Re: The Trams are coming Salty!!

Old Regulator Mon Mar 04, 2013 11:55 am

Chill37 wrote:
cyfrifia wrote:If you have to stand, you should get a refund on the ticket. All this standing up in trains and trams is not on.

Chill all services will be 4 cars when the system is completed. again the tram mode is for short journeys in the main, i choose to stand for short journeys.

if some think the trams are pricey they havn't travelled much on public transport since that nice lady privatised the buses. if you think they can moan wait till the next petrol price rise.
Thats my only gripe. Theres not enough seats on the Trams. Maybe double units at peak times/during the day.

johnb Mon Mar 04, 2013 12:56 pm

Since I'e had no need to travel anywhere along it's route between Rochdale and Manchester since its opening, no.

teamplayer2 Mon Mar 04, 2013 4:50 pm

My wife and I have been to Manchester on the trams today for the first time. The journey going was not bad and manage to get seats going and reasonably comfortable.

Though coming back this afternoon was standing room only, and this is before the rush hour coming home from work. We noticed the lack of seating and only two carriages. We are sure there was more seats on the old trains before.

We are going to a show at the weekend in Manchester so we will use the new trams again. It will be cheaper than parking and using the petrol in the car. Also where we travel from and where we want to get off at the weekend to the show the tram stop is near where we are going to. So there are good advantages to the new trams in the long term.

Take us to better shops and a better night life and theatres than there is in Rochdale.

anexium Mon Mar 04, 2013 5:07 pm

teamplayer2 wrote:We noticed the lack of seating and only two carriages. We are sure there was more seats on the old trains before.

The new trams are designed to be made to accomodate more standees than sitters. From the Wikipedia page 'the nominal capacity of each M5000 is 206 passengers, of whom 52–60 are seated'. The rationale - I'd imagine - being that most tram journey's are short and standing passengers take up less space then sitting ones, so you get more to a carriage.

I've also asked TFGM (via their Twitter page) if they offer refunds on tickets where passengers end up having to use a bus service when the trams break - as the cost of the bus fare is usually cheaper then the cost of the tram. I'll post when they reply.

teamplayer2 Mon Mar 04, 2013 6:48 pm

Thank you for the information anexium. It would be interesting to see what people think of the trams after a few months.

Though I should think that most people are glad they are up and running now. See how they perform and see if they keep running with a minimum of faults and the line not to disrupted.

Passing some of the new tram stops today I do not know if I would fancy being at some of them late at night. One or two stops did not look secure and safe to me.

Poppyanna555 Mon Mar 04, 2013 7:02 pm

I totally agree with you TP regarding the safety aspect of some stations.

teamplayer2 Mon Mar 04, 2013 7:06 pm

Yes Poppy I noticed a few hiding holes at some of the stops for any would be attackers. Let us hope they never happen.

Poppyanna555 Mon Mar 04, 2013 7:19 pm

My friend and I were told that the last tram from Mcr is at 11:30, I certainly wouldn't want to be at the Newbold stop at midnight plus, the walk spans almost the length of Morrisons car park and they shut at ten.

teamplayer2 Mon Mar 04, 2013 7:26 pm

Not really seen the Newbold stop yet. Though what you mentioned does seem frightening for someone on their own at night. Even more so if a female going home late at night alone.

Poppyanna555 Mon Mar 04, 2013 7:38 pm

Indeed TP, I won't be doing it Sad

teamplayer2 Mon Mar 04, 2013 7:42 pm

I wonder if any others have noticed and have concerns about some of the security and safety at night at some of the Tram stops.

Striding Mon Mar 04, 2013 8:46 pm

I think that there have been several attacks at Oldham Mumps, and a lot of bushes have been cut down, but it still does not feel safe.
I imagine that several other stations have similar issues. I think that there is some CCTV, but probably only around ticket machines.

Old Regulator Mon Mar 04, 2013 9:10 pm

When the system is complete double trams will be the norm so much more seating than at present, which is why all the platforms are longer.
If passengers could be more specific about the ‘hidey holes’ and at which stops they are referring to I will put their concerns via STORM to TfGM. Poppy is correct about the distance from the Newbold stop to Kingsway it is far too long for comfort, Maybe Morrison’s will do the decent thing and provide a more usable foot way, after all they will benefit from the Metrolink.

As in all things to-day ‘I think’ and ‘there seems to be’ serve only to worry others, most times needlessly. Very well done to those of you who have travelled on our new tram service, I’m sure it will serve Rochdale well.

teamplayer2 Mon Mar 04, 2013 9:48 pm

Of course it will serve Rochdale well Old Regulator. It will help to get people out of Rochdale to better shops and a night life in other towns.

Poppyanna555 Mon Mar 04, 2013 10:42 pm

I must admit that the path to Kingsway from the Newbold stop appears to be very well lit, but weighing it up from the perspective of a woman on her own walking alone from that stop, it wouldn't do for me.

Having said that, if i've got to be honest, I wouldn't walk anywhere at night in Rochdale or anywhere else for that matter. My forays always take place in daylight hours Very Happy

Chill37 Tue Mar 05, 2013 8:10 am

teamplayer2 wrote:Of course it will serve Rochdale well Old Regulator. It will help to get people out of Rochdale to better shops and a night life in other towns.

Yes it will.

Chill37 Tue Mar 05, 2013 8:17 am

Striding wrote:I think that there have been several attacks at Oldham Mumps, and a lot of bushes have been cut down, but it still does not feel safe.
I imagine that several other stations have similar issues. I think that there is some CCTV, but probably only around ticket machines.

Newhey Station has quite a lot of CCTV, covering the two enterances and over the ticket machines and shelters. Both platforms are brightly lit. From what I can observe the Milnrow stop is very similar. My family and I feel safer at Newhey stop as it is more open than how the train station was formatted. My only thoughts are that MPT have put saplings along the banks and by the carpet factory. I feel that in a few years it will enclose the station again.

I too have heard about the attacks at Mumps on the path. Its a bit of a bad design(for a want of a better word).

cyfrifia Tue Mar 05, 2013 11:31 am

Poppyanna555 wrote: I wouldn't walk anywhere at night in Rochdale or anywhere else for that matter. My forays always take place in daylight hours

It's been a long slow change over years, but yes, people have become more and more wary of being out and about in the dark, until now a lot of people simply don't venture out after dark. I wouldn't say it's the same everywhere, but certainly in towns and cities, the areas people avoid after dark, and some in the early evening and even daytime have increased. We have lost a lot of freedom with that, and, lost it permanently it seems.

Charly Mon Mar 11, 2013 8:01 am

The trams are coming...not today they're not, not to Rochdale anyway.

Chill37 Mon Mar 11, 2013 8:08 am

Charly wrote:The trams are coming...not today they're not, not to Rochdale anyway.

Why do I suspect ice on the overheads lines?

teamplayer2 Mon Mar 11, 2013 6:31 pm

Looks like the trains were reliable in the cold weather then.

teamplayer2 Thu Mar 14, 2013 3:00 pm

Well taken my car in for a service I use the station from Newbold to go back to Milnrow.

From the main road just after the bridge near at the entrance to Morrisons I walked up the path towards the tram station.

Going towards the station I noticed that the CCTV camera is nearer the station but non at the beginning of the path. It is a long walking distance and hope the cctv covers the whole path very well. Though how good it is another matter. I also noticed near the beginning of the path a Maintenance electrical junction box near just a few yards up the path. Looking at it there was enough space for someone to hide behind it. It looked like the lampost going up towards the station hides the view of the cctv from the junction box.

I will see this again going to collect my car, but I would not be re-assured if I was passing that way at night alone. It is the sort of hiding areas I noticed. I have worked with security camera's and some are not always the best at night and the focus. Though like everything else it depends how much they have paid and how good they work.

I could not just help noticing it but I just think that the CCTV is more concerned at the station end than the beginning of the long path for security of passengers. I think there should be a camera at the end of the path from the main road just past the bridge.

Chill37 Thu Mar 14, 2013 3:30 pm

May I suggest you contact Metrolink voicing your concerns on CCTV.

See what happens.

teamplayer2 Thu Mar 14, 2013 3:31 pm

I was thinking about that Chill37.

Chill37 Thu Mar 14, 2013 4:12 pm

The only gripe I have about the Trams is the shelters are too exposed. Can get a bit draughty on the platforms if the wind blows.

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