UK and Ireland Tram and Light Rail Round-up | Summer savings, accessible travel and time for trams | 31st July 2026
- Jul 31
- 6 min read
Updated: Aug 3
In the UK and Ireland tram and light rail round-up this week: free tram travel supports families across South Yorkshire, Blackpool Transport prepares for its annual airshow and KeolisAmey Docklands reinforces its commitment to accessible travel. Plus, a new Metro train features in Newcastle United’s latest kit launch, Damien Chabas joins the LRSSB board and calls for West Yorkshire tram funding gain media attention. Heritage highlights this week include: Seaton Tramway launches a depot extension appeal, Brighton musician Fatboy Slim visits Volk’s Electric Railway and UKTram’s Heritage Tramway Committee shares its latest updates.
Tony and Wendy Swift have been named NET’s 2026 Community Heroes. Selected following public nominations, their names will be carried across the network for 12 months. For 22 years, they have transformed their home for the annual Nuthall Christmas Lights display, raising more than £300,000 for children’s charity When You Wish Upon a Star and Hayward House palliative care unit.
Children aged five to 15 can travel free on Supertram throughout August as part of the Great British Summer Savings campaign.
The extension to tram services is being funded by the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority to help families reduce travel costs during the school holidays. No registration is required, with eligible children able to use unlimited tram travel between 1st and 31st August.
A West Yorkshire Needs a Tram campaign has renewed calls for full funding of the region’s proposed mass transit system.
Its appeal, which received coverage across several media outlets, coincided with the 33rd anniversary of the Leeds Supertram Act receiving Royal Assent on 27th July 1993. The campaign is seeking a firm government commitment to progress the plans.
Luas Red Line temporary closure due to Engineering Works Essential track replacement work will suspend Luas Red Line services between Red Cow and Tallaght and Saggart after the final tram on Friday 31st July.
Replacement buses will run approximately every 15 minutes throughout the August Bank Holiday weekend. Normal services will resume on Tuesday 4th August, while the Green Line remains unaffected.
Blackpool Transport will operate additional services during the town’s annual airshow on Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th August.
Trams will run in two sections between Starr Gate and Manchester Square and North Pier and Fleetwood. There will be a seven-minute tram service between Little Bispham and North Station, while services between Starr Gate and Manchester Square will run every 12 minutes.
Sixteen-year-olds in Greater Manchester will be able to activate their Our Pass membership one month early, giving them access to discounted tram travel across the Bee Network from 1st August.
The change complements free bus travel for children aged 5 to 15 throughout August and offers to make summer journeys more affordable for young people and families.
Strathclyde Partnership for Transport is supporting British Transport Police’s Think Again campaign, which aims to tackle sexual harassment and intimidation across the network.
The campaign will be shared through Glasgow stations and online channels. SPT is also exploring ways to share the campaign as the Subway Modernisation programme progresses.
KeolisAmey Docklands has marked Disability Pride Month by reaffirming its commitment to improving accessible travel across the Docklands Light Railway.
Working with Transport for London, the operator supports passengers with a range of accessibility needs to help them travel with greater confidence and independence. A new video explains how assistance is provided across the DLR and outlines the work underway to remove barriers.
Employees at NET were recognised through the Employee Excellence Awards, held as part of Keolis Way Week.
The annual awards celebrated colleagues whose work reflects Keolis values and make a difference to passengers and fellow team members. It provided an opportunity to share individual achievements and acknowledge the people who support the network daily..
A new Stadler train on the Tyne and Wear Metro has appeared in Newcastle United’s launch campaign for its 2026/27 away kit.
Young supporters wearing the club’s new blue shirt were filmed onboard for video content shared across Newcastle United’s social media channels. It marks the first time the Metro has featured in a Newcastle United kit launch.
Passengers on the Stourbridge Shuttle can watch independent films during Britain’s shortest railway journey through the Shuttle Shorts digital festival. Curated by students from King Edward VI College, the films last no more than three minutes and can be accessed through QR codes at Stourbridge Station. A future screening is also planned aboard a stationary Shuttle vehicle.
Edinburgh Trams remains limited to services between the Airport and West End following a building fire and road closure on Princes Street earlier in July.
Options to restore services towards Newhaven have been explored, but suitable maintenance and overnight storage facilities are not available at the northern end of the route. Teams across both networks have been thanked for adapting services and supporting passengers throughout the ongoing disruption.
Ireland’s planned MetroLink has been designated as Critical Infrastructure under new legislation intended to accelerate major projects. Public bodies will be required to prioritise timelines and coordinate approval processes more closely. Transport Infrastructure Ireland welcomed the decision and will work with its partners to implement the streamlined process.
Heritage highlights
Members of the UKTram Heritage Tramway Committee met in Llandudno this week to exchange knowledge and discuss common challenges to support the long-term future of the UK's heritage tramways.
Hosted by the Great Orme Tramway on Tuesday 21st July, the committee's summer meeting gave representatives from heritage tramways across the UK an opportunity to share experiences and discuss topics affecting the sector.
Seaton Tramway is seeking support for a £92,000 extension to its Riverside Depot, which will create space for at least three additional trams.
The project will support future fleet growth and provide greater protection for the heritage railway’s historic vehicles, with donations made through the website and associated platforms.
Brighton musician Fatboy Slim, also known as Norman Cook, recently visited Volk’s Electric Railway for an introduction to driving one of its historic trains.
The session was led by railway volunteer Maurice and offered the local resident a closer look at the operation of the seafront attraction.
The 2026 Manx Heritage Transport Festival is underway, with special services and events taking place across the island’s heritage railways.
Further updates and vehicle allocations are being shared throughout the festival on the Manx Electric Railway Online Facebook page.
UKTram and LRSSB Updates
The UKTram & Light Rail Safety & Standards Board (LRSSB) Summit 2026 has officially sold out, with delegates from across the light rail sector set to gather in Birmingham for another year.
Taking place on Wednesday, 16th September at IET Birmingham: Austin Court, this year's Summit is centred around the theme 'Smarter Systems, Stronger Networks', exploring how collaboration and shared learning continue to shape the sector’s journey.
KeolisAmey Metrolink Managing Director Damien Chabas has joined the Light Rail Safety and Standards Board as a Non-Executive Director. His appointment strengthens operator representation as LRSSB restructures its governance arrangements.
Damien has led KeolisAmey Metrolink since July 2023 and has more than 15 years of international mass transit experience, including senior roles at Yarra Trams in Melbourne. He will support the board’s work on safety standards and emerging risks, while helping ensure established networks and developing mass transit schemes are underpinned by robust safety practices.
UKTram encourages members and partners to participate in Time for Trams 2026, a national event focused on accelerating light rail and mass transit delivery across the UK. Organised by Landor LINKS and Tram Network, the event will be held on Thursday, 24h September 2026 at the Coventry Technology Centre, following the Department for Transport's Better Connected: Integrated Transport Strategy.
We are taking a short break from our round-ups, with the next round-up being published on Friday, 21st 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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