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Paddick: I'll bring in green tram network
Pippa Crerar, Political Correspondent07.04.08
Brian Paddick put the environment at the heart of his plans for London today with a pledge to bring in a new green tram network.
The Liberal Democrat candidate for Mayor set out his vision in a bid to woo the capital's green vote and capitalise on the Lib-Dems' reputation as the party of the environment.
Mr Paddick's pledges in his "Contract for London" include a "green smartcard" which would reduce travel costs for passengers who bought green products.
All new major developments would be self-sustaining. Developers would only get permission to refurbish buildings if they were made more energy efficient. There would be recycling bins at transport interchanges and supermarket exits, while all housing estates would have composting and recycling facilities. Groups of flats, schools and Tube stations could also become self-sustaining.
Mr Paddick's proposals for a crossriver tram would build on plans already being considered by Transport for London. It would run from Camden to Brixton and Peckham, and in his second term be extended to Streatham High Road and eventually the Croydon tramlink.
A spur would run from Marble Arch through Oxford Circus to Centre Point while ultra-light rail trams would run from Oxford Street to Stratford and from Waterloo to Deptford and connect with the cross-river tram. He would also extend the Croydon tramlink.
He would get TfL to explore replacing bendy buses with ultra-light rail, and also test hybrid engines for black cabs.
Mr Paddick has said he would not allow smaller band B vehicles into the C-charge zone free, as proposed by Mr Livingstone. He would also abolish the western extension but could extend the C-charge to outer-London town centres. He has opposed the low emissions zone and would consider bringing in a £10 daily "out-of-towners" congestion charge. There would be more cycle lanes protected by high kerbs with cyclists given priority at junctions, as well as aParisianstyle bike hire scheme with 1000 bikes and car hire clubs in each area.
Other policies include running the Tube on a model where TfL sets the fares and service standards and a contractor is paid a fixed fee to deliver the service. Each Tube after 9pm would have a carriage with a security guard. Farringdon station would be developed into an air terminal for Heathrow, Gatwick and Luton where bags are checked in before boarding Thameslink or Crossrail.
Mr Paddick has also called for far more affordable rented housing, especially for larger families.
LIB-DEM'S MANIFESTO
• A new green tram network from Camden to Croydon and east to Stratford and Deptford.
• Green smartcards giving environmentally-friendly shoppers discounts on public transport.
• A five per cent year-on-year reduction in the crime rate.
• Abolish the western extension of the C-charge zone.
• More affordable rented housing for larger families.
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Oh no,
Not trams again! I was getting ready to vote for Mr Paddick, and now this. A tram can do nothing that a bus with a clear path ahead cannot, and you can't divert a tram when you need to dig up the track, or switch it to a busier route at short notice! It's that simple. The new transport ingredient that London needs is perhaps too cheap and simple to be politically exciting, namely a network of small narrow buses to serve side roads and, with through-ticketing, bring the passengers to the bigger buses. You could probably justify them being free to use. We have one such in Walthamstow, that threads its way through back streets in a very handy way - but without through-ticketing, its usefulness is greatly reduced. Mr Paddick, don't be ashamed to ASK people what they want: there are so many people in London with brilliant ideas, but outside the political loop they don't get a hearing.
- Mdj, Leyton, e10 london
Trams are a complete waste of money. You can put in place guided buses for a fraction of the cost. Plus you don't get the huge disruption and damage to businesses that occurs with tram route construction.
The construction of Super-tram through Sheffield city centre in the early 1990s drove shoppers to out of town malls and caused many businesses to close.
Shop owners along the proposed routes should be wary.
- David Pilkington, London
Is anyone taken in by this "green" tram nonsense? Trams require huge amounts of electricity, which does not come from trees. Electricity needs a power station, fuelled by oil, coal or nuclear resources, only the latter being remotely green, but not favoured by anyone.
And as for the plan to turn Farringdon into an airport terminal - dream on! The security implications of checking in bags in one location for transfer to another are enormous: look at what has happened at Heathrow T5 to see the problems it can cause if the bags are kept in one location.
- Nobby Clark, Perth, UK
