Copy of This Government is in paralysis. It is unable to take the necessary steps to protect us

Since 2001, 21 French cities have built tram networks, compared to just three in the UK. This reflects a deep-rooted issue that British cities and towns, bar London, have struggled to develop efficient, reliable, interconnected public transport networks.

Andy Street

The majority of Britons are missing out on the benefits public transport offers, including a reduction in toxic vehicle fumes and more convenient access to their local areas. Our cumbersome planning regulations and high infrastructure costs are making new networks challenging to build and expand. So why has this happened, and what can be done to solve it?

For instance, 80 per cent of Britons living in urban areas do not have access to a metro or tram, a stark contrast to just 10 per cent in Germany. This limits access to employment, leisure, and education opportunities, thereby reducing productivity and choking economic growth. 

This lack of transport was not always the norm. Our predecessors understood the importance of a well-connected public transport network, and how it successfully boosted both our image on the world stage and our economic competitiveness. Britain was home to the first passenger tram, which started operation in 1807, 32 years prior to our European neighbours.

Nevertheless, the shortsighted closure of networks in the 1950s and 60s has meant the UK has fallen behind our European counterparts, who have better recognised and harnessed the environmental benefits and prosperity boost that good regional public transport provides.

Leeds is a poignant example of our flawed approach. The tram closure in the 1950s has left  Leeds as the largest city in western Europe without a tram or metro. Plans to rebuild the tram network have been delayed numerous times as attempts to secure long-term funding have failed, most recently in December.

Despite these challenges, British innovation is beginning to present a solution to this uniquely British problem.  

Building tram networks in the UK is lengthy and expensive due to restrictive red tape and overly complex planning permission. Other countries do not have this level of regulation, meaning they can build more quickly and cheaply while still running safe, successful tram networks. For example, the average cost of building a tramline in Europe is £42m per mile, while in the UK it costs over double that at £87m per mile. 

One of the reasons behind this extra expense is that in the UK, unlike in Europe or America, tram projects have to move nearly all the utilities. The relevant legislation is sound, but a code of practice written by the Highway Authorities and Utilities Committee 30 years ago has resulted in this expensive, default approach.

Another way to reduce costs would be to build shallower trackbeds to match the depth used by our European counterparts. British research and development has created some inventive, exciting technology. This includes the new tracks designed for the Coventry Very Light Railway, which are constructed as 30cm deep slabs that clip together and can be laid in weeks, instead of months or years.

British transport infrastructure and innovation has somewhat lost its way from when we used to lead the world with new inventions, like the steam locomotive. But as the West Midlands proves in relation to trams, we still have the skills and expertise to create groundbreaking technology ready to deploy at home and export around the world. When faced with the challenges of air pollution and traffic congestion, trams provide a realistic, reliable and cost-effective solution to some of the challenges of 21st century urbanism.

First published by i Paper. Andy Street is the fomer Mayor of the West Midlands.