Light Rail News Round-up | One million tap on, tap off journeys, industry recognition, network upgrades and Trick or Trams| Friday 31st October 2025
- UKTram
- Oct 31
- 7 min read
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.
Edinburgh Trams has celebrated more than one million customer journeys made using its Tap On, Tap Off (TOTO) contactless system since its launch in May 2025.
The milestone highlights the success of the innovative payment solution, which enables passengers to simply tap before boarding and after alighting, automatically calculating the best fare. The system integrates daily and weekly caps across Edinburgh Trams and Lothian Buses, making travel more convenient for residents and visitors.
Edinburgh Trams is preparing to deliver extra services throughout November as the Autumn rugby internationals, now called the Quilter Nations, kick off at Scottish Gas Murrayfield.
With a stop directly outside the stadium, trams will provide seamless and reliable travel before and after all four home games, helping fans avoid congestion and parking costs. Head of Service Delivery, Sarah Singh, said the operator is gearing up to welcome large crowds and ensure smooth journeys, with trams running as often as every three minutes at peak times.
Essential track renewal works are underway on the Tyne and Wear Metro as part of Nexus’ ongoing Asset Renewal Programme. The six-day closure between Benton and Wallsend will allow the complete replacement of the 40-year-old Monkseaton junction; a key section of infrastructure that supports hundreds of services each day. Around 600 metres of new track will be installed, alongside 1,200 metres of rail, 900 sleepers and 2,700 tonnes of ballast.
Additional maintenance and repair work is also being completed at Tynemouth and Whitley Bay stations. Replacement bus services are in operation, with Metro services due to resume on Saturday 1 November. Whitley Bay Metro canopy refurbishment earns industry recognition >>
The restoration of Whitley Bay Metro station’s Grade II listed canopy has been highly commended at the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation (CIHT) North East and Cumbria Awards.
Delivered by Kier Construction on behalf of Nexus, the multi-million-pound project forms part of the Metro Asset Renewal Programme and has transformed one of North Tyneside’s busiest stations, used by around 1.2 million passengers each year.
The refurbishment included 1,296 new glass panes, strengthened steelwork, upgraded lighting and CCTV, and reinstated glazing above the tracks to create a brighter, more sheltered environment for customers. NET recognised for excellence at Global Light Rail Awards >>
Nottingham Express Transit (NET) has been recognised for its innovation and safety leadership at this year’s Global Light Rail Awards. Service Delivery and Security Manager Shaun Kenneth was named Employee of the Year for leading safety improvements and collaborative initiatives with Nottinghamshire Police, including the Operation Safenet pilot.
NET also received a Highly Commended for its Facing Point Indicator (FPI) Beacons - a UK-first technology that alerts drivers to misaligned points in real time. Managing Director Sarah Turner said the awards highlight the team’s dedication to keeping the network safe, efficient and forward-looking.
Following the success of this year’s Illuminations Tours, Blackpool Transport has announced that its popular heritage tram journeys will continue until the end of November. The much-loved HMS Blackpool (Fleet 736) will operate three evening trips every Friday and Saturday between Pleasure Beach and Little Bispham, offering visitors the chance to enjoy the city’s famous seafront after dark.
Managing Director Jane Cole said demand for the Lightpool Festival tours had been exceptional, prompting the decision to extend the programme and give more people the chance to experience a nostalgic ride aboard one of the town’s historic trams. Fylde Coast adventure to raise funds for autism charity >>
A Tramtown volunteer and his support worker are set to embark on a 16-hour journey across the Fylde Coast to raise money for Autism Initiatives. Brandon, who is autistic, and his support worker Steve will travel exclusively by tram and bus on Tuesday, 28 October, starting with the first tram out of Blackpool and visiting well-known destinations including Fleetwood, St Annes and Knott End.
Both are encouraging people to follow their progress on Blackpool Transport’s social media channels, with the operator offering its full support to their fundraising efforts.
Transport for London and Docklands Light Railway (DLR) are carrying out essential works across the network to prepare for the arrival of the new DLR fleet. Upgrades include improvements to power and communications systems at Beckton and Poplar depots, alongside routine maintenance to ensure infrastructure is ready for the expanded service capability.
Planned closures between Beckton and Canning Town, and Tower Gateway and Shadwell, will take place between Friday 31 October and Sunday 2 November to facilitate the works.
Essential improvement works are set to take place at Trafford Bar, requiring a weekend closure on sections of the Manchester Metrolink network between Cornbrook and Sale Water Park, East Didsbury and Old Trafford on 1–2 November.
During the works, replacement bus services will operate between affected stops, while Metrolink services from Manchester Airport will terminate at Sale Water Park and Altrincham trams will run to Trafford Bar.
TfGM’s Network Director for Metrolink, Ian Davies, said the works are essential to maintaining a safe, reliable and resilient network and have been scheduled over a weekend to minimise disruption, wit the normal service will resume on Monday 3 November. Trafford Palazzo partners with TfGM for Metrolink stop rebrand >>
A new partnership between Trafford Palazzo and Transport for Greater Manchester marks a major milestone in the evolution of TraffordCity as one of the UK’s leading retail and leisure destinations.
As part of the collaboration, Barton Dock Road Metrolink stop has been officially renamed to Trafford Palazzo, strengthening links between Greater Manchester’s transport network and the visitor attraction. The rebrand will be supported by two bespoke Trafford Palazzo wrapped trams, celebrating the partnership and bringing the destination’s identity to life across the city region.
Ireland’s Minister for Transport, Darragh O’Brien, has welcomed the planning approval for the Luas Finglas project, marking a major step forward in Dublin’s light rail expansion.
The extension will see the Luas Green Line extended by 4 kilometres from Broombridge to Charlestown, adding four new stops at Charlestown, St Margaret’s Road, Finglas Village and St Helena’s. The project forms part of Ireland’s National Development Plan, reinforcing the government’s commitment to sustainable, integrated urban transport.
A national series of workshops is helping light rail networks strengthen their safety management through the Light Rail Safety and Standards Board’s (LRSSB) Safety Risk Model (SRM).
Following widespread adoption of the model, the LRSSB has been visiting systems across the UK to review and update individual SRMs using the latest data from its Tramway Accident and Incident Reporting system (TAIR).
Workshops have already taken place in Blackpool, Edinburgh and the West Midlands, with the remaining systems scheduled for review over the winter. The project aims to deliver fully updated SRMs for all seven networks by spring 2026.
Heritage National campaign encourages holidaymakers to make Durham their next stop >> A new national campaign is inspiring holidaymakers to make Durham their next stop, shining a spotlight on the county’s attractions, including the Beamish Museum and tramway and Durham’s scenic landscapes. Running through spring 2026, Next Stop, Durham aims to attract visitors seeking authentic cultural and heritage experiences while boosting the local visitor economy. The campaign arrives as Beamish celebrates its 55th anniversary and recent Art Fund Museum of the Year 2025 win, reinforcing its role as a cornerstone of the county’s tourism offer.
Seaton Tramway is celebrating Halloween today with its Trick or Treat Tram, a family-friendly adventure packed with pumpkins, storytelling, and a dash of spooky fun. Passengers can enjoy a 25-minute tram ride before meeting the not-so-wicked witch Grizelda at Colyton for games, laughter and goody bags. Designed to delight rather than scare, it’s a spellbinding way for families to mark Halloween on the historic tramway.
UKTram
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+.
Developed in partnership with Edinburgh Trams and in conjunction with UKTram, Permit+ is a cloud-based Authority to Work platform and mobile app designed specifically for the light rail sector Light Rail Engineering Group and Operators Committee share best practice in latest meetings >>
Light Rail 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.
The Light Rail Engineering Group (LREG) provided another valuable forum for technical exchange and collaboration. On the same day, the Light Rail Operators Committee (LROC) also met in Birmingham, with the session's agreed focus on rostering and the results of an operator survey. International Institute of Obsolescence Management (IIOM) webinar highlights proactive approaches to obsolescence management >>
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. Hosted by the International Institute of Obsolescence Management (IIOM) on 6th October, the session “Mastering Obsolescence: How to Measure, Monitor, and Manage What Matters” attracted more than 200 attendees from around the world.
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