David Gibson, who drew up the plans and is also the regional officer for the Light Rail Transit Association, said this, when added to plans for another 19, 000 homes in the area, meant action was vital.

BBC: Nottingham tram

Should visitors want to stop by the Richmond Oval, located 14 km outside Vancouver, they can take advantage of the newly expanded, Olympics-inspired Canada Line light-rail transit route, which connects Richmond to downtown Vancouver and the airport.

BBC: Vancouver after the Games

That change in perception is providing more momentum for some cities that were already moving away from six-lane highways and suburbs dozens of miles apart, to a series of urban centers connected by light rail and other mass transit systems.

CNN: U.S. cities scrambling to meet rising mass transit demands

Rogoff has had an instrumental role in advising policy makers on the operating and capital needs of Amtrak, including the initiation and financing of high speed Acela service, as well as the financing of dozens of new light rail and bus rapid transit systems across the United States.

WHITEHOUSE: THE WHITE HOUSE

The government plans to tackle congestion in cities by a big expansion in light rail, trams and other rapid-transit systems.

ECONOMIST: British election briefing: Transport

New Jersey Transit is no more consistent than the MTA, forbidding alcohol on its Hudson-Bergen light-rail line while allowing it on other services.

WSJ: End of the Line for Midnight Drinkers

For now, New Jersey Transit, the Long Island Rail Road and Amtrak have hired a design firm to bring some light and fresher air into Penn Station.

WSJ: Plans languish for overhaul of NYC's Penn Station

Also included in the wish list is a proposal for a light rapid transit system linking the city centre with the bay, and an upgrade of the city's central rail and bus stations.

BBC: South East Wales