North Coast Edition

Council approves new tram line linking the harbour to the university

Harbour City Council last night approved a 9.4-kilometre tram line that will connect the ferry terminal with the university campus on Ridge Hill, ending a debate that has run for almost a decade.

The line will have fourteen stops and is expected to carry 38,000 passengers a day once it opens. Construction is due to begin next spring, with the first trams running in about three years.

Mayor Elena Brandt called the vote "the most important transport decision this city has made in a generation" and said the route had been redrawn twice to protect the old market streets.

Shop owners along Canal Road, where the tracks will run down the middle of the street, asked for support during the works. The council promised a fund for affected businesses and night-time work on the busiest stretch.

The cost, estimated at 410 million, will be shared by the city, the regional government and a long-term loan. Opposition councillors voted against the plan, saying the budget leaves too little room for rising building prices.

Students welcomed the decision. "Today it takes me fifty minutes and two buses to reach my …

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Night clinic at St Anselm hospital cuts waiting times by a third

A walk-in clinic that opens from six in the evening until midnight has reduced emergency waiting times at St Anselm hospital by a third, according to figures published this week.

The clinic treats minor injuries and illnesses that do not need the emergency department, freeing doctors to deal with serious cases more quickly.

Hospital director Dr Paul Okafor said the clinic had seen more than 9,000 patients in its first six months and would be extended to weekends from next month.

City officials expect the first results to be visible within months. A progress report will be presented to the council in the spring, together with an updated budget.

The project is part of the city's ten-year plan, which aims to make Harbour City greener, easier to move around and more affordable for young families.

Harbour United win the derby with a late header

A header from Tomas Reyes in the 88th minute gave Harbour United a 2-1 win over Ridge Hill Rovers in front of 31,000 fans at the Quayside Stadium.

Rovers had taken the lead early in the second half through a fine long-range shot from Leon Abara, but United levelled from a corner ten minutes later.

The win lifts United to third in the league, two points behind the leaders. "The supporters carried us tonight," said manager Ines Varga.

The coach praised the commitment of the whole squad. "We have worked hard for this all season, and tonight it showed," she said after the final whistle.

Supporters celebrated long into the evening in the bars around the harbour, where the result was shown on big screens.

Council approves new tram line linking the harbour to the university

lectures," said Amira Costa, president of the student union. "This will change daily life for thousands of us."

The council will publish the full report on its website this week, and residents can send questions to their local councillor before the next public meeting.

Neighbourhood groups said they would follow the plans closely. "We support the idea, but the details matter," said one resident who has lived in the area for thirty years. "We want to be asked, not just told."

Officials will present the details at a public meeting at the City Hall next Tuesday evening, and residents can comment online for six weeks afterwards.

A full timetable, maps of every phase and answers to the most common questions are available at the city information centre on Harbour Square.

Volunteers plant 20,000 trees along the Silver River

More than three thousand volunteers spent the weekend planting native trees along the banks of the Silver River, the largest planting day the city has ever organised.

The trees, mostly alder, willow and oak, will help hold the riverbanks together during winter floods and give shade to the cycle path that runs beside the water.

Schools brought whole classes, and several companies gave staff a day off to take part. Organisers said the goal of 20,000 trees was reached shortly after four o'clock on Sunday.

Businesses in the area have been invited to an information evening at the City Hall, where planners will answer questions and show maps of each stage.

Councillors from all parties agreed that the city should report back regularly, so that people can see how the money is being spent.

Old warehouse district to become 1,200 affordable homes

The empty brick warehouses of the Saltworks district will be turned into 1,200 homes, a third of them rented below market price, under a plan unveiled by the city housing office.

Architects intend to keep the facades of the oldest buildings and add a riverside park, a primary school and a covered market hall in the former rope works.

The housing office said the first residents could move in within four years. Local groups welcomed the plan but asked for guarantees that the cheaper homes will stay affordable for the long term.

The district has stood mostly empty since the shipping company that owned it moved to the new container port in the east.

The deputy mayor said the plan had been shaped by hundreds of comments from residents. "This is a better project because people told us what they needed," she said.

Local schools will be invited to follow the work, and a small exhibition about the plans will open in the central library next month.

Night market returns to the old fish quay

The popular night market is back at the old fish quay every Friday and Saturday, with more than eighty stalls selling street food, crafts and second-hand books.

Organisers have added extra lighting and a stage for local musicians. The market runs from six until midnight and entry is free.

Last year the market drew around 15,000 visitors on a busy weekend, and traders say it has become one of the best places in the city to start a small food business.

The council will publish the full report on its website this week, and residents can send questions to their local councillor before the next public meeting.

Neighbourhood groups said they would follow the plans closely. "We support the idea, but the details matter," said one resident who has lived in the area for thirty years. "We want to be asked, not just told."

City marathon sets record with 14,000 runners

A record 14,000 runners took part in the Harbour City Marathon on Sunday, with the men's race won in 2 hours 9 minutes and the women's in 2 hours 24 minutes.

Both winners broke the course record on a cool, still morning that organisers called perfect for running.

The next fixture is away from home on Saturday, against opponents who have not lost at their own ground this season.

Club officials confirmed that tickets for the next home game are almost sold out.

Coastal stage of national tour to finish on the promenade

Next summer's national cycling tour will finish a stage on the Harbour City promenade for the first time in twenty years, organisers confirmed.

The 180-kilometre stage will follow the coast road from the north before a fast, flat finish along the seafront.

Young players from the city academy are being given more chances this season, and several have already made their debut.

Medical staff will assess two players who picked up knocks, but neither injury is thought to be serious.

Teenager reaches semi-final of the indoor open

Seventeen-year-old Lina Moretti reached the semi-final of the Harbour Indoor Open after beating the second seed in three sets.

Moretti, who trains at the city tennis centre, had to come through qualifying to reach the main draw.

The club's women's team, who top their own league, will play their next home game at the same ground on Sunday.

Local schools have been offered free tickets for the next match as part of the club's community programme.

Local crew takes the coastal regatta in strong winds

The Harbour City Sailing Club crew of the yacht Kittiwake won the annual coastal regatta, finishing the 120-mile course almost forty minutes ahead of their nearest rivals.

Strong winds forced eleven of the thirty starters to retire. The winning crew included two teenagers from the club's youth programme.

The coach praised the commitment of the whole squad. "We have worked hard for this all season, and tonight it showed," she said after the final whistle.

Supporters celebrated long into the evening in the bars around the harbour, where the result was shown on big screens.

Film festival announces a programme of 140 films

The Harbour City Film Festival will show 140 films from 38 countries over ten days next month, including twenty world premieres.

Outdoor screenings will be held on the fish quay every evening, weather permitting.

Tickets are available from the box office and online. Students and pensioners pay half price on weekday evenings.

The organisers said they wanted to bring culture to every neighbourhood, not only to the city centre, and plan more events in the eastern districts next year.

Harbour Philharmonic opens season with a sold-out night

The Harbour Philharmonic opened its new season to a sold-out hall, playing a programme of new works by local composers alongside a much-loved symphony.

The orchestra will also give eight free concerts in neighbourhood schools and community centres this season.

Critics have praised the programme for mixing well-known names with new local talent.

A family day with free workshops for children will be held on the first Sunday of next month.

Debut novel about a lighthouse keeper wins the coastal prize

A debut novel about a lighthouse keeper and his daughter has won this year's Coastal Book Prize. The judges praised its "quiet, unforgettable voice".

The author, a former teacher from the islands, wrote the book in the evenings over seven years.

The event is supported by the city arts fund and by several local businesses, which have sponsored free places for schools.

Visitors are advised to arrive early, as last year many events were full well before the start.