UKTram Light Rail News Round-up | Reindeer Trams, Low-carbon upgrades and Festive wishes from UKTram | Friday 19th December 2025
- UKTram
- 6 minutes ago
- 8 min read
In our final light rail news round-up of 2026: Edinburgh Trams roll out festive Reindeer Trams, West Midlands Metro confirms fare changes from January 2026 and Coventry progresses Very Light Rail demonstrator. Plus, Driver training completed on new Tyne and Wear Metro fleet, TfL completes low-carbon upgrade at London Trams depot, government reaffirms backing for West Yorkshire Mass Transit and festive wishes and reflections from the UKTram team.
Edinburgh Trams has introduced a touch of festive fun this Christmas, with nine specially named Reindeer Trams now running across the network. Inspired by Santa’s sleigh team, the trams feature names including Dasher, Dancer, Blitzen, and of course, Rudolph, complete with a red nose.
Passengers travelling through the city this December are encouraged to keep an eye out for the festive fleet, which will spread Christmas cheer across routes serving the city centre, waterfront and airport.
The Government has reaffirmed its commitment to delivering a Mass Transit system in West Yorkshire, following a joint review with West Yorkshire Combined Authority to strengthen plans for the UK’s largest local transport project. A revised, sequential delivery timeline has been agreed to reduce risk and support successful long-term delivery, with services now expected to begin in the late 2030s.
The updated approach has been welcomed by West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin and Rail Minister Lord Peter Hendy, with Ministers also exploring the inclusion of the scheme in the Government’s Major Projects Portfolio. This would provide additional expertise and support, helping accelerate progress and reduce delivery barriers.
Driver training on the new Tyne and Wear Metro trains has been successfully completed, marking another key milestone in the £362m fleet renewal programme. More than 200 drivers and operations managers are now fully signed off as competent on the new Stadler trains following an intensive 14-month training programme. The course combined classroom learning, simulator sessions and supervised driving on the live network. With training complete, the roll-out of the new fleet continues, supporting a more reliable and modern Metro for customers and staff alike.
West Midlands Metro has announced that fares across the network will increase from 2 January 2026 following a comprehensive fares review. The changes include a 20p rise in single tickets to £2.50 and an increase in the Zone 1–4 peak-day ticket to £7.60, with monthly direct-debit passes also rising.
Metro said the modest increases will help meet rising operating costs while supporting the long-term sustainability of the network, following significant recent investment and a post-pandemic fares freeze. The revenue generated will continue to be reinvested in service improvements, with concessionary pass holders remaining unaffected.
Nottingham Express Transit is recruiting a Track Asset Manager to lead the maintenance and renewal of its tramway infrastructure. Based in Nottingham, the full-time role offers a salary of £55,000–£60,000 and focuses on asset management, contractor oversight, compliance and performance across the network.
The position includes a competitive benefits package, including free tram travel and pension provision. Further details and application information are available online.
The article by Interchange reports that Coventry City Council is preparing to move to the next phase of its Very Light Rail (VLR) project, with plans for an 800m twin-track demonstrator linking Coventry railway station and the university technology park. The proposal builds on successful vehicle and track trials earlier this year and will go before the council’s Cabinet later this month.
The scheme centres on a shallow, modular track system and battery-powered vehicles, removing the need for deep excavation and overhead wires. This approach is designed to significantly reduce construction time, cost and disruption, addressing some of the long-standing barriers associated with delivering conventional tram systems.
Greater Manchester has been awarded more than £35m in new government funding to support walking, wheeling and cycling across the city region. The investment, including £23.7m from Active Travel England, will help deliver new school streets and crossings, improve existing routes, address accessibility issues, and strengthen links with public transport, such as buses, trams and trains.
The funding recognises Greater Manchester’s strong track record in delivering active travel schemes, with the region retaining its Level 3 rating for leadership and capability. The investment will support the continued development of the Bee Network and encourage more people to make sustainable travel choices.
Transport for London has completed a major sustainability upgrade at its Therapia Lane depot in Croydon, marking the organisation’s first operational depot to entirely remove fossil gas. The project replaces gas boilers with low-carbon electric heat pumps and targeted infrared heating, alongside energy-efficient hot water systems.
More than 300 solar panels have also been installed on the depot roof, generating approximately 187 kWp of clean energy on site. Combined with insulation improvements and LED lighting, the measures are expected to cut carbon emissions by approximately 183 tonnes of COâ‚‚e each year while reducing long-term operating costs.
Delivered with support from the government’s Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, the work was carried out within a live operational environment and will help inform similar upgrades across TfL’s wider estate. The project also supported apprentices and graduates, contributing to skills development in net-zero transport infrastructure.
Transport for London’s latest public consultation has shown strong backing for proposals to extend the DLR from Gallions Reach to Beckton Riverside and Thamesmead, with 76 per cent of respondents supporting the preferred route. The extension would unlock up to 30,000 new homes and create around 10,000 jobs, significantly improving connectivity in a historically underserved area of east London.
Government support confirmed in the Autumn Budget has strengthened the project’s momentum, alongside funding for a new bus transit route linking Thamesmead with Woolwich and Abbey Wood. TfL has confirmed the design would allow for future extensions, reinforcing the scheme’s long-term potential for growth and regeneration.
Passengers in South Yorkshire are being advised to plan for Christmas and New Year, with bus, tram and train services running to amended timetables over the festive period. There will be no services on Christmas Day, with limited bus and tram services operating on Boxing Day and New Year’s Day, while weekend services will run as usual.
A ‘Saturday Plus’ bus service will operate on selected dates in late December and early January, offering extra early-morning trips alongside the usual Saturday timetable, with earlier finishes on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.
To support travel in the run-up to Christmas, Sheffield City Council is offering a free TravelMaster CityWide Sheffield 1 Day ticket via the BetterPoints Sheffield app. Senior Concessionary Pass holders will also be able to travel all day between 29th and 31st December, with time restrictions temporarily lifted.
Heritage:
Beamish, The Living Museum of the North, has been awarded £49,000 from the Art Fund to improve access to its collections as part of the charity’s Reimagine programme. The funding forms part of a £1.3m national package supporting innovative collections projects across UK museums and galleries.
The grant will support Beamish’s Reclaim the Stores project, helping to make stored collections more accessible and paving the way for the reopening of its much-loved Open Store, which has been closed since the pandemic. This will give visitors access to previously unseen objects and stories from the museum’s extensive collection.
The funding marks another step in Beamish’s future-focused plans following the completion of its major Remaking Beamish capital project, ensuring its collections continue to be shared and enjoyed by generations to come. Leeds tram No. 399 marks 100 years >>
Leeds City Transport tram No. 399 is celebrating its 100th anniversary, having been built in 1925 and entering service in 1926. After 34 years in operation in Leeds, the tram was preserved and moved to Crich in 1959, where it later returned to service at the National Tramway Museum in 1991.
Now marking a century since it was built, No. 399 has spent almost as long running at Crich as it did in Leeds. The milestone is being celebrated with a photographic look back at its years of service at the Museum, many of which were captured by visitors over the decades.
Seaton Tramway is celebrating the festive season with the return of its popular 12 Days of Christmas promotion. Between 27th December and 4th January, visitors can enjoy Buy One Get One Free on all Adult Explorer Tickets when booking online.
The celebrations continue on New Year’s Day, with passengers invited to enjoy a complimentary glass of bubbly or squash for younger visitors while travelling through the Axe Valley.
The festive offer provides a great opportunity to enjoy winter tram rides and seasonal cheer, with terms and conditions applying.
UK tramway driver simulators have received major upgrades following new risk models developed by the Light Rail Safety and Standards Board (LRSSB). Funded by the LRSSB and delivered by Avansim, the enhanced virtual reality software introduces new scenarios based on real-world safety risks, including tram surfing, track defects and collisions with members of the public.
The upgrades, now in use across several UK light rail networks, support a wider move towards competency-based training and assessment, helping operators strengthen safety awareness through evidence-led, immersive learning.
UKTram is pleased to announce the official launch of Tram Talks, our new members’ magazine, created to provide a dedicated space for insight and shared learning across the light rail community.
Developed as an added benefit for UKTram members, Tram Talks brings together sector updates, functional group highlights, partner perspectives and member stories in one place, supporting knowledge-sharing and connection across the industry. Members who haven’t received a copy can contact chelsea.branch@uktram.co.uk. Light Rail Operators Committee meets in Nottingham to share operational insights >>
On Thursday, 4th December, the Light Rail Operators Committee (LROC) convened at the Nottingham Express Transit (NET) Depot, bringing together operators from across the UK and Ireland to reflect on operational performance, shared challenges and best practice.Â
Delegates began the day with a tour of NET’s Overspeed Monitoring system, followed by a visit to the Control Room, where attendees gained insight into live operational management and safety oversight across Nottingham’s 32km tram network.
A joint project led by the Light Rail Safety and Standards Board (LRSSB) and confidential reporting body CIRAS has reached a key milestone, with focus groups completed across four UK light rail networks.
The initiative explores potential under-reporting of health and safety concerns, giving frontline tramway staff the opportunity to share experiences and suggest improvements to reporting processes and feedback. Findings will inform evidence-based recommendations to support stronger, more trusted safety reporting across the sector.
As 2025 draws to a close, UKTram is reflecting on a brilliant year for both the organisation and the wider light rail sector. We've had record engagement across functional groups, growing government confidence in light rail investment, and rail patronage across England totalling more than 231 million, with systems outside London seeing a 6% uplift and vehicle miles increasing by 4%. Â
We are taking a festive break and will return with our first light rail round-up of 2026 on Friday, 9th January. To be included in the news or the Members section of the website, please send your press releases, event updates and career opportunities to chelsea.branch@uktram.co.uk