Light Rail Engineering Group (LREG) meeting and Best Practice Day bring engineers and supply chain together in Cardiff

The latest UKTram Light Rail Engineers Group (LREG) meeting and Best Practice Day on took place on 12th and 13th February 2026. Held at Network Rail offices and hosted by Transport for Wales in Cardiff, the two-day programme brought together sector engineers and supply chain representatives, both in person and online, to share updates and explore learning across light rail systems.

The meeting, Chaired by Marilena Papadopoulou, Head of Projects and Renewals at Edinburgh Trams and Chair of LREG, marked the first LREG event to be held in Cardiff since Transport for Wales became members of UKTram. Attendance was strong, with 28 delegates attending in person and 13 joining online. Participation in the Best Practice Day was evenly split between engineering and supply chain members, supporting wide-ranging discussion across the topics presented.

The LREG meeting adopted a refreshed format, creating more space for discussion on '’hot topics’’ affecting the sector. Engineers and supply chain members discussed systems updates and ongoing challenges, with open dialogue encouraged throughout the session.

Transport for Wales delivered a presentation providing useful and engaging context on current and future activity in South Wales, which included :

• An overview of Transport for Wales and its light rail ambitions

• A virtual tour of the Cardiff Crossrail Phase 1A project, including background, scope and delivery context.

Delegates were also able to view the Phase 1A site directly, with the meeting room overlooking the area where the scheme will be constructed.

Further insights from the meeting highlighted that the UKTram-supported overhead line equipment (OLE) training course continues to make progress, with dates now set and early enquiries received.

The three-day course will be delivered in partnership with an NSAR-accredited training provider, combining theoretical learning with practical, hands-on training, and giving delegates a clear understanding of UK light rail OLE systems and the requirements for working safely around them.

More information can be found here [Will link to Monday’s news story]

UKTram also announced that they will continue to build on this collaborative momentum with the forthcoming Trade and Trams: Delivering Light Rail Together session on 31st March 2026. Delivered in partnership with LREG UKTram will host an online afternoon session for the group Tuesday 31st March, with a focus on engineering insight, lessons learned, innovation, new approaches, products, services and best practice across the supply chain.

Additional focus during the meeting was supply chain challenges remain, particularly around the reliability, servicing and repair of rolling stock components. Infrastructure faults, including OLE and track weld failures have also led to service disruption across several networks. Such topics will inform the meetings and best practice days in the future.

Safety updates featured prominently, including discussion of a Light Rail Safety and Standards Board (LRSSB) report covering several tram accidents in Europe. While some incidents discussed previously have now been closed, new incidents were also raised, reinforcing the importance of continued information sharing and learning.

Education and skills development were highlighted as a positive area of focus, with strong support across the sector for offering young people opportunities to gain work experience with operators or within workshops. Initiatives such as Rising Star and Young Rail Professionals were referenced as valuable routes into the industry.

The Best Practice Day on Friday focused on embedded track renewals and how these can be delivered more efficiently. Presentations from VolkerRail, on the next steps in embedded track renewals, and Civil Water Management, on a novel modular drainage product, generated constructive discussion between engineers and supply chain members. There is potential for further learning through site visits and training facility sessions in Doncaster, while Civil Water Management now has the opportunity to explore how its product could be applied within light rail environments. 

Reflecting on the event, Phill Terry, UKTram Lead Engineer, said:

“It was encouraging to see strong engagement across both days, with engineers and the supply chain having open and constructive discussions on shared challenges. While supply chain pressures and reliability issues remain, the appetite for collaboration, learning and skills development across the sector continues to be very clear.”

Looking ahead, follow-up actions include monitoring attendance and outcomes from the forthcoming light rail OLE training course and continued updates from LRSSB on safety incidents and learning from across Europe to support deeper technical discussion. Further updates from both the LREG meeting and Best Practice Day will continue to be shared with members as work progresses.