Hastings council’s seafront tram is an extraordinary idea

From: C P Lake, St. Helens Road, Hastings
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Hastings Borough Council seems to have received an EU grant (if that’s to be believed) of £156k to carry out a feasibility study to run a tram service from St Leonards to the Old Town, so obviating the need for tourists to change buses.

Where, I would ask, is the point in St Leonards to be? Warrior Square, Sea Road or further along? As most of the holiday makers/tourists will probably be in the Haven Holiday camp.

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To stop/start at the first two options would still mean the bulk of holiday makers having to change buses.

This seems to be the sort of crackpot scheme the council will steamroller through then someone is going to have to pay for it.

HBC has declared they are having to draw down £1.7m from reserves this year and double for next.

I wonder where the money will appear from?

Has HBC asked the operator of the 99 bus service if they would be prepared to run alternate buses from the station, to the Old Town, up Old London Road to Ore, then along The Ridge to the Conquest?

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This would then provide a direct route for council tax payers in the Old Town to access the hospital and supplement the 28 bus service along The Ridge, which I understand can be pretty unreliable.

I also wonder if the Department for Transport stipulates the number of buses that are required per hour before bus lanes can be included in road schemes.

All this expense and chaos for one bus every 20 minutes seems extraordinary.