In this week’s news from the light rail sector – KeolisAmey awarded new DLR franchise, West Midlands tram named after volunteer, rail replacement works in Manchester, special Victorian event at Crich, Tyne & Wear Metro launches poetry competition, and award success for LRSSB.
UKTram
A team of light rail experts has been recognised for its role in removing barriers to the future expansion of the sector.
At the Global Light Rail Awards last night (Wednesday, October 2), UKTram’s Centre of Excellence was named Team of the Year after delivering a host of projects to support proposals for new tramways and similar transit systems.
These include the publication of ‘a route map’ and a ‘Pre-route map’ for potential tramway owners or sponsors that sets out the process they need to follow when considering new systems or extensions to existing networks, and you can read the full story here.
In other light rail news:
DLR
Transport for London (TfL) has awarded KeolisAmey a new eight-year contract to operate and maintain the DLR, a franchise they have successfully run for the past 10 years.
The new franchise, which is due to start on April 1, 2025, was awarded to KeolisAmey following a competitive tendering process, with the new contract focused on delivering a number of key improvements to help deliver a better customer experience and meet future projected demand for services.
Key improvements include enhancements to timetables to deliver higher frequencies of service, and you can read more here.
West Midlands Metro
A West Midlands Metro tram has been named after a young man from Dudley, in recognition of his outstanding volunteer work.
As part of the 50 for 50 WM campaign, 21-year-old volunteer Amman Ahmed has received the honour of having a West Midlands Metro tram named after him to recognise his ongoing volunteer efforts and commitment.
The special naming ceremony took place at Midland Metro Depot in Wednesbury this week, and you can read more here.
Manchester Metrolink
No trams will run through Cornbrook this weekend due to essential rail replacement work taking place.
As a result, there will be a change to operating patterns across the Metrolink network.
To help customers get to their destinations, three bus replacement services will operate from Firswood to Victoria, Old Trafford to Piccadilly, and Eccles to Piccadilly, and more details can be found here.
Tyne & Wear Metro
Budding poets are invited to submit their entries to a poetry competition, with the chance of their work being displayed for thousands to read on a Tyne and Wear Metro station.
The competition, organised by Nexus, closes on 17 October.
This is the fourth year Nexus has run the competition, which is fast becoming a fixture of the North East and UK poetry scene.
The winner and three runners-up will see their poem displayed on a large poster at Longbenton, a busy commuter station that is used by more than one million customers every year.
The prize also includes £100 Waterstones vouchers and a free membership to The Poetry Book Society for the winner and £50 Waterstones vouchers for the runners up, and further details can be found here.
LRSSB
A project that’s embracing virtual reality to boost light rail safety has been recognised with a prestigious industry award.
Building on the success of a similar hazard perception system employed during tram driver training, new software is aimed at workers operating on or near the tracks.
A joint project between the Light Rail Safety and Standards Board and simulator specialists AVANSIM, the software driving the Virtual Track Awareness tool can be run on almost any computer, providing a safe environment for workers to spot potential hazards. To read more, click here.
Heritage
Crich Tramway Village will stage an extra special event taking place on Saturday, November 9 and Sunday, November 10, British Trams online reports.
A Journey through Time and Light will offer visitors the chance to step back in time and meet Ragged Victorians and learn about life in Victorian England.
There will be entertainers performing around the site, music in the Red Lion, the café will be open, and gifts can be bought from carefully selected traders.
From dusk, the main street lights will come on, and the site gets transformed into a special place with illuminated trams and entertainers in the street and on the bandstand.
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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