Pretty sure there was a plan for a tram from Portsmouth all the way round the harbour. It got ditched for a few bus lanes instead. I suppose bus lanes do make it easier to spread the cost out but a tram would be better long term.
I can still cycle end to end faster than the bus during rush hour.
Do we hate buses now?
Buses are useful because they can change based upon demand. If s neighborhood grows, more buses can be added. If a neighborhood shrinks, you can remove buses.
For larger cities buses just don’t have enough capacity to be a good transit system. They do have their place in smaller cities and as a complement to a tram/metro for connections where the demand isn’t as high.
I don’t say trams are bad, but it’s just dumb that OP seems to demonize busses that are totally fine solutions in some contexts. If you plan a new city SimCity style, sure, go for trains first. But real cities are more difficult and have a history, and it rarely makes sense to throw all of that overboard just to have the most efficient (currently) solution
In the city where I live, I exclusively use trams. I avoid buses at all costs and only use them as a desperate last resort. Reason is because trams drive way nicer, in my opinion, than buses. Because in a full bus, standing and being whiplashed from wall to wall is unpleasant, especially with a shopping bag or a case or something else in your hand.