Second Trade & Trams session sparks valuable discussion on light rail solutions

UKTram's latest Trade & Trams session allowed supply trade members to share experience from projects across the light rail sector, prompting positive feedback and discussion among participating engineers and operators.

Held online on Wednesday, 28th October, the event was the second in UKTram's Trade & Trams series, which connects supply trade members with light rail engineers to promote knowledge sharing and highlight sector expertise.

The session featured presentations from four Trade Members, Waterman Aspen, North Star Consultancy, Railway Assurance, and Sika, covering technical and operational topics and sharing practical applications and lessons learned from projects.

North Star Consultancy shared its international experience supporting light rail and metro projects, including advising on operations and maintenance for West Yorkshire Mass Transit. 

Waterman Aspen discussed the skills and expertise required for future light rail schemes, referencing its sector work and the Coventry Very Light Rail programme.

Railway Assurance provided examples of its safety assurance and risk management work, including experience with West Midlands Metro and the use of specialist technology to manage project risks. 

Sika presented a case study from the Sandilands saying they valued the practical examples and the chance to see how different approaches arerenewal efficiency.

Attendees gave the session positive feedback, sharing that they valued the examples and the chance to see how different approaches are being applied across projects. The session concluded with an engaging discussion, allowing engineers and suppliers to explore the ideas presented and share their own experiences. 

Reflecting on the session, Tim Bilby, UKTram's Stakeholder and Innovation Manager, said: 

"Our Trade Members shared real examples of how their expertise is being applied on projects, which made for a really useful and thought-provoking session. The discussion that followed showed how valuable it is to support suppliers and operators in learning from one another. It's far too easy for our hard-working sector to get tied up in the day job and not have a chance to discover what is being done and developed out there - these sessions are proving to be an accessible way to spend a little time doing just that." 

The Trade & Trams series supports UKTram's ongoing work to share knowledge between the supply chain and light rail operators, helping members learn about approaches and explore solutions to shared challenges. 

Presentations from the session are now available to UKTram members through the Member Hub.

We will share further details about the next Trade & Trams session, including opportunities for Trade Members to get involved, soon.