UK and Ireland Tram and Light Rail Round-up | Network renewal and new leadership | 21st August 2026
In the UK and Ireland tram and light rail round-up this week: Nottingham trams feature in Channel 5 documentary, KeolisAmey Luas confirms its senior leadership ahead of taking over Dublin’s network, while Supertram renewal work continues. Glasgow Subway prepares for further modernisation closures and additional tram services support major summer events in Edinburgh and Manchester. Plus, stakeholders explore the proposed Dudley Dasher and Nexus introduces a new approach to managing infrastructure interfaces. Heritage highlights include a summer of celebration on the Isle of Man, Stockport’s tramway anniversary and accessible experiences at Seaton Tramway.
Nottingham Express Transit began appearing in the latest series of Channel 5’s Fare Dodgers: At War with the Law on 10th August. Camera crews followed customer experience agents during ticket checks and joint operations with Nottinghamshire Police.
NET will feature across five weekly episodes, offering insight into efforts to tackle fare evasion and antisocial behaviour. The programme airs on Mondays at 9pm, with previous episodes available to stream on Channel 5.
Tom Joyner has been appointed Managing Director of KeolisAmey Luas, with Jim Meade joining as Chairman ahead of the operator taking responsibility for Dublin’s light rail network on the 1st of September.
Tom brings international transport leadership experience, including his recent role as CEO of Etihad Rail. Jim previously served for more than seven years as CEO of Iarnród Éireann. Their initial focus will be supporting a smooth transition while maintaining service quality across the Luas network.
Luas has launched its Safety Starts Here campaign, reminding passengers to stand clear when tram doors are opening or closing. The campaign explains that tram doors do not
operate like lift doors and may not detect every object or movement in the doorway.
Passengers are being asked to keep bags and other belongings clear, avoid boarding once the warning light and tone begin, and wait for the next service rather than rush. The advice also reinforces the importance of standing safely behind the platform edge.
Edinburgh Trams will operate additional services after each Summer Sessions concert at the Royal Highland Showgrounds between 21st and 29th August. Ingliston Park & Ride is the closest tram stop, with a signposted 15 to 20-minute walk connecting passengers to the venue.
Trams remain limited to services between the Airport and West End due to the Princes Street road closure. Ticket acceptance remains available on Lothian services 16 and 25 towards Leith and Newhaven, with concertgoers encouraged to plan ahead.
Courteeners frontman Liam Fray will provide tram stop announcements during five major concerts at Wythenshawe Park between 21st and 30th August. Metrolink will run as many double trams as possible, with services leaving the city centre every seven and a half minutes.
Passengers are advised to use the Airport line and alight at Moor Road, around a 10-minute walk from the venue. An £8 event pass will cover travel by Bee Network bus, tram or dedicated shuttle bus on each concert day.
The South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority has launched a public engagement exercise to understand passengers’ priorities for the current Supertram network and its planned new fleet.
Feedback will help inform the future customer experience, including accessibility and onboard comfort. Passengers, local communities and stakeholders can share their views through the South Yorkshire People’s Network until 18th September.
UKTram member Colas Rail UK is celebrating a significant milestone as the Midland Metro Alliance marks 10 years of work to rejuvenate and expand the West Midlands Metro network.
Over the past decade, the Alliance has played a central role in the continued development of the West Midlands Metro, which now serves locations including Edgbaston Village, Victoria Square, the Jewellery Quarter, West Bromwich, Wednesbury and Bilston on its route between Birmingham and Wolverhampton.
Glasgow Subway will remain closed on Sundays 23rd and 30th August while final testing of its new signalling and communications system takes place. The closures will also support the transfer of operations to the new Operational Control Centre.
Testing will cover operational scenarios without passengers and the platform screen doors installed at Govan, Partick and Ibrox. Once the transfer is complete, passengers are expected to benefit from automated announcements and improved information screens onboard trains and in stations.
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Music Director Kazuki Yamada will perform live aboard a West Midlands Metro tram on Saturday 29th August. The free piano performance will begin on the 11.29am service departing Brindleyplace.
The event forms part of CBSO in the City, a programme of free performances across Birmingham during the August Bank Holiday weekend. It follows Yamada’s first onboard concert in 2024, building on the partnership between WMM and the orchestra.
Pre Metro has met with political, local authority and transport representatives to discuss the proposed Dudley Dasher. The Very Light Rail scheme would seek to connect Stourbridge and Brierley Hill, building on experience gained through more than 17 years of operating the Stourbridge Shuttle.
Discussions considered how the proposal could complement existing infrastructure and regeneration plans and explored potential links with the Very Light Rail National Innovation Centre in Dudley.
As part of the ongoing work to develop a closer working relationship between Nexus Tyne & Wear Metro and Network Rail Operations & Maintenance, Nexus have become the first organisation to implement a joint ‘Operational Interface Management Methodology’ (OIMM) document with Network Rail.
The requirement for the methodology arose following a Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) recommendation resulting from a derailment at Wimbledon in 2016, concerning improved processes for defining and managing operational and maintenance boundaries.
Used Metro track and sleepers have formed part of a new war memorial unveiled in South Shields on VJ Day. Installed by Nexus volunteers, the memorial honours North East soldier Len Gibson and other prisoners of war forced to build the Thailand–Burma Railway.
Nexus has also launched a digital Great North Run Day Rover through the Pop App. Priced at £6.50, the ticket provides unlimited public transport around the event on 13th September, helping passengers avoid queues and make multimodal journeys.
Parents and guardians are being encouraged to check that children’s Zip Oyster photocards remain valid before the new school term. The cards provide free or discounted travel across London, including free tram journeys for children aged 11 to 15.
TfL is also promoting its Weekend Hopper fare until 31st August. The offer provides unlimited bus and tram travel on Saturdays, Sundays and the bank holiday Monday for £1.75 when passengers use the same payment card or device.
KeolisAmey Docklands signed the Rail Youth Promise during International Youth Day last week, reinforcing its commitment to creating opportunities for young people across the transport sector.
The operator already supports school engagement, work experience and apprenticeships. Over the past year, more than 1,000 pupils in East London have participated in its Primary Engineer Rail Programme.
KeolisAmey Metrolink joined an International Youth Day and Pride event at Deans Youth Centre in Swinton last week. The team spoke with young people about safe travel while supporting the event’s focus on inclusion.
The visit forms part of the operator’s engagement with local schools and youth centres across Greater Manchester. It also provided an opportunity to strengthen community relationships and promote responsible travel on the Metrolink network.
The shortlist for the 2026 Global Light Rail Awards has been revealed, recognising the people, projects and organisations making an impact across the international light rail sector – with UKTram among those shortlisted.
Organised by Mainspring, the annual awards celebrate excellence and achievement across light rail, with this year attracting the highest number of entries to date. Judges are impressed by the calibre, creativity and achievements demonstrated across the submissions.
Heritage highlights
The Isle of Man's transport heritage received significant attention this summer, highlighted by a successful Manx Heritage Transport Festival and a month of celebrations across the Island's historic networks.
Taking place from 28th July to 2nd August, the annual festival offered enthusiasts and visitors the chance to experience the Isle of Man's working heritage transport through special services and events that celebrated the history, people and skills behind these networks.
Heaton Park Tramway will celebrate the 125th anniversary of Stockport’s electric tram network on Sunday 30th August. Stockport tram No. 5, one of the original vehicles dating to 1901 and the only surviving tramcar from the town, will be on display.
The event will also feature historic buses, archive material and model trams. A free vintage bus service is planned between the tramway and the Museum of Transport, although heritage trams will not operate during the event.
The story of the modern British tramcar will take centre stage at the National Tramway Museum next month, as transport expert David Leeder delivers the Annual Geoffrey Claydon Memorial Lecture.
Taking place on Friday, 11th September, The Modern British Tramcar Journey – From revival to revolution will explore the return and development of modern tram and light rail systems following a 50-year gap in new systems across Britain.
Seaton Tramway will host a sensory-friendly version of its popular Story Tram on Friday 28th August. Based on The Three Little Pigs, the session will combine storytelling and play in an experience adapted for children with sensory needs.
The event forms part of the tramway’s family programme and aims to make heritage experiences more accessible to a broader range of visitors.
UKTram Updates UKTram explores digital rail solutions at Siemens >>
UKTram colleagues Tim Bilby and Phill Terry visited Siemens’ Centre for Digital Station Solutions and Railway Communications in Ashby-de-la-Zouch. The visit explored how SCADA and communication systems can support operators while improving the passenger experience.
In the latest edition of our Meet the Chair series, we speak to Graham Fitzgerald, who took on the role of Chair of the UKTram Light Rail Operations Committee (LROC) earlier this year.
UKTram’s growing member community has welcomed two new organisations, bringing additional expertise across engineering, safety assurance and infrastructure delivery. Railway Assurance specialises in systems engineering, safety assurance and interoperability, while Pro Rail Services provides permanent way and civil engineering services across the UK and Ireland.
The next round-up will be published on Friday, 28th August 2026. If you are a UKTram member with a press release, project update, or career opportunity, please email chelsea.branch@uktram.co.uk to be featured.
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