In this week’s news from the light rail sector – New travel app launched in South Yorkshire, union threatens industrial action in Nottingham, Luas inviting customers to meet managers, TfL issues tram fleet tender and Very Light Rail National Innovation Centre hosts first tour.
London Trams
The search for a manufacturer to design and build a new fleet of trams to replace the oldest ones operating on the London Trams network has begun, with Transport for London issuing an Invitation to Tender.
Four pre-qualified manufacturers, Alstom Transport UK Limited, Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles S.A (CAF), Hitachi Rail Limited and Stadler Rail Valencia S.A.U, can now proceed to the next stage of the formal procurement process with TfL to design and build the next generation of trams that will, subject to funding, start to be introduced in the late 2020s.
The new trams will offer customers a more comfortable and reliable service along with several improved features, and you can read more here.
NET
A union has warned tram strikes could take place during Nottingham's Goose Fair as part of a row over pay, the BBC reports. GMB says more than 90% of tram workers have voted in favour of industrial action, with about 300 workers, including drivers, maintenance staff and ticket office employees would be expected to walk out.
The full story can be found here.
Sheffield Supertram
South Yorkshire’s Mayor Oliver Coppard is inviting everyone to get their journeys on track as they travel across the region with the upgraded Travel South Yorkshire app. Customers can already purchase tickets on the app, but the new features include a journey planner and live departures tool, aiming to improve connectivity and the public transport user experience as they plan how to get to where they want to go.
The upgraded journey planner is available by downloading the Travel South Yorkshire app from the Apple and Google Play stores. It features a host of new and improved services that will make planning for short or long-distance journeys easier, and you can find out more here.
Tyne & Wear Metro
A North Tyneside pensioner has put his best foot forward and walked the entire length of the Metro system - at the age of 82.
Alan Pollard, of Whitley Bay, completed the epic 75-mile trek by charting the same route as the iconic Tyne and Wear Metro map.
He came up with the idea as a good way of getting to know the geography of the local area after moving to North East England from Tring in Hertfordshire 18 months ago, and you can read more about his journey here.
Luas
On Wednesday, September 18, from 16:00 to 17:30, staff from Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) and Transdev Dublin Light Rail Ltd will be on the Luas Red Line to hear what customers think about Luas.‘Meet the Luas Manager' is an opportunity for Luas customers to give their thoughts on services, and the information collected helps the operator to improve services.Anyone who cannot make it on the day but would like to offer feedback can also take part in an online survey, and further details can be found here.
Extension Projects
The construction industry has a key role to play in global efforts to reduce carbon emissions and Midland Metro Alliance is committed to driving change as it works to expand the Metro network across the region on behalf of Transport for West Midlands.
Its continued efforts have led to considerable progress towards an ambitious goal to significantly reduce air pollution while building tram extensions.
This longstanding commitment to helping protect the environment during construction activities has led to the team exceeding its carbon reduction target last year by more than 300 tonnes, making a carbon saving of 3,389 tCO2e, and you can find out more here.
Heritage
This weekend (September 14 and 15) will see the annual enthusiasts event at the Crich Tramway Village – home of the National Tramway Museum – which is this year celebrating 60 years of electric trams and looking to the future with recent restoration projects.
Whilst the Crich site, now known as the Crich Tramway Village, was acquired in 1959 and the first horse tram service started in 1963, it wasn’t until 1964 that the first electric trams ran, British Trams Online reports.
The very first tram to run was Blackpool and Fleetwood Rack 2, which although not part of the current operating fleet remains on static display at the museum. Since 1964 many other trams have run in service along the demonstration tramway that now runs up to Glory Mine for approximately one mile, and the full article can be found here.
BCIMO
This week the Very Light Rail National Innovation Centre (VLRNIC) opened its doors for the first in a series of monthly facility tours.
‘Behind the Scenes at BCIMO’ offers an insight into a unique, world-class centre for rail innovation in the heart of the Black Country and an opportunity to talk to the BCIMO team about the work the organisation does across its portfolio of products, services and programmes.
Within the first group, were visitors from Desoutter Tools, Oleo and Sunbelt Rentals, 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.
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