Tram campaign plea to younger generation

Councillor Richard Robinson at the junction of Maws Lane with Hardy Street in Kimberley.

A campaign to extend Nottingham '˜s tram network to Eastwood and Kimberley has stepped up a gear '“ with councillors aiming to get the next generation on board.

Councillor Richard Robinson says he hopes to win support from children and teenagers by using social media.

He said: “Along with the local MPs, I will be setting up a new Facebook page and getting young people involved on Twitter and Instagram as well.

“We will also be getting involved with schools to ramp things up a bit – talking to teachers, giving talks in classes and so on. We’ve done a lot of work, but we need to take it to the next level.”

The Broxtowe Borough Council Labour member for Kimberley, said: “It’s a good local issue to engage young people with.

“I don’t think young people have the hang ups a lot of us older ones have and they are just as likely to use the tram as others.

“A lot of younger people have joined the Labour Party of recent times and I think it’s important.”

The latest feasibility study, looking into possible local routes for phase three of the Nottingham tram, was finished last year.

Coun Robinson walked the two possible routes that were looked into through Kimberley to see which was the most practical.

He said: “We’re aware it also needs to get to Eastwood as well. The challenge now is to see how we get it out to the retail park and on to Eastwood, which we will be working on between now and Christmas.”

Coun Robinson said he has recently met with people at Gedling Borough Council and Amber Valley Borough Council to talk about connections in Langley Mill and Ripley.

He also said he has also been to Nottingham City Council to discuss launching a joint bid with the neighbouring district councils.

“Rather than be in competition we would go in as a joint initiative,” he said.

Coun Robinson said the tram would provide ‘regeneration’ for the area.

“It would provide huge regeneration, jobs and it would cut down on traffic congestion.

“Not only that, there’s huge demad for it. In one of the surveys we did a few years back people were saying how much of a nightmare it was getting into Nottingham. So we want to capitalise on that.

“We don’t want to lose out. Eastwood and Kimberley always seems to lose out and everyhtng seems to go south of the borough to Beeston. It’s about time we got the regernation,” he said.

For the findings of the feasibility study visit richardrobinson.org.uk.