Tramlink Special - on the right track

10:52am Wednesday 16th May 2001

The long awaited Croydon Tramlink finally opened in May 2000, to widespread excitement and anticipation.

This month, Tramlink celebrates its first anniversary.

May 10 was when the route from Croydon to New Addington opened and the Beckenham and Wimbledon routes followed on May 23 and 30.

Tramlink planned to celebrate the birthday by decorating tram stops with balloons to mark the dates and drivers will be passing on a Thank you for travelling with us' message to passengers at regular intervals.

Here are a collection of views from key figures about how the first year has gone.

Ken Livingstone, Mayor of London, said: “Croydon Tramlink has a major role to play in attracting users to public transport and encouraging economic development.”

Whitgift Centre Manager, Rod Wood, said: “The customers that we talk to and surveysay that it is very safe, very quick.

“They like it. We haven't had a single word of complaint since it started.

“The tram is bringing people in from new areas like Bromley and New Addington and they must be spending because our trade is good. ”

Leader of Croydon Council, Councillor Hugh Malyan said: “In just 12 months Tramlink has become a prominent symbol of Croydon's confidence and ambition.

“As well as bringing all the expected environmental and public transport benefits the arrival of trams has underlined the widespread determination to improve the quality of life in Croydon.

“Trams give our town a distinctive continental feel. They seem to have appeared on our streets at the same time as Croydon has embraced a new pavement caf culture.

“Alongside the route extensive planting is fuelling Tramlink's green credentials.

“Even the sun came out from winter hibernation to celebrate Tramlink's first birthday. Everyone concerned with developing and running Tramlink deserves congratulations for the way in which trams have transformed Croydon.”

Councillor Mary Walker, Mayor of Croydon, said: “It has been my privilege to have played a part in bringing trams to Croydon and my absolute pleasure to see them win over the public in my Mayoral year.

“As chair of the Tramlink working group, I used to walk the route, then a building site, watching for progress and problems and looking forward to completion.

“From the very start I felt that if people had patience they would reap the rewards tram travel would bring.

“I have to admit, though, that even my confident expectations have been surpassed by Tramlink's achievement.

“I am so pleased that the cross-party political vision and determination that our town could be lifted by trams has been proved right in such a spectacular manner. Croydon's trams have become a dynamic monument for the millennium.”

Bob Dorey, Chairman of Tramtrack Croydon said: “The quotes speak for themselves. We are very encouraged by these reactions and to be part of the local transport scene in south London.”

SELTRANS (The partnership of seven southeast London Boroughs with passenger and business interests), comments: “SELTRANS would like to see increased priority given to extensions to Croydon Tramlink.”

The Access to Croydon Group (comprising businesses, the borough council and transport providers) stated:

“The completion of the Tramlink project has been a major success and is beginning to have a beneficial impact in Croydon, Merton and Bromley.

“The ATC group feel strongly that extensions to the successful Tramlink system should be incorporated in the Strategy as a specific policy, in order to reflect its importance as a viable addition to the public transport network.”

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