Christchurch tramway system 2.94

The Christchurch tramway system is an extensive network in Christchurch, New Zealand, with steam and horse trams from 1882. Electric trams ran from 1905 to 1954, when the last line to Papanui was replaced by buses in 1954. A few lines were reopened in the city in 1995. The track is standard gauge,.There is now a 2.5km central city loop heritage tram system, opened in February 1995 and running all year round, as well as a 1.4km extension opened in February 2015 and a tram museum at the Ferrymead Heritage Park with operating trams. The extension is part of an additional loop planned and partially constructed during late 2000s, and a new strategy report by Jan Gehl commissioned for Council and published in early 2010 suggested an extension of the tram system (and integration of the trams into the general public transport system) as one of a package of measures aimed at reducing car-dominance in the city.HistoryBackgroundThe difficulty experienced by Christchurch’s early residents in conveying them and their export goods to Lyttelton brought about the first proposal for a tramway at a meeting held on 26 September 1855. The merits of both wooden and iron-based tramways were discussed and a resolution was passed in support of the construction of either a tramway or a railway.The issue arose again at a Provincial Council meeting on 16 October 1855 at which it was proposed that a line be built to Sumner and goods could then be transported to Lyttelton by boat. A couple of leading and influential figures spoke out against the proposal and it was voted down.