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Meeting on Port tram extension

October 20, 2006 12:15am
Article from: The Advertiser

PORT Adelaide/Enfield Council is continuing to pitch its $224 million tram extension proposal to the State Government.
Transport Minister Patrick Conlon met with the council yesterday to discuss the plan to run trams through Port Adelaide to North Haven, with a branch to Semaphore.

Mr Conlon's spokesman said the minister was "always happy to talk to people with ideas" but denied talks were advancing.

In February, council presented Mr Conlon with a report on the costs and benefits of replacing trains with light rail to the northwest suburbs.

Stupidest idea ever; waste of money.

Should extend the tram into Norwood and create a branch off the Grange/Outer Harbour line to West Lakes--

Only 3km of track is required to link the rail network with West Lakes... and im pretty sure it could be done for under $200m-- just need to purchase a bunch of properties on the southern side of West Lakes Boulevard (~ 60 by my count) and go underground (cheap cut 'n cover) when it reaches AAMI Stadium. Two stations at West Lakes Shopping Centre and the Stadium.

Guess it's up to charles sturt council to lobby on behalf of their residents if they want a tram line to the boulevard.

Personally i'm for the idea of a tram line to the Port, so long as there are more stops along the way. The north west is a really under-serviced region in terms of public transport, and considering the housing density in that region is set to explode (cheltenham, prospect, westwood, port adelaide) this will push TransportSA to their limit if something's not done about it soon.

bdm: They could probably even do it without buying properties - there's green space and service roads on both sides of West Lakes Bvd.

AtD wrote:bdm: They could probably even do it without buying properties - there's green space and service roads on both sides of West Lakes Bvd.

Yes, you're quite right. However, trains--not trams--make noise, and its easy to cover up that noise when its sunken and there's a bevy of greenery around it--thats what the land purchase would be for. Hell, this thing could be done for $60-80 million or less I think. It really isn't that hard a project, and the benefits (in my eyes) are enormous: easy PT, new look, connection to sporting venue and shopping centre...

And trams to the port--why? Out of all places--why? A colossal waste of money considering there is already a train line that way, and that Port Adelaide really does not have much to offer compared to other suburban centres.

Spending that $224 million on a West Lakes branch and the upgrade of all Outer Harbour line stations would go a lot further than a tramline.

bdm wrote: And trams to the port--why? Out of all places--why? A colossal waste of money considering there is already a train line that way, and that Port Adelaide really does not have much to offer compared to other suburban centres.

Well it's either a tram system or hundreds of buses that way servicing all the new tenants down that way.

You can only put so many buses along side road trains on grand junction road / torrens road way. If not a tram system, then at least a seriously upgraded electrified train system that way, with a new interchange built at the corner of torrens road and hanson road - one more at cheltenham - possibly one at alberton and one at the port itself.

Howie wrote:

bdm wrote: And trams to the port--why? Out of all places--why? A colossal waste of money considering there is already a train line that way, and that Port Adelaide really does not have much to offer compared to other suburban centres.

Well it's either a tram system or hundreds of buses that way servicing all the new tenants down that way.

You can only put so many buses along side road trains on grand junction road / torrens road way. If not a tram system, then at least a seriously upgraded electrified train system that way, with a new interchange built at the corner of torrens road and hanson road - one more at cheltenham - possibly one at alberton and one at the port itself.

Exactly! A seriously upgraded electrified train system (with new stations, new interchanges, etc) is what we need--not this tram-to-port folly.

Sure why not, but something definately needs to happen. 90% of Port Adelaide Enfield residents can't catch the current train as it's way too far. Even if they electrified it at the cost of billions to purchase land and lay tracks, I believe it should be done if the north west is to grow.

Even just upgrading the stations would do wonders. Pt Adel R'Stn is a dump. Ethelton and Glanville are both having large apartment blocks built atop of them as part of the urban renewal.

The problem with making the port line Light Rail is that it looks like a smashing idea at the moment, but give and more development, it will become extremely overcrowed and not workable, look at the St Kilda and Port Melbourne railways lines, they are absolutely packed to capacity and could proberly work better as Heavy rail again.

I'm actually very fond of the tram system going to St Kilda. I think it adds something to the character of the area - also i've never had any problems hopping on or off the trams over there, even during peak hour.

As nice as it, it would be better as a heavy rail. One must consider the greater need of the community. It would have been nice to keep the H class trams, but common sense said we had get new ones…..

Tom wrote:The problem with making the port line Light Rail is that it looks like a smashing idea at the moment, but give and more development, it will become extremely overcrowed and not workable, look at the St Kilda and Port Melbourne railways lines, they are absolutely packed to capacity and could proberly work better as Heavy rail again.

Not only that, but the Outer Harbor and Grange Lines operate a larger length of route than either the St Kilda and Port Melbourne Lines, and trams operating the whole way to Outer Harbor would be slow.

AG wrote:trams operating the whole way to Outer Harbor would be slow.

Why? If they operate along the Port Road corridor, they would be restricted to the speed limit, but they could also operate express trams along the current rail corridor, with the added bonus of street running where necessary (eg through Port Adelaide or down Semaphore Road).

AG wrote:

Tom wrote:The problem with making the port line Light Rail is that it looks like a smashing idea at the moment, but give and more development, it will become extremely overcrowed and not workable, look at the St Kilda and Port Melbourne railways lines, they are absolutely packed to capacity and could proberly work better as Heavy rail again.

Not only that, but the Outer Harbor and Grange Lines operate a larger length of route than either the St Kilda and Port Melbourne Lines, and trams operating the whole way to Outer Harbor would be slow.

This is true the new trams have a max speed of 80km/h and they rarely reach that.....