In this week’s news from the light rail sector –  Date set for launch of new route in Edinburgh, Metrolink celebrates East Didsbury line’s 10th anniversary, security stepped up on Tyne and Wear Metro and LRSSB publishes Business Plan update.

UKTram

The management of obsolete fleet and infrastructure has been explored during a recent meeting of tramway engineers from across the UK.

Members of UKTram’s Light Rail Engineering Group (LREG) heard from an industry expert on extending the life of electromechanical components, providing sustainable repairs and reconditioning.

The Group also received updates from the networks and industry members from around the country, as well as from the RAIB, ORR and Light Rail Safety and Standards Board during their latest meeting and best practice day hosted by ZF Services Ltd in Nottingham. For the full story, click here.

In other light rail news:

Edinburgh Trams

Passenger services on the new tram route to Newhaven are scheduled start at 12pm on 7 June, it has been announced this week.

The route, which has been under construction since November 2019, has been delivered within the £207.3m budget, meeting the scheduled completion date set for spring 2023.

Over recent months rigorous testing to ensure the newly constructed line, software and signals work effectively and safely has taken place and timetable trials will continue in the run-up to launch. For the full story, click here.

Manchester Metrolink

The Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, joined local councillors past and present, as well as Metrolink passengers to mark the 10th anniversary of the opening of the East Didsbury line.

An eight-stop extension connecting parts of south Manchester, the line fully opened on May 23, 2013. It was part of Metrolink’s £2bn ‘phase three’ expansion that also saw new lines to Ashton, Rochdale via Oldham, Manchester Airport and a new line through Manchester city centre.

More than 41.5 million journeys have been made on the line since then, and you can read more here.

Tyne & Wear Metro

Security will be deployed on the majority of trains on the Tyne and Wear Metro to provide customer reassurance in the evenings and tackle anti-social behaviour where it arises

It will take the security presence on the Metro network to its highest ever level, with security personnel on board almost every single service from 19:00 every day.

Nexus, the public body which owns and manages Metro, said it had listened to feedback from its customers and the Metro team before making this significant commitment in an aim to provide greater reassurance to people using public transport in the evening. To read more, click here.

LRSSB

The organisation responsible for driving tramway safety is on course to successfully deliver a programme of key projects aimed at further reducing the risk of harm or injury on UK networks.

From the upgrade of a sector-wide incident reporting system to the ongoing development of a comprehensive risk management framework, the Light Rail Safety and Standards Board is making huge strides towards fulfilling core objectives established in its three-year business plan.

In an update published this week, the organisation has outlined the progress made on a series of landmark initiatives supporting its mission to: ‘Prevent Incidents, Reduce Harm’. At the same time, it sets out the next steps the organisation will take to ensure its continued success and you can read all about it 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.