Continued financial support for Edinburgh Trams and Glasgow Subway from the Scottish Government has been welcomed by the organisation representing the UK’s light rail sector.

Responding to the announcement today (Monday, June 28) of a further £5.6 million of emergency funding, George Lowder, Chairman of UKTram, said it would help operators maintain essential services.

“Although we have seen modest signs of a recovery in passenger numbers since some Covid restrictions were eased, the impact of the pandemic will clearly be felt for the foreseeable future,” he explained.

“While limitations to retail, hospitality and sports activities remain in place, and many people continue to work from home, this latest tranche of funding will help to maintain the service levels required to maintain safe social distancing.”

The new round of funding brings the total light rail support available in Scotland to over £34 million and will be in place until the end of September 2021. Its announcement follows detailed discussions with Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) and Transport for Edinburgh, with the support of UKTram.

Mr Lowder, who is also Chief Executive of Transport for Edinburgh, added: “Throughout the pandemic UKTram has worked closely with both the Scottish and UK Governments, keeping them up-to-date on the impact Covid-19 continues to have on operations and revenue. Moving forward, we will continue to press for appropriate support for light rail systems across the UK as we plan for recovery.”