Clang! Trams return to London after 50 years

The way we were: the last tram to run through London's streets THE first London tram journey for 50 years took place today with the opening of the Croydon Tramlink.

The service is more than five months behind schedule but the inaugural journey from New Addington to East Croydon, carrying the Press, local politicians, former tram drivers and invited residents, took the specified 17 minutes.

The Mayor of Croydon, Dr Shafi Khan, joined Fred Roberts - the last tram driver to operate a fare-paying tram service, in April 1951 - to inaugurate the first phase of the 200 million Tramlink service. It was delayed by opposition from local residents and technical problems.

Mr Roberts said: "It is a good thing for Croydon because the tram will take only 17 minutes and it will be totally environmentally friendly.

" Local residents are opposing it mainly because they are not well informed about its benefits.

Motorists, in particular, are opposed to the idea because trams will get priority over everything else. Others oppose it Modern times: Former driver Fred Roberts at today's launchPicture: ALEX LENTATI because more than half the funding is made up from the public purse and ill-informed residents see the tram as a white elephant."

Bob Dorey, chairman of Tramtrack Croydon Ltd, said: "We believe future generations will see this day as the one which brought trams back to London.

There have been slight delays but if you consider the project in its entirety, I believe we still have time to make up for it."

This was the first phase of a service which will be completed by two others from Beckenham and Wimbledon. When fully operational, the 28km network is expected to carry more than 20 million passengers in a year and save two million car journeys.

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