Let’s make tram tracks

12:33pm Thursday 24th January 2008

If you hate not getting a seat on the train but you do not want to succumb to driving everywhere, now is the time to join the campaign for a Sutton Tramlink extension.

Councillor Abigail Lock, Liberal Democrat London Assembly spokeswoman for Sutton and Croydon, has launched Tram It! - a campaign to extend services to Sutton.

She said: "It is high time that the pressure on our roads was eased and tram services extended to our area. Extending the tram network would not only complement existing public transport and provide an environmentally-friendly alternative to travelling by car, but also give a boost to the local economy as has been seen elsewhere."

Ms Lock said Mayor of London Ken Livingstone's "inner-London bias" on transport policies was a motivation for the campaign.

"Running the tram to Sutton would show there is an alternative to Mr Livingstone's inner-city focused transport policy. The suburbs need better public transport too," she added.

The Tramlink serves Croydon, parts of Morden, Mitcham, Beckenham and Wimbledon and is earmarked for extension in the next few years.

MP for Carshalton and Wallington Tom Brake is another person who believes that Sutton is the best contender for the extension and has already backed Ms Lock's campaign.

At the Tram It! launch at Sutton station he said: "Persuading people to abandon their cars in favour of greener forms of travel must be part of Britain's long-term transport strategy. I am thrilled to back the campaign."

Local residents can express their support for the Tram It! campaign by signing the online petition at campaigns.libdems.org.uk/trams.