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Light Rail news roundup July 12, 2024

In this week’s news from the light rail sector – Support for the LGBTQ+ community in Nottingham, West Midlands Metro backs Jazz and Blues festival, Edinburgh Trams on track for another top award, new technology to be installed at Tyne and Wear Metro, and land movement disrupts services in Manchester.


UKTram

A project to develop specialised training for overhead line engineers working in light rail is now taking shape, and network operators are being urged to play a role in developing future courses.


At a recent meeting of the UKTram Operator Group, members were informed that they would soon be contacted for information on potential training providers as the project takes shape.

The hybrid meeting, hosted by Blackpool Transport, also heard about a working group set up by colleagues in the sector’s Heads of Safety Group to look at Signals Passed at Stop incidents and received updates on a range of challenges faced by individual networks. To read more click here.

 

In other light rail news:


West Midlands Metro

Music lovers are in for a real treat later this month as the much-loved Birmingham Jazz & Blues Festival returns to the West Midlands for the fortieth time.


West Midlands Metro is excited to support the event once again, offering a 10 percent discount on tram travel for volunteers and performers, ensuring the festival runs smoothly and delighting fans of jazz and blues.


The festival features over 200 performances along with workshops, talks, exhibitions, and masterclasses, most of which are free to attend, and you can read the full story here.

NET

Nottingham’s tram network has teamed up with Alstom and East Midlands Railway (EMR) to unveil a special tram livery to celebrate Pride and the LGBTQ+ community.

Tram 213 now carries a stylish rainbow design – or ‘trambow’ – which can be seen running on the city’s light rail lines, which interchange with EMR heavy rail services at Nottingham, Bulwell and Hucknall stations.


Ahead of Notts Pride on Saturday, July 27, the three organisations are encouraging everyone to ‘Ride with Pride’ – stressing that they offer journeys and careers where everyone is welcome, can be their true selves and excel. They are also promoting the region’s public transport system, and the full story can be found here.


Edinburgh Trams  

The successful launch last year of services to Newhaven has put Edinburgh Trams on track for yet another prestigious award.


The operator has been shortlisted for a top accolade at the National Transport Awards after impressing judges with its tireless efforts to ensure communities along the route receive maximum benefit from the expansion of the network.


Hot on the heels of its success in the Team of the Year category at the Scottish Transport Awards, Edinburgh Trams is now among the frontrunners for the prestigious title of UK Tram Operator of the Year, and you can read more here.


Manchester Metrolink  

Metrolink services were suspended on part of the Rochdale via Oldham line this week after the operator identified some land movement affecting the track between Derker and Shaw and Crompton.


A speed restriction was also put in place ahead of the suspension on Wednesday to enable trams to operate safely, with the closure required to allow for engineers to carry out further investigations.


For the full story, click here.


Docklands Light Railway

The Docklands Light Railway could be extended to two new stations if plans get the go-ahead, according to media reports.


Plans are already in place to extend the Docklands Light Railway across the Thames from Gallions Reach to Thamesmead by building a new station at Beckton Riverside, and a new extension from Beckton to Barking Riverside will be considered, Sadiq Khan’s transport deputy said this week.


But speaking at City Hall this week, deputy mayor for transport Seb Dance said the extension would be built to enable further branches in other directions. For the full report in the Barnet Post, click here.


Tyne & Wear Metro

New technology that remotely monitors and controls key assets essential for the day-to-day operation of the Tyne and Wear Metro is to be installed in a £8.8m modernisation project.

Metro’s Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition System, known as SCADA, is to be replaced with new digital equipment. It will allow for faster and more effective fault finding – providing customers with less disruption to essential facilities like lifts and escalators.


Metro’s current SCADA system, which is run from a desk in the Metro Control Centre at South Gosforth, was installed in the mid-1990s, and there’s more on the story here.


Extension Projects   

Plans to bring the Tyne and Wear Metro to Washington have moved a step closer with North East Mayor Kim McGuinness announcing over £8.6m of funding to kickstart the development of the project.


On a visit to the site of the disused Leamside Line, the Mayor said that the re-opening of the line was a top priority.


A report will be presented to the North East Combined Authority’s Cabinet in July that recommends the development of a business cases for the Leamside Line – including the Metro extension to Washington. To read more, click here.


To be included in the next round-up, or the Members News section of the UKTram website, send your press releases to info@uktram.org.

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