UK Light Rail Conference celebrates 20 years of progress as sector looks confidently to the future

Over 350 delegates from the UK and Ireland attended the UK Light Rail Conference in Nottingham last week, marking its 20th anniversary and reflecting on two decades of progress while planning. Held under the theme 'Past. Present. Future.', this year's conference demonstrated a sector full of optimism and momentum.

The two-day programme covered topics such as network expansion, innovation, digital transformation, customer experience, safety and workforce development. Despite the range of subjects, a consistent message emerged: light rail is playing an increasingly important role in the UK's transport future.

During his presentation, James Hammett, Managing Director of UKTram, looked back on the evolution of both the organisation and the wider industry over the past 20 years.

James described UKTram's evolution from a volunteer-led group with four members to a collaborative industry body supporting a growing network of operators, suppliers, and partners across the UK.

James also noted the significant transformation of the sector, recognising the progress made through shared expertise and an increasingly united industry.

Additional contributions to the conference included leaders from government, local authorities and the light rail sector. Rail Minister Lord Peter Hendy outlined the Government's commitment to integrated transport, and presentations examined the future of networks in Nottingham, West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, Coventry, Tyne and Wear, Edinburgh, Dublin and other regions.

Innovation remained a central theme throughout the event, with speakers sharing developments in digital asset management, autonomous technologies, infrastructure design, customer experience and the delivery of new and current networks.

Another key update came from the Light Rail Safety and Standards Board (LRSSB) and UKTram, where delegates heard about the organisation's new governance arrangements, which are progressing following sector consultation.

The revised structure establishes UKTram and LRSSB as complementary organisations working alongside one another, providing greater clarity of governance while strengthening collaboration across the sector. Delegates were reassured that day-to-day support for members will remain unchanged, with the new arrangements designed to better support the continued growth and maturity of both organisations.

Following last year's conference, the conference also hosted the panel session, Investing in the Future of Light Rail – A Year On, which explored how the sector can attract and develop its future workforce. 

Panellists, including UKTram's Marketing and Communications Manager Chelsea Branch, emphasised the need to raise awareness of career opportunities in the industry, noting that many young people are unaware of light rail as a career path.

The discussion highlighted opportunities beyond engineering and operations, including roles in communications, project management, sustainability, customer experience, digital technology, planning and finance.

A key outcome of the session was a shared commitment to improve collaboration across the industry, with delegates supporting the development of a dedicated UKTram working group to explore career engagement, apprenticeships, school outreach, and best practice to inspire the next generation of light rail professionals.

Throughout the conference, there was a noticeable sense that the industry has entered a new phase. 

Light rail has often been described as a niche sector. Yet the scale of expertise, innovation and collaboration on display in Nottingham painted a very different picture. With hundreds of delegates, dozens of organisations, and a packed programme, the conference demonstrated both the sector's maturity and the breadth of expertise across it.

Reflecting on the event, James Hammett said:

"Returning to Nottingham for the conference's twentieth anniversary provided a fantastic opportunity to reflect on just how far both UKTram, LRSSB and the wider light rail sector have come. What stood out most over the two days was the optimism and ambition across the industry. There is real momentum behind light rail, with organisations working together to share knowledge, develop new ideas and support future investment.

"We also recognised that investing in infrastructure means investing in people. If we want the sector to continue growing, we need to ensure the next generation understands the opportunities available and sees light rail as an exciting, long-term career."

As delegates left Nottingham, there was a strong sense that the discussions begun at the conference will continue well into the future.

For UKTram, the event reinforced the importance of uniting the industry. Covering governance, innovation, skills and investment, the conference demonstrated a collaborative sector confident in light rail's future role in UK and Ireland transport.