In this week’s news from the light rail sector – Strike action called off in London, tram team in Nottingham raise cash for charity, ticket changes in the West Midlands, and travel offers for Edinburgh’s summer season.

NET

Members of the NET team have raised more than £1,000 for local charity, Nottingham Central Women’s Aid, by walking the entirety of its 12.4-mile extensive tram network.

A group of 35 people, including tram drivers, safety and support staff and ticket agents took part in the sponsored ‘walk the network’ challenge to help raise vital funds for the organisation’s chosen charity, which aims to protect women and their children who have encountered domestic abuse.

The walk, which was organised as part of NET’s 20th anniversary celebrations, started at the Hucknall tram stop, and you can read more here.

Edinburgh Trams

Thanks to Edinburgh Trams, travelling across the city to attend an array of fantastic events is easy!

Customers can take advantage of great value ticket deals, including unlimited tram travel within the City Zone, by purchasing ‘Day Tripper’ tickets in advance through edinburghticket.com.

Costing just £4.50 for adults, £2.50 for children, or only £8.00 for the whole family, it’s just ‘just the ticket’ for locals and visitors alike, and there are more details here.

West Midlands Metro

From June 30, there will be changes to bus and bus + Metro tickets, as bus operators have changed their fare structure. There will be an increase in the bus element of bus + Metro tickets, although the Metro element of the ticket hasn’t changed.

The price increase will affect all tickets and passes that include a bus element. Anyone with a direct debit pass that needs to cancel due to the price increase, should contact the provider of their Swift pass, and more information is available here.

Tyne & Wear Metro

Operator Nexus has launched a limited-edition Metro Pop card featuring icons from the LGBTQIA+ community to celebrate Pride 2024 and champion inclusive travel for everyone.

The dazzling design appears on the familiar Pop smartcard for this year’s Northern Pride Festival. They will be available at the event in Newcastle, July 19-21, at the Market Village next to Grey’s Monument.

It was the work of local multi-disciplinary creative designer and visual communicator Em T Sharp, and you can read the full story here.

London Trams

Strike action by engineers working on the Croydon tram network has been called off after Transport for London and the Unite union reached a settlement, local media reports.

The engineers downed tools for their latest strike action on Monday, and were due to stay out of work for a full week until July 8. Further strike action planned for later in the month has also been called off, and you can read the full story here.

LRSSB

The LRSSB’s pivotal role in driving further advances in light rail safety and setting new standards for the sector to follow has been highlighted in the first of a series of podcasts.

Talking on the blue sofa at the organisation’s Birmingham headquarters, Chief Executive Carl Williams also talks about his own light rail journey, having joined the sector in the early 1990s.

Having worked for networks in South Yorkshire, Edinburgh, Manchester, Nottingham and the West Midlands, the past four years have seen him at the helm of the LRSSB, where he continues to lead the evolution of the organisation. You can read more about the podcast, and find a link to download it here.

BCIMO

The team from BCIMO has exhibited at a hands-on skills event for school children and young people at Wolverhampton Racecourse in Dunstall Park.

Designed to inspire youngsters across a broad range of sectors, the event was an opportunity for BCIMO to offer an insight into the world of rail via a ‘go’ on their tram driver training simulator.

In a variation on a theme from traditional informational and conversational careers events, the ‘Inspiring the Black Country’ event provides its young visitors with a chance to try different practical skills, and you can read more 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.