In this weeks light rail news – Kickstart scheme used to recruit young people in the West Midlands, Travel Hubs reopening in Edinburgh, TfGM asks motorists to be ‘tram aware’, engineering works start on Luas, milestone reached on Birmingham Westside extension and fatigue management advice from the LRSSB. 

Sector leaders have called for fresh investment in light rail to help boost economic recovery as the country emerges from the most recent Covid-19 restrictions.

A recent meeting of UKTram’s Owners and Authorities working group heard that emergency funding from the UK and Scottish governments had enabling operators to maintain essential services, but more would be needed to ensure a successful recovery for the sector and to unlock its future potential.

Through recent lockdowns, networks in England and Scotland have proved invaluable for many people who needed to travel – including key workers and those attending medical appointments – and will have an important role to play post-pandemic and you can read the full story here.

In other light rail news

The LRT Monitor series from Mainspring Knowledge has just received its latest updates – this time focusing on the UK and Scandinavia.

The LRT Monitor series is an essential reference resource for those in the light and urban rail sectors, offering all the key facts and figures for tramway, light rail, and metro networks and you can read more here.

West Midlands Metro

Unemployed young people in the West Midlands are being offered the chance to take the first steps towards a rewarding career on the region’s expanding tram network.

Midland Metro Limited, the operator of West Midlands Metro, is backing the government’s Kickstart scheme for 16 to 24-year-olds on Universal Credit.

There are currently vacancies for Maintenance Technical Assistants, Administrators, a Customer Experience Officer and a Driver Customer Representative as part of the scheme which can provide a pathway to a permanent position.

You can read the full story here

Edinburgh Trams

The Shandwick Place TravelHub is set to reopen on Monday, April 26, for Ridacard customers only and customers are being asked to read the latest Covid-safety advice before visiting.

Other TravelHubs will remain closed until further notice and you can read more here.

Manchester Metrolink

As traffic levels start to increase, motorists are being encouraged to be ‘tram aware’ in a new campaign from Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM).

While the number of collisions remains very small compared to the number of trips made each day on Greater Manchester’s roads, incidents can cause serious injury, have a major impact on service levels and adversely affect customers trying to make journeys.

There were 122 road traffic collisions involving motorists (77), cyclists (10) or pedestrians (35) on the Metrolink network between April 2019 and March 2021 and you can read more here.

Luas

Essential Luas engineering works are taking place on the Luas Green Line in April, May, and June to replace sections of tracks at the Charlemont Stop.

To facilitate the works, stops between St. Stephen’s Green and Beechwood will be closed over four weekends in April, May and June. Full details of the closures can be found here.

Extension Projects

A major milestone has been reached on the Birmingham Westside Metro extension as the last piece of track was welded into place on Hagley Road.

The significant achievement, which signals the end of track laying on the project, means passenger services to a new terminus at 54 Hagley Road continues to be on track to commence later this year. To read the full story, click here.

LRSSB

New fatigue management guidance is now nearing completion, with release for industry consultation due shortly.

As part of the development process, LRSSB engaged a leading fatigue risk management consultancy, Clockwork Research, to undertake peer review of the organisation’s latest guidance document, LRG 6.0 – Fatigue management, ahead of its planned publication in May.

The guidance draws on the expertise and experience of health and safety professionals from across light rail and related transport sectors and you can read the full story here.

To be included in the next round-up, or the Members News section of the website, send your press releases to jamie.swift@uktram.org.