TramForward welcomes the decisions announced last week by the Department for Transport concerning plans for Nottingham and Sheffield.
Plans to extend the Nottingham tram moved forward when Transport Minister Norman Baker announced that savings have been identified to make the project more affordable.
The two extensions are planned to go to Chilwell/Beeston and Clifton, linking directly into Line One at Nottingham Station.
The decision will now allow Nottingham City Council to continue the procurement process and, subject to approval of a final business case, be able to award the concessionaire contract.
The second announcement concerned the pilot tram-train linking Sheffield and Rotherham. The Government will now provide funding for South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive, Northern Rail and Network Rail to carry out further work on the business and project case for the pilot. It represents the next stage of the scheme announced in 2009.
Tram-trains would run on the existing rail freight route from Rotherham before joining the Sheffield Supertram network at Meadowhall South.
The business and project case which the Government is funding will look at a range of issues such as the economic and environmental benefits and could lead to tram-trains being introduced in South Yorkshire in 2014.
