New group formed to promote the reintroduction of trams in Bath

Home News & Events Latest News New group formed to promote the reintroduction of trams in Bath

A new group called “The Bath Tram Re-Introduction Group” has been formed following a meeting at BRSLI to promote the reintroduction of trams in Bath. The group hope that by reintroducing trams they will help solve Bath’s congestion and pollution problems. The proposal suggests installing overhead electrical rails, and rails in the road to form a network which includes the sreets where Bath’s now defunct tram service used to run, plus connections to the Park & Ride sites:

proposed-bath-tram-network-map

As the trams run only on electricity they will produce no local emissions and pollution, Evidence from other European cities which have recently installed trams suggest their frequency and fixed routes will encourage a greater model transport shift than public buses can offer.

However, there is a long road ahead for this project – they need to finance the project which could cost as much as £1Bn, and will need planning permission to alter the road network throughout Bath. The project might be helped by a recent West of England Joint Transport Proposal to build a light-railway between Bath and Bristol at a cost of £2.5Bn (along with an A36/A46 bypass, a P&R on Bathampton Meadow, a freight consolidation centre on Bathampton Meadow).

They are developing a website www.bathtrams.uk to act as a focus for this project, and to explain how a tram system might benefit Bath.