Five years ago, the City and County Councils started to build The Big Wheel. Using Government money they have now put in place a transport system where journeys join up.

We call it The Big Wheel because it has spokes that are bus, tram and train routes, a hub that is the city centre and a rim that covers the suburbs – Carlton, Gedling, West Bridgford, Clifton and Beeston - round the outside.

Five years on there are major successes to celebrate.

• A new tram line linking to bus services, and to park and ride sites.
• Buses every ten minutes on all major routes.
• New buses – the Work Links - connecting park and rides, the city centre and big workplaces.
• Free buses running between the departments on the hospital sites, and a service – the Medilink - connecting both hospitals.
• Uni Link services to both universities
• The Skylink service to East Midlands Airport.
• Walking and cycling routes are better. Dingy subways have been removed, while The Big Track runs along the river and the canal.
• The Kangaroo card works on trams, all local buses and some trains. NCT buses and the NET tram have joint tickets.
• And if you’re 60 or over – or you have a disability – you can travel on public transport for free.

The councils didn’t work alone on The Big Wheel. Local companies have done a great deal to support them.

Over the last five years, there have been over four million more annual trips on public transport. At the same time, the growth of traffic on our roads has been held steady – despite our economic growth. Accidents, too, have dropped, and are now at the lowest levels ever recorded.

But Nottingham is getting bigger, and better. Our planet is changing, too. It is getting warmer – and gases from transport are a major cause.

We need Stan to change the way he gets around. We need him to get on The Big Wheel.