UKTram Light Rail News Round-up | Safety Campaigns, Festive Giveaways and Tram-Train Potential | Friday 5th December 2025
- UKTram
- 5 days ago
- 9 min read
In this week’s UKTram light rail news round-up: Supertram thanks customers with free travel and chocolate, Tyne and Wer Metro bridge works progress as part of wider modernisation programme and West Midlands Metro re-launches safety campaign ahead of network expansion. Also featured this week: Edinburgh Trams sets out festive service plans, Manchester Metrolink launches festive colleague recognition postcards, Mr Monopoly takes a trip on Nottingham’s tram network and Luas launches giveaway as Dublin prepares for Christmas. Heritage highlights this week include Festive weekends for East Anglia Transport Museum and Volk's Electric Railway and glowing reviews for Seaton Tramway's Polar Express.
Supertram colleagues were out across the network on 28 November, meeting customers and offering free Dayrider tickets and chocolate as a gesture of thanks following recent service disruption. The activity marked the first time the operator has offered free travel at this scale, with teams visiting stops from Halfway to Middlewood throughout the day.
Despite cold weather, the initiative was warmly received, with positive feedback shared both in person and on social media. Customers welcomed the acknowledgement of recent challenges and praised the operator’s direct engagement. Supertram also encouraged passengers to attend the public meeting hosted by South Yorkshire’s Mayor, Oliver Coppard, on 1st December, offering an opportunity to hear more about ongoing work.
Nexus has shared an update on the significant renewal works underway on the Ponteland Road bridge, a key structure carrying hundreds of Metro services each day on the Airport line. The project involves installing specially manufactured base plates across the bridge’s track deck to ensure long-term reliability and smoother operation, forming part of the wider Metro Asset Renewal Programme.
A planned five-day line closure allowed engineers to safely complete the complex work, which also included platform repairs at Callerton Parkway and Bank Foot, signal and cable testing, and overhead line improvements at Airport. Insight in a newly released video features Glenn Melvin, Principal Engineer (P-Way), and Ben Brooks, Head of Engineering, explaining the importance of the upgrades.
West Midlands Metro has reintroduced the national ‘Two Lines = STOP’ pedestrian safety campaign as preparations intensify for the launch of services on the Birmingham Eastside extension. With driver training now underway on the new line to Millennium Point, the operator says the refreshed messaging comes at a crucial time.
The campaign, delivered in partnership with the Light Rail Safety and Standards Board (LRSSB), aims to reduce pedestrian–tram collisions by encouraging the public to stay alert near tram tracks. Eye-catching signage is being installed across the existing network and along the extension route to support awareness during a period of significant expansion.
West Midlands Metro has launched a customer survey to gather views on recent journeys, supporting ongoing work to deliver a safe, reliable and sustainable service. The operator is encouraging passengers to share reflections on their experience, with responses helping shape future improvements.
The survey is open until 9am on Monday 19th January 2026, and all participants will be entered automatically into a prize draw for the chance to win a £50 Amazon voucher. Metro says it values customer input and appreciates the time taken to support continuous improvement efforts.
Edinburgh Trams has confirmed its operating arrangements for the Christmas and New Year period, with a near-normal service running throughout most of the festive season. The only full pause will be on Christmas Day, allowing colleagues to take a well-earned break. Customers travelling into the city are encouraged to make use of Ingliston Park & Ride, offering more than 1,000 free spaces and regular trams from every seven minutes through December.
Ahead of Hogmanay celebrations, services will adjust around the temporary Princes Street closure, with trams running on either side of the event area. After midnight on New Year’s Eve, free tram travel will help passengers get home safely, supported by additional late-night services running until the early hours. Normal operations will resume on New Year’s Day once Princes Street reopens.
KeolisAmey Metrolink has introduced limited-edition festive postcards to celebrate colleagues who demonstrate the organisation’s core values.
Each postcard includes a unique QR code that automatically enters recipients into a monthly prize draw.
The operator reports that 44% of all cards issued this year have recognised staff for showing the We Commit value, highlighting strong engagement with the programme.
Nottingham welcomed an unexpected VIP last week as Mr Monopoly explored the city by tram following the launch of the new Nottingham Monopoly board. NET features prominently in the game, appearing on two of the station squares.
During his visit, Mr Monopoly travelled from Royal Centre to Old Market Square, surprising customers and joining NET’s customer experience team for light-hearted ticket checks. NET says the appearance is a fun celebration of the tramway’s role in Nottingham life for more than 20 years.
Transport for London has published its Christmas and New Year travel plans, confirming that most services will run between 20th December 2025 and 5th January 2026. Customers are advised to check for planned closures and service changes across the network.
There will be no public transport on Christmas Day, and some services will not operate on Boxing Day, including parts of the Elizabeth line. London Trams will run a Sunday service, while the DLR will operate an amended timetable from 13th December to 4th January.
TfL notes that services will run through the night on New Year’s Eve, although some central London stations may close temporarily for crowd management. Customers are encouraged to plan journeys using TfL’s Journey Planner or the TfL Go app.
Luas is helping Dubliners get into the festive spirit with a seasonal campaign celebrating the city’s Christmas events, markets and attractions. As winter lights switch on and visitors head into the capital for shopping, socialising or family outings, the network is encouraging customers to make the most of its convenient connections across the city.
To mark the countdown to Christmas, Luas has launched a 12-day giveaway, offering twelve €100 One4All digital vouchers. Customers can enter by following Luas on Facebook, X or Instagram and responding to the daily question, or by submitting the online entry form.
KeolisAmey Docklands has reported a busy November dedicated to inclusion, wellbeing and community engagement across the DLR network. Activity began with Befriending Week, delivered in partnership with local groups, IFS Cloud Cable Car and Befriending Networks, offering shared journeys and conversation-led events to help connect communities.
The operator also supported International Men’s Day and Men’s Health Month through confidential health checks and an open session with #ANDYSMANCLUB, reinforcing its focus on colleague wellbeing. Environmental learning events and celebrations of the DLR’s electric road fleet took place as part of Planet Day. The month concluded with White Ribbon activities, delivered alongside British Transport Police and Amulet Security, supporting global efforts to end violence against women and girls.
Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) is progressing work on a business case that could see Metrolink services extended into Stockport as part of the region’s long-term transport strategy. The first phase focuses on a proposed link from East Didsbury into the town centre, with a strategic outline case due for submission to the Department for Transport in 2026.
As part of this work, TfGM is also examining opportunities for future growth. One option under active consideration is the use of tram-train technology to run services beyond Stockport along the underused Denton rail line. This could unlock new connections across Tameside and provide a direct link to Manchester Airport.
Greater Manchester has outlined an ambitious new vision to reshape its rail system over the next three decades, placing the region at the forefront of national rail reform and devolution. Launched by Mayor Andy Burnham at the Public Transport in the North of England conference, the plan sets out proposals to improve, grow and transform rail and tram services across the city region.
Developed with industry partners, the vision aims to double passenger journeys, support 75,000 new homes, and unlock £90 billion in economic uplift across the Northern Arc by 2050. It also highlights the wider role of integrated rail and light rail networks in supporting Greater Manchester’s long-term housing, employment and regeneration ambitions.
Nexus has completed a full refresh of Sunderland’s Stadium of Light Metro station, restoring its distinctive red and white colour scheme as part of an ongoing programme of station improvements. The vitreous enamel panels were rubbed down and repainted by hand, with Sunderland AFC crests reinstated where they had previously worn away.
The operator says the upgrade has significantly enhanced the station’s appearance, an update that is expected to resonate strongly with supporters in a season marking the club’s return to the Premier League. Several members of the maintenance team involved in the work are lifelong fans, adding personal pride to the project.
Supertram brought seasonal cheer to customers over the weekend as the community choir Glee Bah Gum performed Christmas carols onboard the network. The event was made even more special by the involvement of one of Supertram’s own conductors, who sings with the choir and helped connect colleagues with the wider community.
Passengers shared positive feedback throughout the day, and the performances helped raise funds for two local charities: the Sheffield Association for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus, and The Sick Children’s Trust. Supertram said the initiative reflects its ongoing commitment to supporting community causes through its Tramendous Together programme.
Heritage:
The East Anglia Transport Museum is set to reopen its gates for the annual Ride the Lights event, running across three December weekends. Visitors can enjoy unlimited rides on vintage trams, trolleybuses and the narrow-gauge railway, alongside expanded Christmas light displays and family-friendly activities.
The event includes a free hourly vintage bus service to Lowestoft and a park-and-ride link operated by First Eastern Counties. Now the only museum in England where visitors can experience multiple heritage modes in one place, the attraction is preparing for one of its busiest festive programmes to date.
Seaton Tramway’s much-loved Polar Express™ Tram Ride is back for Christmas 2025, with early visitors praising the experience as “utterly magical” and excellent value for families. The award-winning event combines theatre, storytelling and festive activities, attracting thousands of visitors to the Axe Valley each year.
Now in its tenth season, the immersive journey transforms the historic single-deck trams into a festive ride to the ‘North Pole’, complete with Santa, elves and seasonal treats. The attraction remains one of Devon’s most popular Christmas events, with many families returning annually as part of their holiday tradition.
Volk’s Electric Railway is getting ready to welcome families for its annual Santa Express event on Saturday 13 December. The world’s oldest operating electric railway will host a festive experience at Aquarium Station, where children can meet Santa before boarding a heritage tram for a seasonal journey along Brighton’s seafront.
The railway’s team of drivers and elves are preparing for what is set to be a popular Christmas attraction once again, offering a nostalgic and family-friendly celebration.
Tickets and further details are available via Eventbrite.
UKTram News UKTram marks strong year with Women in Transport as Team Member joins Advance Mentoring Programme >>
UKTram is delighted to share that Chelsea Branch, UKTram's Digital Marketing Manager, has been selected for Women in Transport’s Advance mentoring programme, now entering its largest cohort to date, with more than 100 participants taking part.
The structured, year-long programme pairs women across the transport sector with experienced mentors to support career development and professional progression. Over nine cohorts, more than 450 women have taken part and it has become widely recognised for strengthening leadership pathways and promoting diversity across the industry.
As we approach the end of the year and two months on from our biggest Annual Summit, we’re taking a moment to revisit the insights and sector momentum showcased in Birmingham.
Our latest blog looks back on the 2025 UKTram & LRSSB Light Rail Summit, highlighting reflections from speakers, partners and members, and the themes shaping the sector’s future. Planning for the 2026 Summit is already under way, with expanded capacity and early conversations around a dedicated demonstration area and live-streamed sessions.
The next round-up will be published on Friday, 12th December, to be included in the round-up or the Members News section of the UKTram website, please send your press releases, event updates and career opportunities to chelsea.branch@uktram.co.uk
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