The prospect of a landmark year for the light rail sector has been highlighted by a leading transport magazine.
In the latest edition of Rail Director Magazine, James Hammett, UKTram Managing Director, has set out how funding for new and existing transport systems – and the publication of a bold strategy for the future of light rail in the UK – could see 2022 become a seminal year for the sector.
While many challenges remain as the country emerges from the coronavirus pandemic, he says growing calls for further action to tackle climate change and the emergence of innovative new technology will also boost the case for a mode of transport that has already proved its value to key cities across the UK.
As well as appearing in the print version of the respected magazine, the article can be viewed online here.
A series of animated videos also look set to provide a boost for light rail safety following their online premiers this week.
Using eye-catching graphics, they provide top tips for passengers when using a tramway or similar transit system, as well as advice for pedestrians when crossing the tracks.
Commissioned by the Light Rail Safety and Standards Board, the ‘be SMART around Trams’ videos can be used by network operators to complement their own safety campaigns and you can find out more here.
In other light rail news:
Manchester Metrolink
Sunday signalled the busiest in Metrolink’s history, with more than 114,000 people boarding the tram – many to watch or take part in the Manchester Marathon.
People from as far as Plymouth to the Scottish Highlands flocked to the city-region for this year’s event, with the Metrolink network, particularly the Altrincham and East Didsbury lines, providing essential connections around the various milestones of the course.
Old Trafford and Trafford Bar, near to the start and end point of the race route were the most frequented as well as Deansgate-Castlefield, where the race passed at the five-mile stage and you can read the full story here.
West Midlands Metro
Works to restore services have been progressing and the operator now expects to be in a position to resume passenger services by the end of May 2022.
Alongside the manufacturer, CAF, it has now completed a detailed assessment of the tram fleet and begun a schedule of works to replace cracked body panels that will enable trams to return to service as quickly as possible.
Midland Metro Limited (MML) has required the manufacturer to replace the panels rather than repair the existing ones to ensure the future reliability and robustness of the service. A full statement from the operator can be found here.
NET
Travelling on Nottingham’s top-class public transport network just became even easier – with the rollout of the first Oyster-style contactless ticketing system in the country outside of London.
The new Nottingham Contactless multi-operator Tap & Go option – available across Nottingham City Transport buses, NET trams and Linkbuses operated by CT4N – allows people to tap on with contactless bank cards or phones throughout the day and pay one daily, capped charge. For the full story, click here.
Edinburgh Trams
Families hoping to spend some quality time together over the Easter holidays can enjoy value-for-money travel during a day out in the city centre thanks to Edinburgh Trams.
Priced at just £7.50, the operator’s ‘Family Day Tripper’ ticket allows a day of unlimited tram travel, between Ingliston Park & Ride and the city centre, for up to two adults plus up to three children.
Located a short distance away from the tram stop, the Park & Ride site is ideal for customers driving into Edinburgh as it has over 1,000 free parking spaces alongside electric vehicle charging points and you can read more here.
Sheffield Supertram
To allow essential repairs to take place in the City Road/Spring Lane area, Blue and Purple route services will be subject to alteration throughout the Easter weekend and full details can be found here.
Across the network, on Good Friday 15 April and Saturday 16 April, a Saturday service will operate and on Easter Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday 18 April, a Sunday service will be in operation.
Heritage
Crich Tramway is delighted to have secured runner up positions in two categories of the Heritage Railway Association (HRA) Awards 2022.
It says that being recognised in the Outstanding Visitor Attraction 2022 is a great accomplishment, and has expressed huge thanks to its staff, volunteers, members and visitors for helping it to achieve the accolade.
Volunteers Andrew Hanbury and James Shillabeer were also named as runners up for the in the HRA Lord Faulkner Young Volunteer Awards and you can read more here.
LRSSB
Planning for the handover of a multi-million-pound extension to West Midlands Metro looks to have been boosted by a risk assessment process adopted for the sector by the Light Rail Safety Standards Board (LRSSB).
Midland Metro Alliance (MMA), which is constructing the route on behalf of Transport for West Midlands (TfWM), has utilised LRSSB’s BowTieXP software system to develop a comprehensive database of assessments as it prepares for the opening of extensions to Edgbaston Village and Wolverhampton Railway Station.
Named after the shape of graphics to illustrate its core principles, BowTie contains eight elements 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.
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