This morning, the Vélez-Málaga tram has started its final journey, destination Sydney, Australia. The tram ceased functioning on June 4th 2012 and the Council has negotiated a €200,000 per year rental agreement with the city of Sydney.
The Tranvia tram system, the first in Andalucia, began operating in October 2006 after an investment of over €40 million. However, passenger numbers never reached the anticipated numbers and decreased steadily month by month leaving the Council with enormous debts.
Finally, with no financial support forthcoming from the regional authorities, the Council took the decision to halt the service on June 4th 2012. The Australian city of Sydney expressed an interest in hiring the rolling stock and a deal was reached in which the Council will receive €200,000 per year.
Peter Wilkinson says:
It was an ill conceived project from the start. More convenient bus network. Started and terminated in the wrong places. Services of this nature only viable in areas with a large population and running at a high frequency from early morning to late evening where it is more convenient and quicker than to drive and avoid limited and expensive parking charges.
I believe they want new smaller trams. Why don´t they just admit it was a failed experiment and a continuous drain on the councils financial resources. One ego trip gone wrong.
The Captain says:
Couldn’t agree more. It didn’t really serve any useful purpose and the way it was set up it was always going to be a drain on finances.
It was (ill)conceived at a time when councils were spending money like water: trams, airports that never got finished, new town halls, conference centres and other grandiose, but unnecessary schemes.
Then the well dried up. It would be nice if, one time, someone held up their hands and said ‘we made a mistake’, preferably before trying to hurl more money at it. But we dream…