

When asked which routes would be appropriate for Swansea he said "The committee originally looked at trams routes from SA1 to Mumbles, the Bus Station via High St Station and the Liberty Stadium and the Enterprise Park and Morriston, Blackpill to Dunvant, Gowerton", and added "but I think we would now also need to look at connecting in Baglan, Port Talbot and Llanelli"

Speaking about the new campaign, he said "The Campaign to put pressure on the Council to look at the options for trams in Swansea is already gaining momentum. Many people have already signed the online petition at trams4swansea.org.uk and pledged their support"

"Petition forms will also available from County Hall reception and your local Library from the 12th September onwards" he added.

ENDS

Notes to editors;

1. In 1807 approval was given to carry passengers along the line, with company director Benjamin French paying the company the sum of twenty pounds for the right to do so. On March 25, 1807, the first regular service carrying passengers between Swansea and Mumbles began, thus giving the railway the claim of being the first passenger railway in the world. Steam power replaced the horses in 1877, and in 1893 the railway was extended to nearby Southend. In 1898 the line was further extended to the Mumbles Pier. The line was electrified using overhead cables - so this line has seen three forms of locomotive power over the years - and on March 2, 1929 the first electrical cars were used. These double-deck cars were the largest built for use in Britain, and each could seat 106 passengers. During the late 1950s, The South Wales Transport Company (which operated a large motor bus fleet in the area) managed to purchase the railway and despite vociferous local opposition proceeded to close the line down.

2. At 11.52am on January 5th, 1960, the last train left Swansea for Mumbles driven by Frank Duncan, who had driven the train since 1907. Within a very short time of the train returning to its Rutland Street base, work began on dismantling the track.

3. There are eight tramway/light rail systems in the UK-in Croydon, London's docklands, Birmingham, Manchester, Sheffield, Newcastle, Nottingham and Blackpool. In addition, several new light rail schemes are in the planning stage, most notably in Leeds, London (West London and South-Central London), Bristol, Portsmouth, Liverpool and Edinburgh.

4. More information about the Trams4Swansea campaign see www.trams4swansea.org.uk

5. Attached, Photograph of Rob Speht with a tram in Nottingham, and the Trams4Swansea logo

6. More information about the Old Mumbles Railway at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swansea_and_Mumbles_Railway and http://www.welshwales.co.uk/mumbles_railway_swansea.htm

7. More info about Nottingham's trams at www.thetram.net