End of the line for tram plans

10:35am Friday 29th October 2004

Kingston's grand two-year, £84million vision of joining London's tram network has come to an end.

Despite reports this summer that South London Trams would be campaigning for a rapid transit line from the M25 to Kingston town centre the Lib Dems have now decided it would be too expensive.

Councillor Patricia Bamford, executive member for transportation and sustainable development, said: "We took the financially prudent decision not to continue the rapid transit study but focus funds on producing an effective local implementation plan, including cross-county and borough links.

"Current solutions revolve around more park and ride provision, more cycling, more support for local journeys being made on foot, and more buses, better integrated with the heavy train timetable, promoting Surbiton station as the gateway to Kingston.

"We continue to lobby for Crossrail to re-site its station in Kingston."

Most of the money for the scheme, first announced two years ago, was likely to have come from Transport for London (TfL).

But there were warning signs that it was likely to fall through in July, when TfL said Kingston had seen an improvement in its bus and train services and money would go to the places that needed it most.

Conservative Councillor David Cunningham said: "Kingston is suffering through inferior transport links.

"We need practical proposals that will ease the pressure as well as making Kingston an easier place to get to.

"Everything about this has been about vision rather than practicality people are left thinking these ideas are still out there and viable."

TfL inferred the scheme was about to be dropped when it said the money would go to priority areas.

It was hoped that the trams would encourage regeneration, boost the number of shoppers and help with London's Olympic bid.

rclifford@london.newsquest.co.uk

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