BCP Council hopes to deliver tram in next 15 years, but capital funding needed
A tram network could eventually transform the way people move around Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, as BCP Council explores routes
BCP Council is exploring ambitious plans to bring a tram network to Bournemouth, Christchurch, and Poole by 2041.
Councillor Andy Hadley confirmed that ultra-light rail is one of the ambitious projects the council “hopes to see happen one day.”
The route being discussed would run from Bournemouth town centre towards the football ground, the hospital, through Castlepoint and then Bournemouth Airport.
Cllr Hadley said the existing M1 and M2 bus corridor could be particularly suitable because of its high frequency.
It’s believed a mass transit system would help “solve part of the problem of how you move people en masse” and offer an alternative for people who want to “live without a car”.
“Rather than having a bus every five minutes, you could have a tram with much greater capacity and avoid buses running nose to tail,” he said.
“I think that is where light rail can be transformative.”
BCP previously had its own tram network, operating between Poole Quay and Christchurch Quay from 1901 until 1935, but has been left as one of the biggest conurbations without a light rail system.
Any new system would require substantial capital investment, although the narrow and heavily developed nature of the conurbation could make finding suitable routes difficult.
Cllr Hadley said: “Most towns and cities with light rail have sections that run on roads alongside traffic and dedicated sections that are separate from it.
“In our area we’ve made use of former railway lines as walking and cycling routes, but you could imagine a tram running along some of those corridors.
“That could provide a route away from traffic without causing disruption to existing roads.”
For BCP, the challenge will be turning an ambitious vision into infrastructure while balancing the cost of investment, limited space and the existing transport system.
With 2041 as the target, the proposed tram network remains a long way from construction - but the debate has already begun.