How the tram developments will affect the University
Nottingham Express Transport (NET) is building Phase Two [pdf] of the Nottingham tram network, with construction expected to last until the end of 2014. This will introduce two new lines; line two runs from the city centre to Clifton via the Meadows, line three runs through Beeston to Toton.
Building work will affect access, traffic and car parking across various University sites at different stages of construction.
New tram lines under construction
Loss of parking near Science Road
The car parking outside of the Wolfson Building will be unavailable from Monday 29 April due to the continuation of works along Science Road.
The parking spaces outside the Institute for Hearing Research will be inaccessible from Tuesday 7 May.
Science Road closure
From Monday 22 April Science Road will be closed between the A52 and the road between the Wolfson and Boots buildings to allow drainage and service alteration works. During these works access from the A52 will be via Coates Road only. There will be no vehicular access at this point for the duration of these works, which are expected to take 10 weeks. Vehicles will exit the campus via the South Entrance.
The closure means that the Jubilee and Sutton Bonington hopper buses will no longer be able to stop on Science Road. Instead, they will enter University Park at the North Entrance, stopping at the George Green Library bus stop on Cut Through Lane before continuing to Portland Hill stop as usual. These revised routes will start on Monday 22 April.
When it reopens, Science Road will be an exit only route.
The NCT L12 bus route will be diverted for the duration of these work. Visit the NCT website for more information.
Gregory Street closure
From Monday 22 April work begins on Gregory Street, just north of the Abbey Street/ Abbey Bridge junction. The work is expected to take until spring 2014.
Gregory Street North will be closed by the White Hart pub between the junctions of Abbey Street/ Abbey Bridge and Leen Gate. A diversion route for traffic will operate from Gregory Street North to Derby Road, Lenton Boulevard and Abbey Bridge.
Changes to bus routes between Nottingham and Beeston
From Monday 25 March the way that some bus services travel around Beeston will change temporarily for approximately one year while tram works take place. Services will generally continue to operate to their existing timetables, and will serve alterative bus stops along their diverted routes. Information is available in this leaflet.
Partial closure of Lenton Lane from Monday 11 March
Lenton Lane will be closed from Monday 11 March for approximately nine weeks to strengthen Clayton’s bridge and move utilities as part of the tram development. Lenton Lane will be closed in both directions between Poplars Court and Trevethick’s Boatyard.
While these works take place, the White Hart junction will be altered to allow traffic to enter and exit Gregory Street from Abbey Bridge and Abbey Street. Traffic will be diverted using Gregory Street, Abbey Street, the A52 ring road, and the Queen’s Drive island, where they will be able to access Lenton Lane.
Changes to the King's Meadow hopper route
The King’s Meadow hopper bus will be unable to return to University Park via Lenton Lane and Abbey Street. Instead, the bus will go to Queen’s Drive and join the A52 towards University Park. The bus timings remain unchanged.
The W1 bus service is already being diverted along Abbey Bridge/ Abbey Street and the A52. It will continue to travel this route but will terminate outside the Chatsworth Honda showroom on Lenton Lane.
Medical School car park closure
The remainder of the Medical School car park will be closed from Saturday 9 March as part of the city’s on-going tram development. A footpath will be retained and stores/services close to the car park’s entrance will still be accessible. The car park is expected to remain closed until September.
Staff who have a permit for the new car park at the former Dunkirk Fire Station – located close to the Medical School – are reminded that this car park is now open for use.
22 February 2013 - Update
Medical School
The remainder of the Medical School car park will be taken by the NET contractor from Monday 11 March. The parking is expected to be returned to the University in October 2013.
Additional staff parking at former Dunkirk Fire Station
In response to the loss of parking spaces along Science Road and the surrounding area during tram construction works, the University will provide temporary parking in the grounds of the former Dunkirk Fire Station, next to Dunkirk roundabout.
From Monday 4 February, around 90 spaces will be available for University of Nottingham staff parking. The car park is accessible from Abbey Street, via Warwick Street and Dunkirk Road.
A permit system will operate, limiting the number of cars that can use the car park. There will be 110 permits issued by Security on a first come, first served basis. Colleagues interested in obtaining a permit should email parking@nottingham.ac.uk, giving their full name and car registration details. A general University of Nottingham parking permit is required to be eligible for the Dunkirk parking permit.
There will be no additional charge for the Dunkirk parking permits. Permits will be valid for as long as the temporary car park is in use.
The car park will only be in use during the day, from 7am to 7pm. Lighting will be in use during these times. Fencing around the site has been repaired and will be maintained to keep the car park secure.
If you're unsure of where the car park is, take a look at this map.
Loss of parking - University Park and QMC
Science Road
Parking spaces will be lost as part of planned service diversion and road alteration works on Science Road and the surrounding area. The contractor will set up a site compound between the Boots Pharmaceutical Science Building and the Wolfson Building. The University has worked with the contractor to minimize losses, but around 30 parking spaces are expected to go. These works are planned to start at the end of January.
The former Marry Vale Nursery and University Play Centre site will be turned into a new car park for University use, though this is not expected to be ready until September 2013.
Service diversion and road alteration works for Science Road will result in the eventual loss of all parking spaces on Science Road – the programme for these works is yet to be finalized but the first loss is anticipated early in February.
Rear of Arts Centre
Clearance work at the rear of the Arts Centre is currently taking place, meaning that a significant number of parking spaces have been lost. Some parking spaces are expected to be in use after Saturday 16 February, but around 18 will be out of action for duration of the tram construction works.
Medical School
Although no final date has been given, it is anticipated that the remaining spaces in the staff car park will be taken by the contractor early in March. We expect that the whole car park will be reinstated for University use (excluding the base areas for the overhead tram route) by August 2013.
The University is working with the contractor and Nottingham City Council to minimise the loss of parking. Current provision for parking off University Park includes:
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30 parking spaces adjacent to Sherwood Truck premises at 522 Derby Road between QMC and Jubilee Campus. If these are well used the University will seek to expand provision in the locality
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Queens Drive Park and Ride – the NHS operate a free park and ride scheme from Queens Drive Park and Ride site, which is currently available to University staff
The NET tram is being constructed by external parties and not by the University. Compulsory temporary possession has been granted to Nottingham City Council for the NET works. This takes significant areas of land belonging to the University. The University has been been working closely with the main contractor to minimise any impact.
6 December 2012 - Update
Extra car parking available
Extra parking for 31 staff cars has been made available a ten-minute walk (400m) from University Park, between Queen's Medical Centre and Jubilee campus. The spaces are temporary replacements for those lost during the construction of the new tram line.
The spaces are available off Derby Road on Kenyon Road, between the Wollaton Gatehouse and Sherwood Truck and Van. Vehicles using the spaces must have valid University of Nottingham parking permits. Spaces are available on a first come, first served basis.
23 November 2012 - Update
Replacement car parking - planning permission sought
While construction is taking place within the grounds of the University, a substantial number of the car parking spaces currently used by staff and medical students have been lost. Nottingham City Council has been working with the University to explore options for replacement parking, to minimise any parking and traffic impact that this may have.
The University has made every effort to provide as many alternative spaces as possible on its campuses to compensate for the loss of parking. However, it has not been possible to provide enough spaces to meet the number taken due to the tram works.
It is therefore proposed that a temporary car park be opened in the grounds of the former Dunkirk Fire Station. An application has been made for temporary planning permission and a copy of the application will be available for viewing in the next few days at www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/planning
The proposal is to use the site for University staff and medical student parking only, for up to one year while tram construction works take place. This car park would be accessed from Abbey Street via Warwick Street and Dunkirk Road, and would be in use only during the daytime, from 7am to 7pm.
Approximately 90 parking spaces would be provided. More information and a plan of the site are available here.
Delay in works affecting the Medical School car park
The NET team have indicated a delay in the works affecting the balance of the Medical School car park. It had been planned for the remainder of spaces to be taken for around five months from January 2013. This is now likely to occur from some time end of February early March 2013. Further information will be given once the dates are confirmed. However, please note that there will be a period of around five months when there will be no parking at the Medical School car park.
Staff will be able to park at Queen's Drive Park and Drive and use the free Medilink service to get to the Medical School. Timetables for the service are available here.
With regard to Science Road, survey works for relocation of services have now been completed and site works are currently being planned. Again, as soon as we have a date for the works and more detailed information as to location and impact, this will be made available here.
20 July 2012 - Update
Work is scheduled to begin on Science Road, at the East Entrance of University Park, in early August 2012. The works will commence with service diversions, leading to roadworks anticipated to start in October 2012.
Once the road diversion works are complete it is anticipated that the area for the tram construction will be cordoned off in January 2013. As a result there will be:
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limited parking on or immediately next to Science Road, with the contractors working to minimise the impact of the works;
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alternative arrangements for parking in the vicinity (see below);
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a one-way traffic flow on part of Science Road, off-campus only, will be created once the road diversion works are complete;
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no access onto campus via the East Entrance once the one-way traffic flow is initiated; access to the Science Area will be via either Coates Road or the South Entrance.
Work is also scheduled to begin at the Queen’s Medical Centre on 6th August, which will mean a reduction of up to 100 car parking spaces in the University’s Medical School car park. Additional parking is likely to be lost early in 2013 on a temporary basis.
New parking spaces have been created as part of mitigation work to reduce the impact for drivers:
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a new car parking area has been created by the Tower Building (25 spaces)
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the visitors car park by the Tower Building has been switched to staff parking (25 spaces)
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an additional car park created next to the School of Chemistry (19 spaces)
Staff are also encouraged to park at Jubilee and King’s Meadow Campuses and make use of the hopper bus service to transfer to University Park.
Alternative parking arrangements will last for the duration of construction.
More information
The tram works will be phased and completed in sections along the two new routes. The Beeston section of line three will serve the University, with new tram stops being constructed at the Queen’s Medical Centre and along University Boulevard at the south entrance to University Park and adjacent to the Highfields Sports Ground.
Work s on the proposed route through the Queen’s Medical Centre campus will include a bridge and raised tramline. Visuals are available.
A visual of Phase Two super-imposed over aerial photographs is also available, so you can see what the tram network development will look like once finished.
The latest updates on how construction work affects access to the University and its facilities for staff, students and visitors will be posted on this webpage throughout the building process.
For more information on construction across Nottingham over the next six months, visit the NET website.
NET has released a general update leaflet covering Dunkirk and Lenton. This has been delivered to homes across the area and is available in libraries and council offices. It lists the different stages of construction and how residents will be affected.