UK and Ireland Light Rail Round-up | New stations, smarter fares and sector momentum | 10th April 2026
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The latest from the voice of light rail across the UK and Ireland
In this week's UK and Ireland Tram and Light Rail news round-up: Magna Tram Train station officially opens on Supertram network, NET to increase penalty fare for fare evasion, Edinburgh shares round-up of events for April and West Midlands Metro partners with Clayton Hotel. Plus, Mayor’s fares arrive on Tyne and Wear Metro – delivering customer savings and KeolisAmey Docklands and Metrolink shortlisted for Women in Rail Awards. Heritage highlights this week include the National Tramway Museum featured on BBC News East Midlands, Beamish Museum Festival of Transport announcement and Manx Heritage Transport Festival 2026 programme unveiled.
The new Tram Train stop at Magna has officially opened, improving links between Rotherham and Sheffield while providing direct access to the Magna Science Adventure Centre. The first services have already seen strong passenger interest, with a demand for better-connected journeys.
The station includes step-free access, Park & Ride, cycle parking and EV charging, making it a practical, accessible addition to the network for both everyday travel and leisure trips.
Nottingham Express Transit (NET) will implement an updated Penalty Fare Notice (PFN) policy from the 1st of May 2026, increasing the cost for fare evaders from £70 to £120.
First-time offenders can benefit from a new early payment discount, reducing the fee to £60 if paid within 14 days. This update aligns with NET’s zero-tolerance approach to fare evasion, which the organisation views as theft. In 2025, over 10,000 individuals were caught without valid tickets and the new measures aim to deter further fare dodging.
Edinburgh trams has shared its monthly round-up of fantastic events in the city, all accessible via tram. Families can visit the Easter Egg-splorer Trail at Edinburgh Zoo or participate in the interactive Easter trail at Camera Obscura & World of Illusions.
On 18th April, Scotland Women will compete against England at Murrayfield, aiming for a record attendance for a standalone women’s sporting event. Additionally, the Edinburgh Playhouse will host various performances, including Russell Howard and Priscilla Queen of the Desert.
West Midlands Metro has partnered with Clayton Hotel Birmingham to encourage sustainable travel across the city. Guests will receive a 15% discount on tram travel during their stay, while hotel staff can enjoy a 20% discount on their journeys.
The initiative aims to enhance accessibility and support eco-friendly transport, particularly with the new tram stop located right outside the hotel.
North East Mayor Kim McGuinness has introduced a new fare structure starting 1st of April, capping single tickets at £2.50 and day tickets at £5.00 when using Pop Pay As You Go (PAYG) cards. This significant change, the first in over 20 years, aims to make travel more affordable, with savings of up to 30% compared to previous prices.
Fares for young people up to 21 will also remain frozen at £1 until 2027, fulfilling the Mayor's pledge for affordable transport in the region.
KeolisAmey Docklands has been shortlisted for Employer of the Year at the Women in Rail Awards, reflecting its commitment to supporting women in the workforce.
The company has implemented initiatives such as the Women in KAD development programme and inclusive policies to foster leadership and career growth. Recent events, including an International Women’s Day panel, underscored the importance of conversations around leadership and inclusion within the industry. Congratulations to all finalists as the awards approach.
KeolisAmey Metrolink has also been shortlisted in three categories at the Women in Rail Awards 2026: Employer of the Year, Social Value Award, and Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Team Award.
With over 430 nominations across the sector, this recognition underscores the passion and commitment of their team. KeolisAmey Metrolink is proud of the positive impact they are making together within the industry.
Supertram has celebrated recent recruitment and training successes on its LinkedIn page. Congratulations to Ka, Jack Williams and Toni for passing their driver training assessments. Colleagues have been praised for their dedication and commitment to safety and the team looks forward to their contributions to the Supertram network.
Additionally, the team gave a warm welcome to Stuart, who has joined the Engineering team as the new Survey Welding & Grinding Technician.
Seán Sweeney will step down as Programme Director of Dublin’s MetroLink this summer, following a period that has seen the project move firmly into delivery. During his tenure, the scheme secured its Operational Railway Order and progressed into procurement, marking a significant shift from planning to implementation.
Transport Infrastructure Ireland confirmed that Deputy Programme Director Michael Flynn will step into the role on an interim basis, with recruitment for a successor set to begin immediately. With further major procurement milestones and enabling works due this year, the programme continues to build momentum as one of Europe’s most significant urban rail projects
Heritage Highlights National Tramway Museum featured on BBC News East Midlands >>
The National Tramway Museum was pleased to be featured on BBC News East Midlands, showcasing its exciting offerings. The season kicked off with the Easter Eggstra event, where attendees enjoyed a fun-filled day.
Visitors are encouraged to mark their calendars for upcoming events and activities by visiting the website.
Beamish Museum has announced its Festival of Transport, taking place during the May Half Term. This nine-day event invites visitors to celebrate various modes of transport.
Visitors can use their Unlimited Pass or Friends of Beamish membership to enjoy this special event. Please note that Beamish reserves the right to alter events, activities, facilities, operations, and opening times without prior notice.
The East Anglia Transport Museum will host a Swinging 60s Weekend on the 16th and 17th of May 2026. The event will feature visiting vehicles, trade stands, enhanced tram and trolleybus services, and live music.
The full programme for the 2026 Manx Heritage Transport Festival has been announced, with this year’s event marking 150 years of the Douglas Bay Horse Tramway and 50 years since the nationalisation of bus services on the island. Taking place from 28 July to 2 August, the festival will feature an intensive timetable across the horse tramway, Manx Electric Railway and Snaefell Mountain Railway.
Highlights include the return of double-decker horse tram 18 to service, evening horse tram operations and a large-scale cavalcade, alongside parallel running, depot tours and motorman experiences on the MER.
UKTram News
UKTram’s recent Trade & Trams session brought suppliers, engineers and operators together for a focused afternoon exploring innovation and technical practice across the light rail sector.
The online session took place on 31st March for Light Rail Engineering Group (LREG) members. 40 people joined throughout the session to share and learn about new technologies and lessons learned from light rail systems.
UKTram has confirmed its continued support for the Global Light Rail Awards in 2026, recognising the importance of celebrating achievement and innovation across the sector.
Taking place on the 7th October at Battersea Arts Centre, the awards bring together projects, teams and individuals from across the global light rail community. The event provides an opportunity to reflect on progress and recognise the contribution light rail makes to the public transport sector.
The next round-up will be published on Friday, 17th April, if you are a UKTram Member, and you'd like to be included in the round-up shared on the website, socials and our exclusive Members' hub, please send your press releases, event updates and career opportunities to chelsea.branch@uktram.co.uk
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