Pioneering new TRAM system is planned for Milton Keynes, with trams every 10 minutes on key routes

It will cover key routes all over the city and will run every 10 minutes during the day and every 20 minutes on evenings and Sundays.

The city council has already recruited experts to design the mechanics of the scheme, officially known as the ‘Mass Rapid Transit system’ and is now asking for the opinion of the public.

The proposed system will be a network of five mostly segregated legs, totalling 42km, which are operated by three key routes, together forming five end-destinations from Central Milton Keynes.

Key desitnations will include Wolverton, Stantonbury, Campbell Park, Bleak Hall, Fenny Stratford, Bletchley, Newton Leys, Campbell park, Tongwell industrial Estate, Tongwell lake, Eagle Farm, Snelshall, Broughton, Kingston District Centre, Willen Lake, Furzton Lake, Westcroft District Centre.

Ironically the move comes more than half a century after the proposal for the city to have a tram system was first pledged by the then Milton Keynes Development Corporation. The forward-thinking planners of the 1970s suggested that the new residents travel around the area via a well-connected electric tram network, or even a monorail system, to provide them with "opportunity and freedom of choice".

For unknown reasons, their plans never got off the ground. But now, with low carbon, sustainable travel becoming such buzzwords, a user-friendly tram system is suddenly a priority for MK City Council.

It will be similar to the rapid transit systems in Europe or the Belfast Glider in Northern Ireland, they say. And it will use “ tram-like vehicles” that run along roads and serve designated stops with boarding platforms.

Importantly, with the city popualtion due to swell from 265,000 to 410,000 by 2050, it would reduce congestion on the grid roads by offering a viable and environmentally friendly alternative to journeys being made by private car.

A city council spokesperson said: “MKCC aims to provide a step change in public transport connectivity by delivering a Mass Rapid Transit (MRT). The MRT will be a frequent, reliable and high capacity system, operating on largely segregated routes that will create high quality public transport journeys.

“Building on the 2050 Strategy, the Council’s development work has examined the strategic need for such a system, as well as, at high level, the design, cost, delivery and operational arrangements for an MRT. The council has then commissioned the current work, studying these aspects further and focussing on confirming the proposed routes and design principles for the MRT system.”

The council will work with local bus operators and MK Connect to enable existing local public transport services to feed into the MRT routes.

Officers and councillors are now seeking people’s views on how they would like the new system to operate and where they would like it to take them.

"We are seeking your feedback on how you travel and how you may respond to a new Mass Rapid Transit scheme in Milton Keynes,” said the spokesperson.

A special survey has been launched and will run until December 20. You can access it online here.