Ealing Council strongly opposed plans for a tram line along Uxbridge Road, which would potentially have diverted traffic along Queens Drive. Here is the text of a joint press release from the Council and the Greater London Authority, effectively announcing the plan's demise.

Ken Livingstone, Mayor of London, today joined Councillor Jason Stacey, Leader of Ealing Council, to announce that, on the assumption of a positive government decision on the construction of Crossrail, the Mayor and the local boroughs will work together to address the problem of improving public transport on the Uxbridge Road, between Uxbridge and Shepherd’s Bush, via a bus-based solution rather than the tram originally envisaged. This is because Crossrail would significantly increase public transport capacity in the area reducing the need for a tram and making a bus solution more practical.

Crossrail, the new high-frequency railway across Central London, is described by the Mayor as the single most important transport project for London and will radically improve public transport for people in West London.  Crossrail stations are planned for Southall, Hanwell, West Ealing, Ealing Broadway, and at Acton, easing the pressure currently placed on the transport network, and meaning that residents of West London will have a high speed link into the West End, The City, and the Docklands.

Crossrail is expected to be completed in 2015. In the meantime, the Mayor and Ealing Council have agreed to work together with the other local boroughs to deliver an improved bus priority system along the Uxbridge Road, one of the busiest in London. This will be designed to increase capacity and reduce journey times for local people, and much of the work already carried by Transport for London on traffic congestion and the tram project will assist in the planning of the new bus-based solution. 

Ken Livingstone, Mayor of London, said:
"The construction of Crossrail will mean a massive improvement in public transport capacity serving West London. A positive decision on Crossrail will mean that substantially improved bus services become a practical alternative to a tram along the Uxbridge Road to meet the need for more public transport, boost the local economy and to deal with rising congestion in the area.

“I am pleased that we have reached an agreement with Ealing Council to work together along these lines to deliver the best solution for people in this part of west London.”

Councillor Jason Stacey, Leader of Ealing Council said:
“Residents have overwhelmingly expressed the view that the proposed West London Tram was not the answer to the area's transport problems. We have been working tirelessly over the last year to represent this view to the Mayor and TfL and to stop this scheme.  The Council welcomes this announcement, and the positive indications that Crossrail will be given the go-ahead. Ealing's traffic problems require different solutions and we will be working constructively with TfL to improve traffic flow and reduce congestion in the borough."

Further information and contacts:
Save Ealing's Streets (campaign against the Tram) 020 8998 7360
ealingstreets@btopenworld.com
http://www.ealingstreets.org/