Sustraco Tram Consortium, which is in charge of this 'Ultra Light Rail' (ULR) network, claimed the initiative would be a pioneer for the transport as the trams will run on biomethane gas as opposed to electric lines, and will cost an estimated £15 million to set up, less than a third of the estimated £48 million for the bendy buses. "It will take years to wean transport off its dependence on fossil fuels. We need to start now," said Sustraco’s chairman James Skinner.

The trams will take about 11 minutes to travel between Ashton Meadows and Temple Meads. They will take 120 passengers in a two-car tram with the possibility of larger 200-passenger trams within two years. As they will not use overhead electricity cables, they will run on track which will not have to be insulated and will therefore be cheaper to install.

The company has already sent its proposal to the city council and expects to receive funding from the Government's Department for Transport. “The system is much cheaper to build as the route is based on existing tram and rail track lines and very ‘green’ to run”, said Pip Sheard from Trams for Bristol, a local pressure group that backs Sustraco’s plan.