Firms bid for �500m tram contract

The extension will be partly funded by a work place parking levy

The city council has said local companies will get a share of the £500m contract to extend the tram network.

The government is helping to fund the extension, which will see two new routes running from Clifton via Wilford and from Chilwell via Beeston.

Large construction firms from around the world are in Nottingham to find out how to bid for the contract to build and run the network.

The authority has said it wants smaller local firms to be involved as well.

'International expertise'

City councillor Jane Urquhart said: "There is a lot of interest [in the contract] and it's a fantastic boost for our economy.

"We will be wanting to get the best value out of this contract and the best deal for Nottingham and Nottinghamshire but we will be hoping that through that process local firms can get involved."

Councillor Urquhart said expertise needed to extend the tram line may come from international companies but future events are planned to encourage local firms to get involved in the project.

She said the extension was expected to create at least 800 local jobs.

The new 10km Chilwell via Beeston route will serve the Meadows, the ng2 development site, Queen's Medical Centre, University of Nottingham, Science Park, Beeston town centre and Chilwell before terminating at a park-and-ride site near the A52, close to junction 25 of the M1.

The 7.5km Clifton route will serve the Meadows, Wilford/Ruddington Lane and the Clifton Estate before terminating at a park-and-ride site near the A453, close to junction 24 of the M1.

It is hoped construction could begin in 2011 with the extended system operational from 2014.

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