In this week’s news from the light rail sector – Rugby ticket offer returns to Edinburgh, essential engineering works in Dublin, customers save money on Tyne and Wear Metro, and an appeal for volunteers from Blackpool Heritage Tours. 

Marketing and customer service professionals from across the light rail sector have agreed to share best practice across a range of activities that aim to promote tramways and similar transit systems.

Moving forward, the group will report into UKTram’s Light Rail Operators Group and discuss a wide range of topics covering marketing, public relations, enhancing the customer experience and safety messaging.

You can read the full story here.

In other light rail news:

Edinburgh Trams

Six Nations rugby is set to return to Edinburgh this weekend, and the city’s tram network has lined up a great travel offer that’s sure to prove a winner with fans.

As the city looks forward to hosting Guinness Six Nations Championship matches at the BT Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh Trams has announced the return of its popular Rugby Return tickets.

Priced from just £1.80 for under 16s and £3.40 for adults, they offer excellent value-for-money and you can read more here.

Luas

There will be temporary changes to Green Line Operating Hours over the next few weekends to enable essential engineering works. Red Line Operating Hours are not affected by these works.

Also, on Monday, February 6, Red and Green Line services will run Sunday Operating Hours and Frequency due to the Bank Holiday and full details can be found here.

Tyne & Wear Metro

Thousands more Metro customers are now saving money with Pop Pay As You Go, with one in three adult single and day journeys now made on smart cards or Google Pay.

Nexus, the public body which runs Metro, cut prices at the start of January to offer a £2 maximum single fare for customers using Pop Pay As You Go.

The offer runs until the end of March – after which Nexus has promised that single and day fares will be frozen at 2021 prices for the rest of this year.  Customers have been quick to respond to the offer of cheaper travel and you can read more here.

Proposed new systems

Scotland’s Transport Secretary Michael Matheson has delayed his delivery plan for the Clyde metro and Edinburgh trams extension until the spring, the Herald newspaper reports here.

Last month, the Scottish Government confirmed its transport investment priorities for the next 20 years – with a metro system for Glasgow and extending the capital’s tram officially confirmed as SNP priorities for the first time.

The Scottish Government set out its key priorities for future transport investment by publishing the second strategic transport projects review (STPR2).

Heritage

Ahead of another busy season, Blackpool Heritage Tram Tours is appealing for volunteers to help it run a packed programme of activities.

It’s on the lookout for Heritage Ambassadors to engage with visitors to Blackpool’s famous Promenade. In addition to selling pre-booked seats on Promenade and Coastal tram tours, they will assist the tram team with checking in passengers and delivering a warm welcome to customers as they board.

The heritage operator is also appealing for volunteer tram conductors responsible for collecting fares, helping customers on and off trams, and operating manual points. For more details, click here.

LRSSB

As part of a continuous review of existing light rail guidance, a document covering for the effective recruitment and training of new tram drivers has been reissued by the LRSSB.

The guidance covers everything from psychometric testing to the physical and mental abilities required for a job where public safety is absolutely paramount. The latest version is now available to download from the LRSSB’s online reference library and you can read the full story here.

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