Premier Mike Rann says the service has been a “terrific success” since it started carrying passengers in March.

The government had planned to offer free travel for just six months on the $100 million extension, which runs from the western end of the city’s North Terrace to the Entertainment Centre.

The new service was inspiring more people to use public transport, the premier said at Sunday’s official opening of the route.

“Based on patronage figures from July this year compared to July 2009, total patronage on the entire tram line grew by 55 per cent, and it is estimated 2000 people a day board this tram to and from the Adelaide Entertainment Centre,” Mr Rann said in a statement.

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“While the government initially made the commitment to provide free travel from the Adelaide Entertainment Centre to the city centre for six months, we have decided to keep the current free travel permanently in place.”

Mr Rann said the next step for Adelaide’s light rail development was a $520 million extension of the tramline from the Entertainment Centre to suburban Semaphore, Port Adelaide and West Lakes.

The construction is scheduled to take place from 2015/16 to 2018/19.

via AdelaideNow

About 350 passengers got off at the Entertainment Centre station between 4 and 6pm on its first day of normal operations, with many parking their cars at the new car park.

About 50 passengers on the one tram was recorded by this reporter at 5:30pm yesterday.

Students were overheard on a tram talking about events at the Entertainment Centre, drawing ideas from the LCD screen for acts to see late yesterday afternoon.

Jane Petric of Parafield Gardens said she could catch the tram over the train to meet her partner, who works near the Entertainment Centre, and drive home together.

The $2 Park’n’Ride deal was welcomed by Catherine Day of Gladstone who said she’d save about $55 a week by using the tram over parking in town for work.

The parking meters seemed to not fully operate however; “Annoyed” on AdelaideNow said no parking meters were available this morning and one machine was confirmed inoperable at 4:30pm.

By Anthony Caggiano for RailSA

Spokesperson for Family First Nicholas Greer says light rail services should be directed towards North Adelaide and the eastern half of the CBD and the port area should be serviced by heavy rail.

He says the party suggests a rail loop of the current trams network in the CBD and thinks there is little benefit in the current extension to the Entertainment Centre, preferring a heavy rail option over the “coast to coast” light rail option.

“Light rail does not cope well with large numbers of commuters leaving a venue at the same time (such as the Entertainment Centre),” he said.

He said the party also suggests the current tram line be converted to standard heavy rail gauge should the proposed ‘tram-trains’ be bought.

Third candidate for Legislative Council of SA Democrats Sandra Kanck says the party is “bemused by the duplication and even triplication of services” to the Bowden area and questioned the government’s intentions with heavy-rail networks in the area.

“What this (the current team extension) will ultimately mean to the Outer Harbor rail line is yet to be revealed by the state government, but it does appear to be policy on the run. Perhaps we will see the phasing-out of the heavy-rail system, ” she says.

She says the party wants the Grange rail line to go to AAMI Stadium and be converted to light rail and potentially the Outer Harbor and Grange lines become light rail services too.

The current extension to the Entertainment Centre would be used regardless of who wins this Saturday’s election, Ms Kanck says.

“Light rail is always a better option in urban areas where frequent stopping is involved. The fuel efficiencies are not there for heavy rail in this regard, and some of our heavy rail services in metropolitan Adelaide would be better served by light rail.”

Senator for Greens Mark Parnell did not offer a direct comment, however he referred to the 1993 report “Greening Adelaide with Public Transport” that supported the idea of a light rail network in general in Adelaide to increase public transport use.

The report says a light rail service would provide a more green and cost effective manner for future public transport development particularly over the O-Bahn system as there are more “green” developments in electrical supply than fuel use.

Mr Parnell was the Campaign Coordinator – SA Branch of the Australian Conservation Foundation when the report was published.

He was critical of the recently released 30 year plan for Adelaide where the proposed TODs were a bit haphazard and didn’t necessarily follow any current transport network, seeing further urban sprawl in Adelaide.

In the ABC story “Transport Trip” on Stateline last year Mr Parnell said the current government needed to carefully consider its sites, noting the Buckland Park green suburb.

“It has been roundly condemned by planning professionals as being entirely the wrong way to plan the city. You know, building dormitory suburbs on the outskirts of a city with no public transport is the thinking of last century and we can’t do things like that in Adelaide if we’re serious about reducing our pollution and increasing our quality of life” Mr Parnell is quoted as saying.

By Anthony Caggiano for RailSA

About 100 people departed the Entertainment Centre stop on Citadis 205, the first tram to carry public passengers along the extension, at 11:50am as part of a special community open day of the tram extension and the Entertainment Centre refurbishment.

Packed trams shuttled at 10-minute intervals from the Entertainment Centre to Rundle Mall stops for free during the early afternoon.

The extension officially opens to the public on Monday, March 22.

New tram timetables were handed out by government officials to the public at tram stops including the Entertainment Centre and Railway Station.

The free shuttle services will be extended to the Entertainment Centre for the first six months at this stage, spokesperson for the Department of Transport Ross Stargatt said.

Members of the public enjoyed the community ride and many also saw the Entertainment Centre Open Day.

Passengers Bev and Rob Miles, of North Adelaide, took their grand-daughter Scarlett, of Walkerville, along to the activities.

“It’s something new, it’s a new experience, a free ride and a chance to see the Entertainment Centre,” Mrs Miles said.

Mr Miles said “the trams are fabulous.”

Tram fan Terry Bourke, from Modbury Heights, thought the extension provided greater access to the area.

“I can catch a bus and a tram to see things like the Brewery Lights at Christmas,” he said.

Passengers Megan Bennett, from Clarence Park, and Dee Bluett, from Highbury said they’d definitely use the line to go to the Entertainment Centre.

Passengers thought the ride was comfortable and smooth on the Citadis and Flexity Classic trams.

Mr and Mrs Miles said the ride was very comfortable and smooth, whilst Miss Bennett said the new section of track was “better than the Glenelg to City West section of track.”

The first tram departed about 9:45am with Premier Mike Rann, State Minister for Transport Patrick Conlon, Adelaide Lord Mayor Michael Harbison, Mayor of Charles Sturt Council Harold Anderson and media on board.

Scones with jam and cream and a sausage sizzle were available for the public to celebrate the event.

By Anthony Caggiano for RailSA

The tram was last in a fleet of seven as tests of the voltage supply at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre took place.

A tram spotter walked on the concrete barricade at the Entertainment Centre stop to take photos of the 367.

Overnight tram testing of the power supply along the new track started at 3:23am when Citadis 203 tram departed the City West stop.

Flexity Classic 103, 105 and 108 and Citadis 203, 204 and 205 trams ran along the new section of track simultaneously between 3:20 and 5:30am.

The Flexity Classic and Citadis trams travelled up and down the track twice with each test faster than the last.

A return trip at full speed took about 20 minutes.

At least three trams were tested for acceleration from the Entertainment Centre stop.

No obvious faults were evident during the tests.

By Anthony Caggiano for RailSA