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            Tram [‘LR-lite’] Facts

Daily Operation

Operating speed

75-80kph

Limited to surrounding road speeds and slowing for people crossing its tracks or shared roads with other vehicles

Capacity

Similar to ‘LR’ with 228 people seated in 3 car train or 496 standing

Suited to the Golden mile.

Yes. Could continue running even if traffic slowed or at standstill below.

Not practical with narrow streets shared with other road users and pedestrians; accidents/fires bring traffic to standstill even now.

Requires loss of road space

No, and 2-way traffic requires no duplication of track.

Yes; and 2-way traffic in some areas requires loss of twice as much road space for track.

Significant loss of parking on route

One car park every 35 meters

Yes; many car parks lost.

Noise

Has rubber tyres so is quiet

Metal wheels on metal rails and vibrations

Gradients

Can go up and down 10% gradients enabling access to larger areas

Limited to 6%; hence need for at least one tunnel in Wellington to Eastern suburbs.

Safety issues

Very rare, though any prolonged power outage requires plan for Pax to disembark.

Yes - risk on track to pedestrians and cyclists where they cross track.

Major disruption to existing streets

None

Significant disruption to Newtown’s Riddiford street and requires Daniel St to be made one way.

Continuity of service issues

Negligible. Rare power outages would not disrupt street traffic.

Significant risk, regularly witnessed, when routes are blocked by traffic accidents, fire callouts, maintenance, and planned events.

Switch lines

Yes - doesn’t require track to move like straddle monorails

Yes