A global tram renaissance is currently underway, with 148 cities in 40 countries having constructed new tramways, totalling 2,550 miles of track. Trams are being recreated due to their higher capacity, popularity, environmental benefits, and potential to boost prosperity.
London, which once had the world's largest tram network, has largely missed this trend. The city's tramways were removed, with the last tram running in 1952, following a 1929-30 Royal Commission on Transport proposal to replace them with buses and trolleybuses.
Building trams in Britain is reportedly more expensive, costing £87m per mile compared to a European average of £42m. This cost difference is attributed to factors such as long approval processes, extensive utility diversions, bespoke designs, and fragmented procurement.
The government has established a Mass Transit Taskforce, which is suspected to focus on northern towns. Nicholas Boys Smith, founder and chairman of Create Streets, suggests London should also regain the freedom to develop trams.