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Light Rail news roundup 31st March 2023 Friday March 31, 2023

In this week’s news from the light rail sector – Easter Bunnies hop onto trams in the West Midlands, fare increases in Nottingham, late night services in Edinburgh and summer season set to get underway on the Douglas Bay Horse Tramway.

UKTram

The impact of third-party actions on effective and reliable tramway operations has been highlighted at a recent meeting of the UKTram Operations Group.

Representatives from networks in Dublin, Manchester, Sheffield, Nottingham, Docklands and Birmingham took part in the hybrid meeting – hosted by Tram Operations Limited in Croydon – and several reported that incidents beyond their control were a major contribution to disruption. To read more click here.

In other light rail news:

West Midlands Metro

Eagled-eyed customers the chance to win a host of fantastic prizes by finding colourful Easter Bunnies hiding on West Midlands Metro trams.

The seasonal competition will start from March 28 until April 19, with gift vouchers, free tram travel, dining cards and a host of Metro merchandise up for grabs.

All customers need to do to be in with a chance of winning is find and scan the Easter Bunnies, which enables them to register their details to submit an entry, and more details can be found here.

NET

Nottingham’s tram network is introducing an increase to its fares from Monday, (April 3). The fares that are increasing include the adult single and day tickets, along with the annual season pass.

The planned price adjustment will see a selection of tickets increase, including the adult single ticket, which will rise by 20p, from £2.80 to £3, and the adult day ticket, which will increase by 30p, from £4.70 to £5.

Some of the tram operator’s other fares, including short hops will remain the same and the full story can be found here.

Edinburgh Trams

Edinburgh’s expanding tram system is set to help partygoers make the most of an incredible line-up of electronic acts at the Royal Highland Centre by running late-night services over the easter weekend.

Extra services will run every 20 minutes until around half past midnight during Terminal V, the city’s most unique techno festival.

A shuttle bus will also link the tram stop at Ingliston Park & Ride with the event which will feature an elite collection of some of the biggest names in the world of house and techno music and you can read more here.

Luas

The operator of Dublin’s tram network is reminding customers that they need to buy a valid ticket before boarding.

Anyone caught using Luas without a valid ticket, you will be issued a Standard Fare Notice for €100; however, if they pay the penalty within 14 days, a discounted penalty of €45 applies.

The vast majority, around 95 per cent, of Luas passengers pay the fare in accordance with Luas Bye-laws and the full story can be found here.

Tyne & Wear Metro 

Metro customers who use Pop Pay As You Go (PAYG) on phones or smart cards will see prices frozen for the second year in a row, as part of an annual review of Metro fares which comes into effect from this Saturday (April 1).

Customers who switch from buying paper tickets will save more than £1 a day by making the change to Pop PAYG on Android’s Google Pay or by getting a free smart card online from the Nexus website.

The operator is also bringing detailed plans for young people before local councillors, including a new £1 single fare for those aged 21 and under, and you can read more here.

Heritage

The new season on the Douglas Bay Horse Tramway will be starting on April 6, but when it does it will once again be only running part of its former route as the section between Broadway and the Sea Terminal is still to be constructed.

As reported by British Trams Online here, recent debate at Tynwald again mentioned the prospect of returning the trams to the Sea Terminal but it seems there are currently no definite plans of when funding may be sought for this to be built.

Meanwhile, Seaton Tramway employees have completed inclusivity and accessibility training sessions.

The programme, which was developed in collaboration with disability advocates and accessibility experts, aims to provide the staff with the necessary skills and knowledge to make the tramway more accessible and inclusive for all visitors. For the full story, click 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.