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Largest cities without a metro system
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MidnightFlyer
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Liverpool, Brissle and Leeds I reckon would be the top three for the UK. Couldn't comment for worldwide however.
jamesontheroad
Established Member
According to this list I'd suggest the largest UK and EU city without a metro of any kind is indeed Leeds. Zagreb has a higher population, and the metro is under construction, but it has trams.
Any advance?
Any advance?
Zoidberg
Established Member
Edinburgh is implementing a wee train set running from the airport to the city centre; due to go live early 2014. So, maybe discount Edinburgh.
Manchester77
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Isn't Leeds getting a trolleybus system?
61653 HTAFC
Veteran Member
It's in the early planning stages... Residents in the area seem to be united in their opposition to it though. In any case, if it doesn't run on rails it isn't a proper metro!
Ahem. What's merseyrail then??
Manchester77
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Suburban rail network?
overthewater
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Glasgow has a good Suburban rail network, and Edinburgh had one of the best bus networks in uk.
Eagle
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An S-Bahn. (As is London Overground, incidentally.)
Suburban metro-style railway that's possibly segregated but still part of the national railway network.
ValleyLines142
Established Member
I would have to say Cardiff too.
Odessa is rather bigger than Zagreb and only has trams and trolleybuses. (The geology makes constructing an underground system more or less impossible).
I think I've heard Belgrade described as the largest city in Europe without a metro: although there is talk of building one. But this talk has been going on for some time...
I think I've heard Belgrade described as the largest city in Europe without a metro: although there is talk of building one. But this talk has been going on for some time...
YorkshireBear
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Locals are not keen on trolleybuses, they see little benefit for disruption. With typical journey times longer than current buses! They also are hostile due to seeing it as a kop out to the previous tram plan.
But even the tram plan had little support, there would be little or no segregation and i can only imagine the disruption..... (i live next to the proposed route and walk along it everyday to uni)
But even the tram plan had little support, there would be little or no segregation and i can only imagine the disruption..... (i live next to the proposed route and walk along it everyday to uni)
alwaystouchout
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Liverpool might be contentious with Merseyrail so in that case in terms of total urban areas, Leeds, Bristol and Leicester?
overthewater
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To be fair, if many of the place with no trams etc have a high standing bus network, then there is no real issues. Each city has to deal with transporting people in their own way. Why Glasgow never built a second subway route to the east I'll never know.
MK Tom
Established Member
Coventry probably appears on this list after the likes of Leeds, Cardiff, Leicester, Derby and Bristol.
Liverpool as others have said technically has no metro but Merseyrail does give it a pass in my opinion. In many respects Merseyrail is so disconnected from national rail I don't know why they haven't just made it into a proper metro system.
Liverpool as others have said technically has no metro but Merseyrail does give it a pass in my opinion. In many respects Merseyrail is so disconnected from national rail I don't know why they haven't just made it into a proper metro system.
12CSVT
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The Merseyrail system is part of the National Rail network, and does share the same track with other passenger trains at Bidston and Hunts Cross. It also has connections, albeit for empty stock movements, at several other locations (ie, Southport, Chester, Ellesmere Port)
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starrymarkb
Established Member
Eagle
Established Member
Why is Liverpool's suburban National Rail network different from Leeds's suburban National Rail network or Bristol's suburban National Rail network?
Talking about Merseyrail Electrics only rather than the other suburban services; well for a start the operator is appointed locally by the transport authority rather than national government. The train services largely, but not wholly, all stay within the metropolitan area. The frequency of services on the core routes is also pretty much unparalleled in Bristol or Leeds (West Yorkshire).
As far as I'm aware there are only 3 suburban stations in Greater Bristol that have 4tph off peak to the city centre (Temple Meads, if you can call it that), and they are not evenly spaced; and bar 1 all extend to outside of the urban area.
As far as I'm aware there are only 3 suburban stations in Greater Bristol that have 4tph off peak to the city centre (Temple Meads, if you can call it that), and they are not evenly spaced; and bar 1 all extend to outside of the urban area.
MK Tom
Established Member
Yeah I'm aware of Merseyrail's status as part of the national network. What I'm saying is why isn't it broken off and made into a full-blown metro? It wouldn't change anything at Southport, Chester or so on. London Underground shares metals with national rail in places.
I think Merseyrail's underground section, service intensity and the fact its electrified make it a lot more metro-like than Leeds which is a mixture of 333s and Pacers effectively. It's certainly S-Bahn like, or when I was on it I thought to myself that it was like a British RER. I think Mr. Joe Public would think of a metro upon seeing this:
I think Merseyrail's underground section, service intensity and the fact its electrified make it a lot more metro-like than Leeds which is a mixture of 333s and Pacers effectively. It's certainly S-Bahn like, or when I was on it I thought to myself that it was like a British RER. I think Mr. Joe Public would think of a metro upon seeing this:
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YorkshireBear
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None of them have an almost entirely segregated system with tunnels through city centre.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
So does Tyne and Wear Metro
Don't mention the trolley buses, they make my blood boil and are a total waste of brass.
12CSVT
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(Mis)guided busways are even worse - total waste of £xx,xxx,xxx.xx
Zoidberg
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Misguided is right - years ago in Newcastle I watched a trolley bus turn left - up a street without trolley wires.
Oops!
starrymarkb
Established Member
Modern Trolley buses either have batteries or a small genset sufficient to take them around blockages/back to the wires...
Zoidberg
Established Member
Just as well - the incident to which I referred caused some traffic congestion - as well as hoots of laughter from some.
EDIT: While in Seville a short while ago I was amazed to see a tram hurtle by with its pantograph down. Further observation revealed that trams arrived at a stop under wires, dropped the pantograph and ran for maybe 200 yards (probably metres across there) to a terminal stop which was under wires where its was pantograph up. I imagine that it ran under battery power. It was in a particularly historic part of the city and I imagine the thinking was that catenary would be inappropriate in that area.
Here's the area http://goo.gl/maps/EJsBp
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Eagle
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More likely it was coasting.
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