1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168 
Green call on red route
Page 24
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
• Centro, the former West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive, is asking the Department of Transport for a 273m grant to build the first part of a 200km light rail network — but Plaxton chairman David Matthews has come up with an idea to reduce the need for light rail and tram schemes.
He suggests that parts of the DTp's Red Route scheme should be designated 'green routes', reserved for the use of PSVs carrying 10 or more passengers, and for taxis.
Matthews adds that only vehicles less than four years old should be allowed to use the green routes. "This is so that the travelling public increasingly come to like, volun tarily, the quality and comfort of service. Older vehicles could still earn their living, but away from the green routes," he says.
All unauthorised users should be subject to on-thespot fines, says Matthews.
Green routes would provide a free-running right of way, but unlike rail-based schemes, would cost relatively little and could be in place within months, Matthews claims. El Manchester's Metrolink rapid transit vehicle has made its first appearance, on a public consultation exercise set up by the GMA consortium which will build and operate the city's system. The consortium is made up of GEC, Mowlem, Amec and Greater Manchester Buses. Built by Firema of Milan, the tramcars will run in pairs with 84 seats and room for 120 standing. GEC Alsthom traction equipment will power the vehicles. The first line will run from Altrincham to Bury through the city centre, with a spur to Picadilly railway station. The first phase is expected to open in October 1991.