Why isn't the Tees Metro being mentioned again?

Colgates_shaving_foam said:
I agree with this.

The obvious solution is to have lots more electric buses and bus routes. The roads are already there.

They need to run later as they mostly stop at about 11pm at the latest I think?
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I think we have to be realistic. There is little to no chance of the government providing enough funding for an iut of the gorund, new public transport system on Teesside of the scale discussed. The best hope Teesside has is to utilise what it has. I think personally an electric bus network would be the best option.
 
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Humpty said:
I think we have to be realistic. There is little to no chance of the government providing enough funding for an iut of the gorund, new public transport system on Teesside of the scale discussed. The best hope Teesside has is to utilise what it has. I think personally an electric bus network would be the best option.
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I think that’s very true. Our heavy rail links have a role to play in a better integrated system, but for the most part it would be for medium distance travel, and as a means to tie us into the National network. In that respect, if we could get reliability sorted by solving the industrial relations problems, and make incremental improvements like the Hartlepool station remodelling to give more capacity on the Durham Coast line, then we don’t have a bad service by historical standards.

As far as our local transport needs are concerned, trams are what you use when you cannot get adequate capacity via buses, usually because of the road capacity, and suburban light rail when your capacity needs are higher still. The reality is that on Teesside there is no shortage of road capacity to run more buses, the bigger problem is getting the usage up. And the service decline is down to a combination of low usage and reducing subsidies. We should focus on reversing that decline rather than on unrealistic projects.
 
I believe the discussion has gone down the path of "do we have the money to spend on rail when it should be roads" but for me it doesn't have to be this, it can be roads but even they have limitations, which shows when new roads are built to relieve pressure, they seem to reach capacity in no time, so for me they are just part of the future solutions. Im going to add a link to a GOV UK press release of the 3rd October, obviously the Tories are trying to spin good news out of the HS collapse but it still doesn't hide the fact there may be for a while substantial funds out there which we should take advantage of but I'm not hearing anything https://www.gov.uk/government/news/north-east-to-benefit-from-198-billion-transport-investment

It does say money is being redirected our way , but unless a substantial project comes up such as the Tees Valley Metro, it will be used to just tinker with stuff then as we all know it will disappear back to other things.
 
If there was a central line or lines with trams running through town every few minutes, all busses could be rerouted to just serve those lines instead of having them all running from the estates to the town centre and back. People would use it if prices were reasonable and they weren’t going to be sat waiting for 20+ minutes for each change like they are now. Last time I used the bus, two adults and two kids going to town was about the same price as getting a taxi. That should never be the case.
 
How about tarmacing over the track bed of local lines, past and present, and run a 60mph bus service on 'closed circuit' roads. There could be some sharing of access for other traffic like taxis, but limited exits, only dropping off points. Much cheaper and flexible than trams, rail or public highway.
I don't live in the area now so I don't know what is still required for Skiningrove works and Boulby mine, but that's the general idea.
 
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