Can it really be 18 years since our city got its new tram system?
We're now so used to seeing the sleek green passenger-ferrying machines, they glide by us without a second glance.
But back in 2004, the return of the tram to Nottingham after a seven-decade absence was a seismic change to city life.
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The trams first got the go ahead in 1998, where The Post gleefully ran the headline ‘Trams A Go Go’ after the government approved the multi-million pound project.
Then-Transport minister Dr John Reid announced that £167m was earmarked to build the Nottingham Express Transit (NET) service between the city and Hucknall - the realisation of a ten-year dream to tackle congestion.
This was “good news for jobs”, said a Department of Environment spokesman at the time.
“It’s an excellent example of a good integrated transport system because it has park and ride and easy connections into local rail and bus services, particularly the Robin Hood line,” he added.
It was estimated the service would eventually carry ten million passengers every year.
That figure was surpassed in 2007-8, and a second line, which had been on the drawing board since 2003, was confirmed.
However, not everyone was happy. Traders were frustrated about the disruption to business, while people living near the route complained about the impact on their homes.
Tram usage has hugely increased over time, with NET now responsible for nearly 19 million journeys per year.
And just one look at jam-packed park and ride sites like The Forest confirms the significant number of cars that are being kept out of the city centre.
In August 2015, the network’s second phase, from Toton Lane Park and Ride into Nottingham, eventually opened. Nine further routes were then identified for possible development in the future.
See more pictures in the gallery below
By mid-2018, a small south-bound extension beyond the Clifton South terminus was being investigated, with a view to serve the 3,000-home Fairham Pastures development by the A453.
Today a fleet of 37 trams operate on 20 miles of track, which consists of two lines crossing the city that run together on a common section for the middle part of the trip.
Line 1, which boasts a total of 33 or 34 tram stops (depending on direction) runs between Toton Lane tram stop and Hucknall, and has a journey time of 62 minutes.
Line 2, which has 27 or 28 stops (again depending on direction), runs between Clifton and Phoenix Park with a journey time of 47 minutes.
Trams on each line run at varying frequency, ranging from between four to eight trams per hour.
NET currently operates 15 Bombardier Incentro AT6/5 trams and 22 Alstom Citadis 302 trams.
Since the network’s launch on March 9, 2004, the trams have been named after a local hero of the past or present - including actress Vicky McClure, ice skating champions Torvill and Dean, author DH Lawrence, poet Lord Byron and none other than Robin Hood himself.
And in December last year a tram was christened Professor Martin Poliakoff - the research professor in chemistry at the University of Nottingham.
The Nottingham Post's brilliant new Memory Lane special commemorates Her Majesty The Queen's Platinum Jubilee with plenty of fantastic memories of her trips to our area and more. To avoid disappointment, place your order now at our online shop.
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