New political landscape presents challenges and opportunities

In the first of a new series of blogs from UKTram, Chair Stephen Edwards explains how the organisation is evolving as the new government sets out its own priorities.

Navigating a New Political Landscape for Light Rail It may still be very early days for the new government, but there remains some degree of uncertainty as to their direction of travel when it comes to light rail. That’s why it’s more important than ever to drive home the message that investment in mass urban transit can unlock a wealth of social, economic and environmental benefits that align closely with their own priorities.

While there was understandable disappointment at the cancellation of the Restore Your Railway scheme in its current form, and the incoming Chancellor has made it clear that there is little chance of the government loosening the purse strings for large-scale transport investments in the short-term, there are reasons to be optimistic if we can grasp the opportunities provided by a reset of the political landscape.

This reset represents an ideal time for us to redouble our efforts to engage with both

ministers and officials and further strengthen our existing contacts with the Department for Transport.

Initial contacts have proved extremely positive, and meetings have already been lined up with the minister responsible for light rail, Simon Lightwood, and Transport Secretary Louise Haigh.

We will also be present at the forthcoming Labour conference, which will provide us with another platform to highlight the vital role tramways and similar transit systems already play in many UK cities and their importance to integrated transport networks of the future.

As the voice of the sector, for many years UKTram has been at the forefront of the excellent work already done to promote the many benefits of light rail and develop a clear strategy for its future growth. Strengthening UKTram’s Vision

However, the new political landscape requires a strategic rethink, prompting us to review how we can best serve the sector as it continues to evolve.

Part of this process includes a comprehensive review of our strategic plan, informed by feedback from members, that embraces all aspects of operations – from our approach to advocacy and financial stability to research and standards development.

I would encourage all our members to engage in this process, and I will always make myself available for constructive conversations about the course we should take and ways we can deliver even more for the entire sector. If anyone would like to get in touch, all they need to do is email via the UKTram website.

As it stands, our plans are based around a singular vision to be the driving force behind the advancement and sustainability of the sector and a mission to promote the adoption, expansion, and continuous improvement of light rail systems. This can only be achieved through the promotion of best practices, development of standards, collaboration with stakeholders and strategic partnerships that foster innovation and operational excellence. Promoting Innovation and Partnership for Future Expansion

At a strategic level, this will include continued proactive engagement with government agencies, particularly the DfT to influence policy decisions, and building alliances with other transport and environmental organisations.

We also aim to build even closer links with academic institutions and technology companies to help drive innovation in the sector while striving to secure funding for research and development that will help remove some of the barriers to future sector expansion.

Promoting employment opportunities across the sector and supporting development and training initiatives across member organisations will also be key priorities, as will facilitating even more networking events, conferences, and workshops to promote the exchange of ideas and best practices.

While the immediate focus may have moved away major landmark projects - with the exception of West Midlands Metro and proposals for light rail in West Yorkshire – the next few years will be extremely busy when it comes to infrastructure and rolling stock renewals, and we must recalibrate our efforts on supporting members through these significant challenges.

The new government has also made clear that a key priority in this parliamentary term is empowering local and regional authorities to make investment decisions on improving their own transport networks, and this too presents an opportunity as much as a threat.

Our revised strategy emphasises the importance of light rail as a key part of a fully integrated transport system, providing seamless travel for the public while reducing emissions and driving economic growth.