Does anyone know what the plans are for the ring road?
ERIK PETERSEN: TRENT BARTON IS LEADING THE BUS REVOLUTION!
09:00 - 25 February 2008
Public transport in Britain serves a valuable role - namely making sure as many people as possible drive a car. This supports this country's automotive dealerships and psychiatric industry, the latter thanks to the massive guilt heaped upon Britain's planet-killing drivers by politicians who wring their hands over the fact that for some crazy reason those drivers don't want to use public transport. The public transport system the government's been gutting for the better part of a quarter century.
This system works best when driving is made more expensive while public transport is, in a wily strategy to get more people to use it, also made more expensive while not improving equipment or infrastructure.
But of course some people just don't understand this highly refined system. For example there's Trent Barton.
The regional bus group is improving through technology in a way that brings into question its commitment, as a public transport company, to the UK car dealerships.
Specifically, Trent Barton's putting together a little something called the Mango. It's a card first being tried out on the No.4 bus from Derby to Nottingham via Sandiacre and Stapleford, and the overall plan is to have it on all Trent Barton buses by the end of the year.
What happens is, regular riders can get a card, which is hooked up to a satellite. Then, if the No.4 bus gets caught in traffic on Derby Road, the satellite swings into action and destroys all cars in the No.4's path with its powerful lasers.
The lasers will also be able to target individuals within buses if, for example, enough Mangoes hone in on someone playing his iPod at levels loud enough to be heard by nearby passengers, or on board the satellite itself.
(Ha ha, that last bit was just a little public transport humour. The Trent Barton people say the lasers won't actually be ready until 2011.)
Essentially, thanks to The Magic of Satellites, Mango users will be able to pay over the internet and then swipe a card on the bus rather than rummaging for change while other passengers stare with the righteous indignation of people who fish out their £1.50 before the bus gets to the stop rather than being startled by the presence of a bus - Right here! At the bus stop! - and then going into frantic change-seeking mode as they step up to the driver. Incidentally, Frantic Change Seekers, you should be aware that by 2013 those lasers will have even more capabilities.
The really unique bit is how you get charged for every journey you take when you take it rather than buying a regular users' card at a set price and then making sure you use it enough before it expires. Oh, and the card also offers a discount to users.
Compare this with another large local transport company who shall remain nameless, but whose name rhymes with "Nottingham Pity Lamb's Port", and which not only shies away from satellite technology, but has yet to master coins. Oh, they can take coins on a Pity Lamb's Port bus; it's just that on most of them, they don't know how to give coins back. Coins in any amount other than the specific one they're asking for are strange and frightening, like fire.
Paper money, one assumes, would make them feel a bit faint.
Pity Lamb's Port (motto: We Don't Like Paper Money. Or Change) does offer cards to regular riders, although they're of the more old-fashioned, expiring, not-satellite-based variety. Because satellites are confusing, like big coins in the sky.
So Trent Barton is doing what they can to bring down this system, but I'm not concerned. I recently rode from Nottingham to Lincoln on an overcrowded two-carriage train that was either an insultingly poor normal service or a somewhat unambitious heritage route - "Hey, remember the age of steam? Well forget that, we've got some 1981 for you" - and I can safely report that the delicate economic balance remains intact.
In fact, I doubt there's much one company like Trent Barton could do to halt the decrepit, poor-value conveyances now passing for public transport in Britain.
Well, there is one thing. But I don't think their satellites have the capability just yet.
haha it's just my weird situation- I never get more than one bus a day so it wouldn't work out. I have to say the public transport system in Nottingham is brilliant compared to lots of others. Now they just need to get NCT and Trent Barton to join forces!
I wonder what the long term plans for the Airport are.... it has a license for public transportation just like Coventry Airport did when Thomson came along and started flying from there (without planning permission!). Dont think Rushcliffe or EMA would be too keen on that idea though.LAND DEAL COULD BRING LONGER RUNWAY TO NOTTINGHAM
CHARLES WALKER POLITICAL EDITOR
09:00 - 04 March 2008
The city council has sold land to Nottingham City Airport - a deal that lets bosses there move forward on plans for a £30m business park and runway extension.
Changes could see bigger planes use the site - but owners insist it will not mean more noise for neighbours.
Bosses at the airport, near Tollerton, bought 113 acres of land from the council at a cost of £700,000.
They paid the council an undisclosed amount for the freehold of its existing site last year - and are now drawing up plans for a 300,000 sq ft business development.
The company hopes to reopen one runway, which runs north to south, and extend the 1,000m east-west runway by 500m.
Planning applications will be submitted to Rushcliffe Borough Council.
Brian Wells, a director of Truman Aviation, insists the extension of the runway will not lead to greater disturbance.
Most planes use the east-west runway and some make a turn after take-off over Gamston and Edwalton.
Mr Wells said by allowing planes to begin their take-off further west, they would not encroach above the built-up area.
However, Mr Wells said the longer runway would allow some larger aircraft to land at Nottingham - and there are plans to accommodate some planes flying in from Europe.
Mr Wells said: "We are mainly a training and sporting aerodrome but [the extension] will allow other aircraft to come in."
He said the frequency would be about "one a week" and the propeller planes, which seat four to six people, are "not noisy".
Mr Wells said he was speaking to local people about the plans.
He said: "We will not allow the environmental impact of the airfield to be any greater than it is now, provided planning permission allows it.
"It means making alterations to the runway.
"Everything is very positive."
Mr Wells claimed local people were supportive because they see the airport as a buffer to potential housing development.
Building homes at Gamston Gateway could affect the operation of the airport.
Mr Wells owns land at other sites in Rushcliffe that have been highlighted as sites for potential housing development.
The deal with the city council involves the sale of part of Peasehill Farm and all of Aerodrome Farm.
This is only part of the city's holding in the area.
The council has ensured it will get a 75% share of the profits if this land is subsequently sold for housing development. A similar clause was inserted into the previous sale.
The city council has received a rent on the land from farmers amounting to £5,732.68 per year.