Many an administrator has gone to admire the miracle called lightrail in towns like Karlsruhe, Strasbourg and Freiburg. And returned to emphatically advocate that lightrail is the solution to the numerous congestion and accessibility problems in their towns or regions.
Debates are particularly heated in situations where a proposed route enters the town centre. Then a fight for scarce space begins, where tram, bicycle and pedestrian clash. Supporters and opponents bombard each other with arguments relating to traffic safety, return on investments, transport value of various solutions, the spatial requirements, and so on. Problems that translate in actual practice into different possible routes. The crucial issue is usually whether to pass through or by the town centre. Although some experts feel the issue of whether or not to use lightrail should be addressed first.
In Leiden discussions have by now led to a change in the original route: no longer through but by the town centre. That appears to be favourable for cyclists. In Groningen the various routes are still under discussion. But lessons appear to have been learned from the Leiden experience and the position of cyclists is more emphatically taken into account. Nevertheless opinions of experts on the best approach differ widely.
The article also contains a survey of opportunities and threats to cyclists by lightrail projects and an interview with the Groningen alderman Karin Dekker.