Plenty going on in this week’s UKTram light rail news round-up: KeolisAmey Metrolink recognised for excellence in employee engagement, Luas invites customers invited to share feedback through online ‘Meet the Manager’ survey, West Midlands Metro launches tram door safety campaign ahead of network expansion, Supertram enhances surroundings at Meadowhall South/Tinsley, Government expected to approve £1.7bn DLR extension to Thamesmead, TII invites tenders for MetroLink Programme

We’re proud to share that Dr Rob Carroll and Richard Briggs of Mott MacDonald have been awarded the Permanent Way Institution’s (PWI) President’s Award for their paper “What is Light Rail?” - a standout contribution to the sector that was recognised at the PWI’s annual celebration in Birmingham on the 5th November with Rob and Richard receiving their awards from PWI President, Chrisma Jain.

As a corporate partner of Women in Transport, UKTram is pleased to support the organisation’s latest research initiative examining how women’s safety is being considered across the wider transport system, including walking routes, station environments, interchanges, and public transport.

UKTram has reinforced its commitment to cross-sector learning and technical knowledge, with UKTram's Lead Engineer, Phill Terry, attending two specialist events hosted by the Permanent Way Institution (PWI).

The official opening of the new South Wales Metro Depot at Taff’s Well marks a significant step forward for Transport for Wales (TfW) and a proud moment for the wider light rail sector. His Majesty King Charles’ visit drew national attention and the milestone reflects years of knowledge exchange and operational support facilitated by UKTram and its members. 

hospital patients and staff,Customer satisfaction with NET Nottingham Trams rises to 85%, Blackpool Transport announces festive plans, Lioness Ella Toone voices tram announcements across Manchester’s Bee Network. Plus, Mainspring UK Light Rail Conference confirmed for 2026 and heritage Returning to its roots at Nottingham Trent University from 30th June to 1st July 2026, the milestone event promises two days of presentations and networking with leading figures from across th

UKTram Board Member Lindsay Murphy represented the organisation at TransCityRail North 2025 in Manchester last week, joining transport professionals to discuss the role of light rail and mass transit in shaping the North’s transport future.

Chaired by Chris Hopkinson, Head of Metro Operations at Transport for West Midlands and supported by Vice Chair Stuart Lowrie, Public Transport Manager for the City of Edinburgh Council, the meeting brought together representatives from across the UK’s light rail networks to share updates and shape a forward plan for 2026.

UKTram Managing Director, James Hammett, recently attended the 2025 Urban Tram Forum (UTF) annual meeting, held in Amsterdam from 22nd to the 24th October and hosted by GVB (Gemeente Gemeentevervoerbedrijf - The Municipal Public Transport Operator for Amsterdam). 

In this week’s UKTram light rail news round-up: networks across the UK pay tribute to servicemen and women with free travel and remembrance events, Manchester introduces simpler fares, Nottingham reports a rise in tram use during the city’s Goose Fair, Nexus announces essential line works and Crich Tramway Village celebrates a restoration milestone. Plus, TfL marks its 25th anniversary with festive prizes and a special Poppy Day partnership.

Representatives from across the light rail sector gathered in Leeds this week for the Focus on Light Rail event, jointly hosted by Rail Forum and the UKTram, to explore opportunities and challenges across the evolving public transport landscape.

UKTram’s Operations Manager, Steve Duckering, represented the UK’s light rail sector at the 81st UITP Light Rail Committee Meeting in Toronto from 27th to 29th October 2025, joining global leaders to exchange innovation and operational insights.

In this week’s UKTram light rail news round-up: Edinburgh Trams celebrates over one million customer journeys using Tap On, Tap Off, Whitley Bay Metro canopy refurbishment earns industry recognition, DLR network upgrades ahead of new fleet and NET Nottingham Trams awarded at global industry event. Plus, Blackpool Heritage tram tours extended to November, planning approval for Luas Finglas extension and Trafford Palazzo partners with TfGM for Metrolink stop rebrand.

Codemakers Limited, the parent company of Metrotech, has been recognised at this year’s Computing - Cloud Excellence Awards, receiving the ‘Highly Commended’ distinction in the Most Innovative Cloud Product or Service category for its flagship product, Permit+.

Engineers and operators from across the UK and Ireland's light rail networks met in Birmingham at the WMCA offices last month to share updates and discuss sector-wide priorities and opportunities ahead of the annual UKTram and LRSSB Light Rail Summit.  

UKTram Lead Engineer, Phill Terry, attended a well-subscribed international webinar this month, exploring best practice in obsolescence management - a growing challenge across transport engineering and supply chains.

In this week’s light rail news round-up: Edinburgh Trams receives recognition at the Cloud Computing Awards, South Yorkshire’s newest Tram Train station reaches major construction milestone, West Yorkshire Combined Authority invites views on 2025–26 budget. Learn more about the new Community Rail Partnership launched in South East Wales, the rare 1981 Tyne and Wear Metro film discovered on eBay and heritage tramway events over half term.

UKTram Managing Director, James Hammett, joined industry leaders at the Rail Forum Annual Conference 2025 on the 9th of October, held at Doncaster Racecourse. This year’s theme, “Unleashing the Value of UK Rail”, brought together voices from across the sector to explore the future of integrated transport and innovation.

Building on discussions from the most recent Centre of Excellence (CoE) meeting, UKTram has further strengthened engagement with the British Standards Institution (BSI) by attending the Innovation Management Summit 2025, held on Wednesday 8th October at London’s Science Museum.

In this week’s round-up: Metro steps towards contactless travel with smart validators, Supertram network investment planned over October half-term , while Blackpool Transport has just the ticket for half-term days out. Learn more about the UK-first approach to keeping travelling public safe in Greater Manchester, a train tattoo honouring the historic Metro fleet and the newly appointed Chair for the LRSSB Heads of Safety Group.