Conference Report Passengers, technology and regulation... TAUT presents some of the highlights of the 7th Annual UK Light Rail Conference, the leading forum for debate on the challenges facing the industry.

REPORT BY SIMON JOHNSTON & TONY STREETER, IMAGES BY NEIL PULLING

here are too many different UK ‘smartcard’ Right: UK Transport ticketing systems, everyone is nervously eyeing Minister Norman new technology and no-one seems sure whether it is Baker used the Treally necessary to spend tens or even hundreds of millions platform to confirm moving pipes and cables before new track is laid. formal funding These issues, and concern that not enough is being done to approval for the UK’s build more systems when the present expansion is complete tram-train trial on in three years time provided lively debate at the 7th Annual 17 May. UK Light Rail Conference in Manchester on 16-17 May. A record attendance of promoters, operators and infrastructure owners, many from across Europe, heard first Below (left to right): day chairman Ian Brown give the “tremendous news” that Metrolink RATP the UK Government is in the mood to invest in light rail Dev’s Managing despite the delicate state of the economy. Director Chris Mr Brown, who during his time with London Rail steered Coleman welcomed massive cash injections into the delegates; and in Croydon, said the winners will be those who the Paris-based RATP Group, suggested: “There are understand the Government’s agenda. This is a determination many challenges in operating successful systems that are to attract more international investment, improve transport Manchester undergoing expansion. It is all about being reliable yet infrastructure such as with the High Speed 2 rail link from Metrolink Director flexible, and working with the client to fix issues together. London to the West Midlands and beyond, as well as toll Philip Purdy Playing it contractually is not our culture.” [Transport for Greater Manchester] is looking to build new Above: Sharing Technology roads, more air capacity, and light and heavy rail schemes. explained the need Including experience from Roger Harrison, Chairman of cycle hubs and to cater for cycling facilities further.” best practice The UK’s Light Rail Conference has a strong reputation for The mood of the audience soon changed however, with for better modal Tramlink Nottingham, all agreed that operating contracts In terms of LRT’s future in the UK, Thomas J Potter from – leading figures debating the latest technical innovation, and taking up the general regret that the mixed fortunes of the first two decades integration to entice needed to be flexible enough to cope with changing events Norconsult and former UK All-Party Parliamentary Light from UK operators, ‘wired-versus-wireless’ debate in 2012, Vossloh Kiepe’s of investment in second-generation tramway systems have people out of their and follow the ‘spirit’ of the contract between the authority Rail Group Chair Paul Rowen gave the fascinating double- sitting from left: Stuart Kerr began: “All the vehicle builders have systems created barriers to standardisation, the most obvious being cars; and operator, rather than literal meanings. sided presentation ‘Convincing the Politicans’. Paul Scully, Veolia they can offer, depending on the opreator’s requirements. high-floor tram operation on . Mr Potter explained his experiences in Bergen, Norway, Transdev, Richard So, are we ready technologically? Yes. However, we need Conference Passenger and politician involvement home to the Bybanen tramway that opened in 2010. the will and the understanding to progress further. We International collaboration McClean, DB Regio delegates benefitted Working with passengers and stakeholders, and clear “The immediate reaction to a light rail scheme is… often Tyne & Wear, have batteries, ‘supercaps’, fuel cells and solutions like Pulling together better was a key theme at the start of the two- from demonstrations communication, are key to developing trust and negative,” he said of the time before a project is finished, Thierry Ossent, Bombardier’s Primove system, but what’s the expectation? day event, with leading operators highlighting the benefits of the latest understanding, delegates heard. While Roger Harrison “so you have to work not just toward the politicians, but “For running 500m in front of historic monuments there derived from the experience of being part of worldwide groups. emphasised the importance of “understanding the local also the population in general.” RATP Group, Roger is a definite benefit, but running 10km on a permanent basis technology from the Harrison, Tramlink Paul Scully, Operations Manager of the Luas light rail industry’s leading culture”, DB’s Richard McClean recognised the importance Such is Bybanen’s success in doing this that a second is a very different set of parameters... None of the systems system in Dublin, said: “It’s a great demonstration to of digital media and social networking for operators. section is to open in 2013 and a third section (to the airport) Nottingham. currently on offer are 30-year systems, so we don’t have the manufacturers and Conference Chair our client that support was there from the beginning, and suppliers; Mr McClean said: “Social networking, Twitter and in 2016; two other expansions are also planned. figures to make lifetime cost comparisons. There are many because Veolia Transdev is in so many countries if an issue Facebook, as well as internet and email alerts, give us a way Mr Potter said the Bergen tramway now had a positive Ian Brown CBE (far variables over size and lifecycle of battery, weight and what left) moderated the arose or a question needed to be answered we could cast the Norconsult’s Thomas of communicating as cost-effectively with as wide a base as standing among residents, and that this had come about you wish to achieve – each authority/operator needs to net worldwide for support and possible solutions.” possible in real-time. They’re essential parts of the toolkit.” through a process of careful engagement, such as carrying debate. answer these questions for themselves. DB Regio Tyne & Wear MD Richard McClean agreed: J Potter discussed Improving connections and convenience for the travelling both the ‘pro’ and ‘anti’ arguments on the project’s website, “Fuel cells offer a good solution, but most applications “We have two parents, DB and Arriva. While it’s obviously how to achieve public also featured strongly in the presentation of plus being prepared to meet people to discuss the issues. have been seen on rubber-tyred vehicles so far so there are beneficial to have the back-up in terms of systems, political ‘buy-in’ to Manchester Metrolink Director Philip Purdy. He said: “We’re Such activities, he argued, showed “you can be trusted.” vibrationary issues that aren’t clear. The life of a fuel cell technology roll-out, rolling stock, driver aids, safety and LRT projects at an improving park-and-ride facilities and creating new projects “We had a very good reputation among the public, even is 6-12 000 hours, so again the lifetime costs aren’t clear.” energy efficient operations it’s also important not to neglect early stage as well to increase capacity for cars from 1100 to 3500 vehicles on for people who were opposed to the project.” “In terms of batteries, we will learn a lot from the the local customers and existing knowledge base.” as demonstrating the new network. There is also a perception that Metrolink Mr Rowen, formerly a UK member of Parliament and investment in the automotive sector. So to see what’s going Leading the panel debate on operator best practice, the benefits to is against cycling. We do have a policy of no bikes on our heavily involved in the successful campaign to see Manchester on in the future, we will get a benefit from this sector.” Thierry Ossent, Director of International Relations for future passengers. trams, but nothing could be further from the truth as TfGM Metrolink’s expansion approved, continued the theme from On the topic of smart ticketing, although new systems a UK perspective, arguing that the proposed changes to are poised for launch in Manchester and Nottingham, more ‘local’ decision-making could become game-changing. Tyne & Wear Metro MD Richard McClean confessed he In the UK, he added: “the problem that’s bedevilled us was confused by the number of incompatible travel cards is that there’s been a two-stage process in light rail. You’ve he now has to carry in his wallet. He questioned whether got to get buy-in at a local level and then… you go into a Manchester Metrolink’s new touch-and-go travel cards lottery at national level, some of which you win, some of were yet another example of a lack of national integration. which you don’t.” Manchester, whose operations have just transferred from He added: “European experience… is a faster delivery, Stagecoach to RATP Dev control, has put integration with cheaper development and a… political consensus.” bus, rail, car and cycling modes as one of its priorities. However, he argued that although local funding “means Innovations in track maintenance and predictive inspection you are not dependent on what central government techniques were also outlined in depth by Dr Jay Jaiswal deems to give us” he added a warning that such a funding from Tata Steel and Dr Rob Carroll from Stagecoach approach also contained “great dangers.” Supertram. These are examined in greater detail on page 268.

254 JULY 2012 www.tramnews.net . www.Irta.org Reproduced with permission of Tramways & Urban Transit Reproduced with permission of Tramways & Urban Transit www.tramnews.net . www.Irta.org JULY 2012 255 Conference Report

Procurement Mr Robey also believes there is still life to be had from One of the most significant panel debates was seen at the Midland Metro’s 16 soon-to-be redundant Ansaldo T69 end of the first day, and looked at procurement strategies trams, suggesting that overseas operators have shown and whether there are cost and efficiency savings to be made “serious’ interest and that they still have a life of 20 years. through common contracts and equipment standardisation. Leading the panel, Colin Robey, Head of Operations, Tram-train’s future in the UK Rail and Rapid Transit for Centro (the UK’s West Midlands Two years into his term as transport Minister in the UK Passenger Transport Executive), began by saying that the Government, Norman Baker’s keynote address came at UK has “an industry that has no control over our standards.” a time he could celebrate a number of recent expansions, “Systems built under PFI schemes have largely matched approvals and – not least – the opening of the revitalised the profile of the trams that were ordered. The benefits lie (TAUT 894). in trying to align and standardise where you can. A lot of In an announcement that drew applause from the assembled the work we’re carrying out on the Midland Metro will delegates, Mr Baker announced final approval for the UK’s make the system standard as far as possible with Croydon tram-train trial between Sheffield and Rotherham (see page In a panel debate led by Robbie Owen of Bircham Above (pictured our part to truly fulfil light rail’s ‘green’ credentials stating: and Blackpool, but it can never be wholly universal due to 249). He also discussed plans to push decision-making away Dyson Bell – an acknowledged expert on the legal issues left to right): “As part of the move to a low-carbon economy, light rail different infrastructure and vehicle specifications. from central government to more local levels. The Liberal surrounding utility diversion – Mr Ostheimer said utilities UKTram and pteg can help. It can be low carbon in construction, mitigating “One of the major issues we suffer from is in the way Below: Colin Robey Democrat member of Parliament said delegates should “be were “keen to work together with transport authorities. We’re Chair Geoff Inskip climate change and adapting to it by building resilient that the funding flows. It’s difficult to look at benefits and (left) deliberated in no doubt we’re serious about making a shift towards very keen on light rail; light rail means it’s not a European welcomed the transport systems for the future. cost savings through standardisation when you don’t know on the question of local decision-making away from central government, juggernaut smashing the road and our plant underneath.” formal funding “Selecting low carbon solutions at an early stage offers when you’re going to get the funding to proceed. With the standardisation vs not interfering in individual scheme application approval He added: “We want discussions, we want practical announcement for the best opportunities for carbon reduction. In identifying the difference in speeds between business cases for different bespoke solutions decisions or telling you what your priorities should be.” solutions. We want to keep costs down, because believe it or the UK’s tram-train need, we can design carbon out at an early stage as the chance systems it’s hard to match them up. There has to come a for tramway He warned, however, that this “also means we’re moving not we don’t want to divert a single metre of apparatus. It’s pilot scheme, as to influence carbon emissions falls off at a later stage.” point where you pull the industry round and standardise what development with away from an era where the central government is regarded aggravation, it’s hassle, and it’s cost to us, it’s cost to you well as contributing He continued that it is also possible to manage cost and you can while realising there will be some things you can’t.” help from Nicola as the sole funder of big projects.” because we have to pay for that, for whatever reason we pay to the debate on mitigate carbon emissions, but that “the industry needs to be Using the example of the recent procurement of new Following Mr Baker’s announcement, delegates heard an a percentage. We’re here to help… and to do what we can, willing to take on new technology, measure environmental trams for London Tramlink, the system’s Head of Projects Redman (London update on progress from Network Rail’s Head of Tram- but we need to know what the problems are as well.” many topics; benefits better and be brave and more innovative to balance and Development, Nicola Redman, added: “From contract Tramlink), Steve Train Projects, Simon Coulthard. Mr Coulthard explained Panel member John Barrow, Transport for Greater economy, society and environmental change.” signing to delivery for Tramlink’s new vehicles was five Firth (Tramco) that with tram-trains into Sheffield city centre running Manchester’s Commercial Director for Utilities, added: The debate over To illustrate such innovation in practice, Peter Jones from months, nine months to delivery of the final vehicles. This and Dan Quinn alongside heavy rail trains that will continue to serve the “The key to successful working with the utility companies utilities diversions the MPT consortium (currently undertaking construction of has cut time and of course time is money. But it’s important (Achilles). city’s station there will be “a genuine choice for people at in diversions is flexibility. and who should the significant Manchester Metrolink expansion) gave an to recognise that if buying a vehicle used on another system Rotherham going to Sheffield.” “Clearly we want to keep the costs down as far as pay drew many impressive presentation on some of its work. that we look at the whole costs in terms of any additional Below left: With an The GBP58m (EUR72m) pilot is hoped to go ‘live’ in possible, but as well as direct costs of diversions, there’s questions from the “Of the 590 000m3 of waste material generated, 97% modifications to either the vehicle or the infrastructure to suit. audience of 200 2015 using Vossloh vehicles. Although it is for two years, also the indirect costs of impact on schedule and track audience: Mark has been diverted from landfill for other uses,” he claimed. “Standards are useful, and it’s good if we can align where senior decision- the intention is that it could become permanent – and also build… seen as probably the major risk in Manchester.” Ostheimer from the “There has been a desire to prioritise off-site manufacture we can, but as there is so much cost that’s gone into existing makers, this year’s prove the concept for wider application. With ‘austerity’ a buzzword around the globe, funding NJUG highlighted and assembly to speed up construction and drive costs. infrastructure it would cost a lot to bring them all into line.” conference offered The case for the trolleybus as a more easily afforded new LRT projects is also a major challenge, making the the situation Alternatives to direct fix for trackform and innovations such as She also argued that it’s as much due to ‘harmonisation’ lively debate and alternative to the tram was forcefully presented by UKTram presentation on Private Finance Initiatives by Hogan with regulatory specially designed twin-block sleepers speed up construction. to avoid conflict without having inflexible standards. the opportunity to Director General and Light Rail Transit Association Lovells Senior Associate Charles Ford particularly topical. guidelines; “This creates less disruption, greater automation, Emphasising the importance of sharing lessons learned, share best practice Chairman Andrew Braddock. Mr Braddock summed up his Mr Ford contended “for the right projects PFI delivers fewer trade interfaces and so drives cost benefits. And Steve Firth from Tramco joined the debate adding that across the industry. views with the comment: “Wires send a powerful message.” value for money” and said “whilst there is a political Vossloh Kiepe’s after detailed analysis of current technologies and work is currently underway to avoid the “mismatch of He also praised the ‘new kids on the block’, saying that imperative that PFI will be called something else, I think Stuart Kerr led the methodologies, we chose the ALH Vector boot to allow specifications with varying standards for heavy and metro Bottom left: ultra-light rail and Personal Rapid Transit offered a range of the model itself will be here to stay.” debate on the future for slipforming the track slab as it offers optimised operation and not street-running tramways.” Delegates also different solutions interesting to monitor in the future. He explained that while PFI had become politically less of traction systems performance for noise and vibration and stray current. Recognising that it’s not always practical or desirable had the chance to popular within the UK, other countries had now embraced for light rail: wired Slipforming was a major programme gain to tap into big to standardise, the panel agreed that greater sharing of Diversions, funding and future schemes the concept. He told delegates that “some of this conference infrastructure plant from Laing O’Rourke. experience is key to future development, but also that tour the under- In the UK Department for Transport’s Green Light for Light is about how we can learn from the rest of the world. In PFI or wireless? MPT has questioned each aspect of the construction of standardisation is often driven by the supplier, seeking construction East Rail report delivered in late 2011, one of the key challenges the rest of the world has learnt from us.” the Metrolink extensions, including the innovative modular economies of scale. Manchester line with raised was the issue of having to move existing subterranean Developer Richard tram stop and substation programme. Mr Jones explained: Following up on work to create a UK tram design in the a visit to the new utilities – a well-known source of cost for new tram Small starts and cost-contained tramways Mawdsely from Peel “We challenged ourselves to develop a system to install past, Mr Robey suggested “we could be as close as we’re Etihad Campus stop, schemes and a topic high on the agenda of UK promoters. Both Peel Holdings’ Development Manager Richard Holdings with Scott a platform in four days. The modular solution had to be ever going to get to a standardised UK tram ‘spec’. This is home to Manchester The participation in the conference of Mark Ostheimer, Mawdsley and Mott MacDonald’s Technical Director, Light McIntosh from Mott flexible for the different topographies, and give a cleaner as much due to what we already have and that is as much City Football Club, Operations Director of the National Joint Utilities Group, Rail and Trams, Scott McIntosh, discussed the proposed MacDonald outlined image. This worked also for stop equipment rooms and due to who’s produced them as anything else.” seen in background. was therefore keenly anticipated. incorporation of the Wirral Tramway into Peel’s Wirral the visionary plans bridge decks and pre-assembled modular substations. Waters development in near Liverpool. to transform the “Fully commissioned and tested off site, the substations Expansion of the existing heritage tramway, they argued, heritage tramway are dropped on the ground, plugged in and are then ready offered achievable benefits – not only in terms of connectivity in the UK’s Wirral to for final commissioning.” but also as a tourist attraction. However one of the tramway’s serve the GBP30bn greatest benefits could be in providing a feeder to the Where next for the UK? commuter service at Hamilton Square station, regeneration scheme. The two-day event concluded with a discussion of what the thus linking directly into trains into Liverpool; every building future might look like for light rail in the UK. That was a within Wirral Waters could be within 250m of a tramstop. debate in which second-day chairman Geoff Inskip took part. Such a project, Mr McIntosh argued, could provide light Mr Inskip – Chairman of the public sector bodies rail at relatively low initial cost and help unlock both jobs UKTram and pteg, and Chief Executive of the West and further investment in what is proposed as the UK’s Midlands Integrated Transport Authority Centro – argued largest urban regeneration scheme. that light rail has “got to help deliver the Government’s rail Mr Mawdsley explained how Peel Holdings was already agenda… what they want to see is a more affordable railway, working with the rail industry to allow training on a redundant and therefore I think as UKTram what we’ve got to do is say section of line – and how apprentices such as those could to the Government ‘we can help you deliver that agenda’. potentially form some of the workforce for the tramway. “The way we’ll do that is by making sure we bring Mr McIntosh also spoke of the importance of training, and forward the right tram-train projects, the right tram stressed the project’s links with the charitable Prince’s Trust. conversions, so we can do more with the same amount of money and deliver a much better railway as a consequence.” Environment As the panel pointed out using a map produced by the Another important consideration for all LRT promoters and Light Rapid Transit Forum showing relative light rail operators is the question of environmental impact. Kevin connectivity, Germany and France both boast many more Leather from Mott MacDonald outlined how we can all do tramways than the UK. There’s still a long way to go. TAUT

256 JULY 2012 www.tramnews.net . www.Irta.org Reproduced with permission of Tramways & Urban Transit Reproduced with permission of Tramways & Urban Transit www.tramnews.net . www.Irta.org JULY 2012 257