Light Rail News Roundup, April 5th, 2025
- UKTram
- Apr 5
- 6 min read
Updated: 7 days ago
In this week’s news from the light rail sector – Progress on sector-wide light rail training and development, new Blackpool Transport summer timetable, temporary changes to Sheffield Supertram services, second award for Tyne & Wear Metro project, revised date for Edinburgh tram extension consultation, Sarah Turner appointed Managing Director of Nottingham Trams, student designs unveiled for a ‘tram stop of the future’, and more.
UKTRAM
The latest Light Rail Operators Committee (LROC) meeting brought together professionals from across the sector for a day of knowledge-sharing and collaboration. Hosted by the SYMCA in Sheffield, the event included a depot tour, a preview of SIMOVE safety technology, and valuable discussions on key operational topics, including driver resourcing and passenger growth strategies.
NET
Civil Engineering and Product Design students from Nottingham Trent University (NTU) have designed concepts for Nottingham’s next ‘tram stop of the future’ as part of a collaborative project set by Nottingham Express Transit (NET) and Nottingham City Council. As part of the project, the students used their own disciplines to reimagine an existing unused NET tram stop shell between the Lace Market and Train Station stops. With the additional footfall set to come to the area, driven by the Nottingham Broad Marsh Master Plan, the network has the opportunity to create a tram stop that can showcase and facilitate the area's development at a landmark time for the city. Alongside making the unused tram stop safe, secure, and fit for purpose, the students were tasked with incorporating key factors such as sustainability, accessibility and social value to the area and integrating it with other forms of public transport.
Nottingham Trams has announced the appointment of Sarah Turner as its new Managing Director. Sarah joined the organisation in August 2023 as Service Delivery & Safety Director, bringing a wealth of industry experience and a strong focus on operational excellence.
In her new role, Sarah will lead the network through its next phase, continuing to deliver safe, reliable and high-quality service for passengers across the city. Sheffield Supertram
Temporary changes to some Tram Train services are now operational to ensure the safe completion of construction work on a new station and Park and Ride and will be in place until winter 2025.
South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority is investing more than £9 million on a new Tram Train station, including Park and Ride, at Magna, Rotherham. The new station on the Tram Train route will provide connection to the Magna Science Adventure Centre, local businesses and the wider Templeborough area.
There will also be 100 park and ride spaces, along with cycle parking and electric vehicle charging, all of which will help to reduce congestion and pollution within the Lower Don Valley and A6178 corridor.
Blackpool Transport
As the summer season approaches, Blackpool Transport is boosting tram services with a new timetable as part of its ongoing commitment to meeting Fylde Coast residents' and visitors' transport requirements.
From Sunday, April 6, daytime trams will run every ten minutes seven days a week and every 15 minutes in the evenings - a 50 per cent increase in services. The new timetable will also include some direct services between Fleetwood and Starr Gate, significantly reducing journey times for many customers.
This enhancement is part of a wider service relaunch that reflects customer feedback. It puts more trams in locations where they are needed to meet changing passenger requirements and accommodate evolving travel patterns.
Tyne & Wear Metro
A major project to replace tracks in the Tyne & Wear Metro tunnels beneath the centre of Newcastle has won a second railway industry award.
The £3.4m renewal of the Prudhoe Street Metro junction scooped outstanding project of the year under £20m at the Spotlight Rail Awards. Tyne & Wear Metro won the accolade in conjunction with its delivery partner, Smarttrax Rail.
This award for the Prudhoe Street Project – the busiest junction on Metro and essential for the smooth operation of services through the centre of Newcastle and Gateshead – follows success at the Global Light Rail Awards, where it won project of the year.
Extension Projects
The City of Edinburgh Council has announced that consultation on the Trams from Granton to the Bioquarter and Beyond will start in mid-August 2025 rather than the spring 2025 date originally planned.
The date change ensures that the 12-week consultation on two potential routes for the north-to-south tramway extension does not occur during the school summer holidays and political recess. The aim is to do justice to the strategic business case by ensuring that as many people as possible can participate in the consultation.
Further information, including details of public drop-in events, will be issued in due course.
DLR
KeolisAmey Docklands (KAD), a 70:30 joint venture between transport operators Keolis and Amey, has secured a new eight-year contract to continue operating and maintaining the DLR in London.
KAD has operated the network’s 40km of infrastructure and 45 stations in east and southeast London since 2014. The new contract commenced on April 1. The DLR is an essential part of London’s public transport system and is renowned internationally as a leading automated light rail network.
The next franchise agreement will see the JV continue to build on the strong foundations of collaboration developed with Transport for London and invest in accelerating the network’s social value for customers, colleagues and its communities.
Transport for Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester’s TravelSafe Partnership is releasing shocking footage of vandalism on the Bee Network to raise awareness among young people of the potential consequences of antisocial behaviour.
The CCTV has been released as part of a campaign to run over the Easter holiday, a time when youth antisocial behaviour on the public transport network typically increases.
The campaign is intended to draw attention to the behaviour which will result in action being taken by the TravelSafe Partnership, while also reassuring all passengers – including young people – about the steps being taken to keep them safe while using the Bee Network.
Member news BCIMO
UKTram member BCIMO has recently hosted two key events at the Very Light Rail National Innovation Centre in Dudley, reinforcing its role in driving innovation across both transport and business sectors. The Innovate Dudley Expo, part of the West Midlands Business Festival, brought together entrepreneurs, manufacturers, and support organisations for a full day of expert panels, exhibitions, and networking.
The following day, BCIMO welcomed stakeholders for a Space for Intermodal Transport Workshop, part of its Clean Futures Catalyst programme. The event explored how satellite and space technologies can enhance integrated transport systems ahead of the next European Space Agency funding call. Learn more about these events here.
Looking ahead, BCIMO is set to host a Family Day on Saturday, 17 May, supporting several charities as part of the National Railway 200 celebrations. Opened by Pete Waterman OBE, the event will connect local communities and rail professionals with the past, present, and future of rail innovation.
Heritage
As reported by British Trams Online, Beamish Museum’s heritage tramway is back in action after a three-month pause for essential upgrades. Trams resumed service on 2 April 2025 after the successful testing and completion of track renewal works near the 1900s town.
The upgrade included the replacement of a key curve on the line, delivered by external contractors, along with recent overhead line improvements by SPL Powerlines. The running of Blackpool 31 marked the return to service – the first standard gauge open-top tram to operate in the UK this year.
Light Rail Safety and Standards Board
A sector-wide approach to light rail training and development is a step closer, after four UK tramways signed up to join an integrated learning management system. Drawing on expertise from across light rail and building on the success of a similar, single network system introduced by Edinburgh Trams, the Light Rail Safety and Standards Board (LRSSB) has developed the online Learning Experience Platform (LXP).
It will monitor employee competencies, keep track of required certifications, and help identify the most appropriate training courses. A further aim is to provide a hub for best practice, delivering consistency while also driving higher standards in all aspects of light rail training.
Tram networks can use LXP to plan and maintain their own training programmes, with trials currently underway in Birmingham, Sheffield, Edinburgh and Blackpool due to go ‘online’ later in the year. Learn more about the benefits of LXP below.
To be included in the next round-up or the Members News section of the UKTram website, send your updates, press releases, events and careers to news@uktram.org
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