Tyne and Wear Metro "speeding up of Development."

[JohnCarlson]

The government seems to be talking of speeding up development of the Tyne and Wear Metro.

Does the mean that the existing planned upgrades will just happen faster or is there the chance of new routes and trains?

John

 

[markydh]

Who knows? There's absolutely nothing about this on either the NEXUS or TWITA websites so I think they, like the rest of us, have been caught completely by surprise with this announcement!

 

[JohnCarlson]

Who knows? There's absolutely nothing about this on either the NEXUS or TWITA websites so I think they, like the rest of us, have been caught completely by surprise with this announcement!

The ex District Line stock arrives at Gosforth tomorrow! hock:

 

[Nym]

Please, please, please, if you're ordering more stock for the T&W Metro, make it dual voltage so we can change them wires at Sunderland to 25kVAC...

 

[DaveNewcastle]

I agree that there is no additional or new funding for the T&W Metro to be released in the current Budget.

Only yesterday (Mon 28th) the Head of Planning & Transportation for Newcastle City Council confirmed that while his Department have been working with the region's other Local Authorities to explore possible plans for extending the Metro network along as many as nine corridors, there is no prospect of any funding for these developments, certainly not within the next 10 to 15 years.

 

[Maninblack]

The government seems to be talking of speeding up development of the Tyne and Wear Metro.

Does the mean that the existing planned upgrades will just happen faster or is there the chance of new routes and trains?

John

I've just been watching George Osbourne's Autumn statement, and he has just anounced the speeding up of investment in Tyne and Wear Metro. I thought the contracts had been signed!!
Does this mean that there is going to be a further extension to the system?

 

[WatcherZero]

The signed contract was that the company would operate and the Government would put in some money over the years for improvement. Essentially they are bringing forward the date that money becomes available for investment not creating extra investment.

 

[142094]

£4 million to help speed up the 'process' - so no new stations or reopenings.

Crumbs compared to other schemes.

 

[swt_passenger]

£4 million could quite easily be spent by consultants asked to decide what to spend it on... As you say it won't significantly change anything.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Could it be to speed up the refurbishment of the trains?

 

[142094]

Could it be to speed up the refurbishment of the trains?

No, that money has already been allocated from the funds previously given as part of the All Change programme. Plus £4m wouldn't speed it up much, when you think how long it has taken to do the first few!

£4 million could quite easily be spent by consultants asked to decide what to spend it on... As you say it won't significantly change anything.

Yup, plus you could spend £4m easily by having meetings on how the £4m would be spent - good excuse for tea, coffee and a buffet I bet...

 

[tbtc]

£4 million to help speed up the 'process' - so no new stations or reopenings.

Crumbs compared to other schemes.

I think the additional Sheffield trams cost over that *each*

(something like £18m for four trams, though they do need to be fairly robust to climb our hills)

 

[142094]

I think the additional Sheffield trams cost over that *each*

(something like £18m for four trams, though they do need to be fairly robust to climb our hills)

£4m is nothing compared to other schemes - which is why it seems the North East loses out most times. Yes we're getting money but we're not seeing any new stations or reopenings which is probably what is needed most.

 

[tbtc]

£4m is nothing compared to other schemes - which is why it seems the North East loses out most times. Yes we're getting money but we're not seeing any new stations or reopenings which is probably what is needed most.

Its a bit like the "East Midlands gets a new road bridge" pot of money...

 

[WatcherZero]

I think the additional Sheffield trams cost over that *each*

(something like £18m for four trams, though they do need to be fairly robust to climb our hills)

As far as I know the actual trams are around 2.8m each, roughly 12m, the other 6m is for the other costs of introducing them (procurement process, legal fees, shipping, trial and commisioning, training, spare parts, etc...) Naturally this is so high because its such a small order which is why their considering merging the procurement with the four for the tram-train trial so they would be buying a class of 8 instead of two classes of 4. If they were buying in bulk the cost per unit would be down around the 2.2m mark.

 

[142094]

Its a bit like the "East Midlands gets a new road bridge" pot of money...

Aye. Hardly going to turn the economy around!

 

[tbtc]

As far as I know the actual trams are around 2.8m each, roughly 12m, the other 6m is for the other costs of introducing them (procurement process, legal fees, shipping, trial and commisioning, training, spare parts, etc...) Naturally this is so high because its such a small order which is why their considering merging the procurement with the four for the tram-train trial so they would be buying a class of 8 instead of two classes of 4. If they were buying in bulk the cost per unit would be down around the 2.2m mark.

Thanks for filling in the details, makes a lot of sense

 

[Maninblack]

Do you know what does my head in? People who put their feet on the seats!!! At this time of year salt is spread all over the platforms, and the floors of the trains are very dirty, but people still put their dirty feet on the seats.
Last Wednesday I was on my way to Newcastle from Sunderland when a lad spewed up opposite me(other side of train). He left the train at St Peters and collapsed on the platform. I had to move seats. I got off at Monument and reported the mess and identified the unit (4050a). Imagine people walking through the vomit and putting their feet on the seats!! And imagine people having a night out, going to the toilet in a pub before getting on the Metro and putting their feet up. Do people never think what they might have walked in? Rant over!!

 

[142094]

If you ask them politely to take their feet down, you are normally met with a torrent of abuse. Unless you happen to have a high-viz under your jacket

The cleaners do a very good job, but of course this is made worse by some of the people that get on. Any liquid waste is covered in a powder which solidifies then it can be brushed up. Seats are regularly steam cleaned and disinfected as part of the normal cleaning regime.

 

[WatcherZero]

So as I understand it the £4m isnt really speeding anything up, its just the Government paying the local councils annual contribution to £110m improvements over 30 years. Why is the Government paying the councils contribution for this year instead? Is it unable to raise the cash itself?