From the Board: Sophie Allison on managing growth and modernising West Midlands Metro

As part of our From the UKTram Board series, we're speaking to the people helping guide UKTram and sharing the ideas and perspectives they bring to the organisation. In this edition, we catch up with Sophie Allison, Managing Director of West Midlands Metro, who has been a member of the UKTram Board since December 2022.

Sophie has held several senior roles at West Midlands Metro, spanning business transformation and commercial leadership, before becoming Interim Managing Director in 2021 and taking on the role permanently in 2023.

With the network continuing to grow, Sophie and her team are managing that expansion alongside changes to the way the existing service operates. Recent developments have included the introduction of Buy Before You Board and the opening of a new Operational Control Centre, while preparations continue for further network expansion.

We spoke to Sophie about the operational challenges of network expansion, the importance of preparing people and systems for change, and the lessons West Midlands Metro can share with the wider light rail sector.

West Midlands Metro is going through a significant period of growth and change. What does that mean from an operational perspective, and what are the biggest opportunities ahead?

With our growing network, we can connect more places and more people, giving them more opportunities to access education and employment, or visit friends and family.

From an operational perspective, expansion also means preparing our people, systems and infrastructure to support a larger network, while continuing to deliver a reliable service for our customers.

It's an exciting opportunity, which requires careful planning and coordination across the organisation. We need to ensure our operations continue to evolve alongside the network, so we're ready to welcome more passengers and make the most of the opportunities growth brings.

We’ve recently seen developments including Buy Before You Board and the opening of a new Operational Control Centre. How are changes like these helping to improve the passenger experience?

With such a popular service, conductors sometimes struggled to serve all customers on board the tram. Asking customers to buy before boarding helps ensure everyone pays, making it fairer for all. The revenue collected supports the longer-term sustainability of our growing network.

This growth has led us to relocate to a new state-of-the-art control room with three times as many CCTV monitors. This new facility gives us the foundations to develop and embrace new technologies such as remote access to on-tram CCTV, video analytics and AI.

With further expansion ahead, what does it take to prepare an organisation, its people and its operations for a growing light rail network?

A clear, shared vision of what we are trying to achieve, and an understanding of how each person or department contributes to making growth a success, is key. It truly is a team effort, and I am lucky to work with such dedicated colleagues.

Preparing for expansion means making sure everyone understands what is changing and how those changes will affect their day-to-day work.

Each part of the organisation plays an important role, and good communication and involving colleagues throughout the process help us identify challenges early, prepare for new ways of working and ensure we are ready to support the network as it grows.

Looking beyond the West Midlands, what learning from this period of growth and modernisation do you think could be valuable to the light rail sector, and how can UKTram help share that experience?

With several projects delivered in parallel and so many moving, interconnected parts, effective programme management is essential. Spending time on the integrated planning process, involving all departments and key stakeholders, is vital for success.

UKTram can help by sharing our experience, lessons learned and best practice with the wider industry so we can all keep improving.

As West Midlands Metro continues to expand, Sophie's experience highlights the work that goes on behind the scenes to prepare an operational network for growth. From ensuring teams understand their role to planning how new infrastructure, technology and operational changes work together, successful expansion relies on preparation across the whole organisation.

Through her role on the UKTram Board, Sophie also brings that experience to the wider light rail community, helping other networks learn from the opportunities and challenges that come with delivering growth while continuing to serve passengers every day.

UKTram would like to thank Sophie for taking part in this edition of From the Board. We would also like to congratulate Sophie on her recent recognition at the 2026 Global Light Rail Awards. The achievement is a fitting moment to acknowledge her contribution to West Midlands Metro and the leadership she has demonstrated during a period of significant growth and change.

Keep an eye on the UKTram website and LinkedIn channels as we continue to share our Board members' experiences and perspectives.