UKTram and the organisation responsible for light rail safety have scooped a series of prestigious accolades at a high-profile event celebrating excellence across the sector.

Between them, the Light Rail Safety and Standards Board and UKTram were ‘Highly Commended’ in four categories at the Global Light Rail Awards, with a senior figure within both organisations receiving a Judges’ Special Award.

Mike Mabey, Chair of the UKTram Operators Group and an LRSSB Board member, is standing down from both roles at the end of this month when he retires after 30 years of working in light rail. He joined the sector after leaving the army – where he served with the Royal Engineers – rising through the ranks at Manchester Metrolink before moving to Keolis Nottingham in 2014 to become Head of Operations.

James Hammett, UKTram Managing Director, commented: “For many years Mike has been a staunch supporter of the work done by UKTram, most recently as chair of our Operators Group.

“Mike thoroughly deserves this recognition. His experience and willingness to share what he has learned has been invaluable in helping to share best practice across the sector. At the same time, he has always been a pleasure to work with, and his enthusiasm has been an inspiration to us all. We wish him all the best in his retirement.”

Carl Williams, LRSSB Chief Executive, said: “Mike’s knowledge of all aspects of tramway operations is second to none, and he has played an important role in shaping the development of the LRSSB.

“On a personal level, I first met Mike at Manchester Metrolink and feel proud to have worked alongside him. He deserves a huge thank you for his support and contributions to further improving light rail safety.”

At an award event in London last night (Wednesday, October 6), the LRSSB was also recognised in the Significant Safety Initiative category for its work on a sector-wide risk management framework, and a project to develop an online reference library received a similar accolade for Technical Innovation.

The UKTram team was also highly commended for its work to support the sector during the pandemic while a joint project with Edinburgh Trams that’s revolutionising authority-to-work processes was also recognised in the Technical Innovation category.

James Hammett added: “To receive commendations in these categories is testament to the hard work of everyone at UKTram and the LRSSB and their commitment to finding innovative solutions to the challenges faced by members, promoting light rail and driving sector safety standards.”