Industry insights and collaboration take centre stage at the UKTram and LRSSB Light Rail Summit

The seventh annual UKTram & LRSSB Light Rail Summit was held for the third year at Birmingham’s IET Austin Court, a firm favourite among delegates. This year’s theme reflected the continued growth and maturity of the light rail community and the importance of industry wide collaboration and knowledge sharing.

The Summit opened with remarks from Steve Edwards, Chair of UKTram. Steve set out a clear vision for the organisation and its members, reflecting on UKTram’s growing influence in shaping national policy and supporting new and existing systems through sector advocacy and technical guidance. Steve spoke about the organisation’s expanding role in helping to build a confident future for light rail in the UK and Ireland.

Following Steve’s introduction, UKTram Managing Director James Hammett invited delegates to look both backwards and forwards in his presentation, “Back to the Future.”

James reflected on the progress made through UKTram’s recent business plan, celebrating outcomes such as record passenger numbers, expanding working groups and subgroups, new cross-sector partnerships and UKtram team expansion and progression.

Looking ahead, James outlined how the organisation’s work will shape the sector’s trajectory to 2040 and beyond. Digital transformation, skills development along with wider engagement with government and industry partners were highlighted as main objectives. The presentation emphasised how lessons of the past are powering the vision for light rail’s future.

The following turned its focus to a particularly human challenge faced across the transport network: rough sleeping. Saffron and Justin from StreetLink, alongside Patrick Duce from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, shared how the platform acts as a vital link between people sleeping rough and local outreach services.

They were joined by Ben and Nicky from Birmingham’s Rough Sleepers Outreach Team, who offered a frontline perspective on how StreetLink alerts are managed locally. They spoke about the realities of supporting vulnerable individuals across the city. With over 180,000 alerts received since its relaunch in 2023, StreetLink continues to be a powerful tool in helping local authorities reach those most in need.

Elaine Clark, Chief Executive of the Rail Forum, offered an insightful look at how closer ties between rail and light rail can enhance passenger experience and strengthen industry resilience. Representing a network of nearly 400 organisations from across the supply chain, Elaine outlined the opportunities for shared progress through joint initiatives around maintenance, digital systems, safety and staff development. Elaine also emphasised the value of open dialogue between the sectors - inviting members and delegates to share their biggest challenges and explore a ‘formal challenge process’ designed to connect needs with practical solutions. Elaine's call to action concluded that through combining knowledge and capability, both rail and light rail can deliver more reliable, passenger-focused transport networks. 

Sam Riley, representing Young Rail Professionals (YRP), highlighted the organisation’s pivotal role in shaping the future of the rail and light rail workforce. As a volunteer-led, non-profit network spanning over 8,000 members across the UK and Ireland, YRP provides free membership and creates opportunities for those within the first 15 years of their railway career. Sam talked about its  mix of technical talks, site visits, heritage engagement and networking event to attract, develop and retain emerging talent in an industry facing pressing challenges - including an ageing workforce, skills shortages, and the growing demand for digitalisation and sustainability.

The Light Rail Safety and Standards Board (LRSSB) shared significant progress during its Summit presentation, highlighting the organisation’s expanding influence across safety and standards. Updates included the addition of 12 new standards to the Reference Library, enhancements to the Tram Accident and Incident Reporting (TAIR) platform along with the introduction of new cyber security audits aligned with recognised best practice. The LRSSB also reflected on a strong return on investment of around 3:1, delivering an estimated £34 million in benefits to the sector through joint funding and shared expertise.

The presentation also shone a light on the success of the national safety awareness campaign Two Lines = Stop! with encouraging behavioural results from cities including Sheffield, Blackpool, Nottingham, Birmingham and Edinburgh. 

Between presentations, delegates had the opportunity to network and explore exhibition stands from a range of industry partners, including British Steel, Holbro Engineering, the Light Rail Transit Association, Mainspring, Mosdorfer Rail, RS Clare & Co Ltd, RSS Infrastructure Ltd, SEKISUI FFU Railway Technology and voestalpine.  

"It was fantastic to meet so many operators, suppliers, and authorities at the UKTram Summit, all passionate about advancing the UK's light rail sector. As proud UKTram collaborators, the event was a great opportunity to connect with members and showcase how the Global Light Rail Portal is helping the industry make data-driven decisions. From planning and benchmarking to procurement visibility, we're committed to supporting the sector in turning real-time intelligence into impact."  Matt Johnston, CEO, Rail Intel

These networking breaks, along with lunch and an evening reception provided valuable opportunities for delegates to share ideas and explore new opportunities for collaboration across the sector.    

In the afternoon session, we heard from Dave Rooney, Operations Director at Transdev Ireland, delivered an insightful presentation on Dublin’s Luas network, highlighting the operational excellence and innovation underpinning its recent growth. Luas recorded over 54 million passenger journeys recorded in 2025 and continues to play a crucial role in the city’s public transport system. Dave outlined how increasing passenger demand has been met through strategic investment and resilience measures, reinforcing the network’s reliability and efficiency.

Dave went on to share details of the Luas Resilience Project, launched in partnership with Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), which has successfully migrated the network’s entire control system without disrupting services. This modernisation ensures continuous operation even during disruption, thanks to enhanced infrastructure, dual control capability and improved staff preparedness. The project strengthens network security and futureproofs Luas operations. 

A further highlight of the Summit came from Manu Grundy, Chief Technical Officer at the International Institute of Obsolescence Management (IIOM), who delivered a compelling session on why proactive obsolescence management is essential for maintaining the resilience and cost-effectiveness of light rail systems.

Manu explained how factors such as rapid technological advancement, economic pressures and evolving legislation are driving component obsolescence across the transport industry, with significant financial implications when left unaddressed.

The discussion emphasised that priorities such as strong supplier relationships and proactive planning can mitigate risk and ensure continuity and cost effectiveness of service. The IIOM plays a pivotal role in promoting global best practice and knowledge sharing in this field, helping operators and manufacturers anticipate challenges before they arise. Manu’s presentation offered valuable insight into how early action and collaboration can safeguard long-term system performance and sustainability across light rail networks. 

The final presentation of the Summit was delivered by Rachel Harcourt, Climate Change Adaptation Senior Policy Advisor for Public Transport at the Department for Transport, who explored the growing climate-related risks facing the tram and light rail sector.

Highlighting the economic and operational impacts of extreme weather events, Rachel outlined the DfT’s ongoing work to build resilience and ensure infrastructure and services can adapt to changing conditions. She also introduced the Department’s forthcoming Transport Adaptation Strategy, which will include specific engagement with tram and bus stakeholders.  

UKTram is supporting this work, helping to raise awareness across the sector and promote collaboration on climate adaptation and long-term sustainability. 

As the day drew to a close, delegates left with new ideas, stronger partnerships, and a shared sense of direction (along with some UKTram branded goodies following the annual quiz!)  

Reflecting on the event, Lorraine George, UKTram Business Manager, said the growing popularity of the Summit highlights its importance in bringing people together: 

“The feedback has been really positive and so were the vibes at the venue!  For me, the summit is always a great reflection of how far we’ve come and I really do enjoy putting it together every year (despite the high-stress moments!)’’ 

Plans are already underway for the 2026 Summit, with plans in place to expand capacity at Austin Court and introduce live demonstration areas and streaming options to accommodate growing interest. 

As the UK light rail community looks ahead, one thing is certain: the spirit of collaboration and innovation seen at this year’s Summit will continue to propel the sector forward, on track for another remarkable year. 

Summit presentation slides are available upon request for UKTram Members only.