I had to cancel a lesson tonight because of the traffic. As far as I can tell, the tram road works, the gas road works, the electricity road works, road works due to “improvements” to the various junctions along the ring road, numerous road works due to the building of proto-slum dwellings, road works due to resurfacing work, road works due to sewer repairs, etc. – all of which cannot cope with the volumes of traffic likely to occur outside the range 1am until 4am at the best of times – there had been an incident on the M1 which had apparently resulted in M1 traffic using the above road work sites as a “quick” shortcut.
Even as late as 6.30pm, there was gridlock going into Beeston towards Long Eaton from Clifton Bridge onwards. There was gridlock going north along the ring road towards Mansfield. And there was gridlock on the A52 going south towards Melton and Grantham, beginning at Clifton Bridge. In other words, it was impossible to get from one side of Nottingham to the other, no matter which way you attempted it. However, it was totally clear between the QMC and Clifton Bridge, so I’m certain Cllr Jane Urquhart will weight this in such a way that it is portrayed as a major success for the tram system.