Light Rail & Metro MIKE HADDON. n EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Post-Croydon crash safety body takes shape n A future without wires n Completing Crossrail n South Wales Metro NRC19_A4FPADv2.qxp_Layout 1 02/09/2019 16:21 Page 1 Light Rail & Metro FACING THE FUTURE TOGETHER Presenting the key insight into the future of rail at a time of major government review DAVID COOPER. Welcome CONTENTS 018-19 was a year of strong growth and hydrogen power (p48-49). The Light Brigade for England’s eight light rail and Representing the light rail sector and HOW UK Tram and the tram systems, with total passenger helping to encourage new entrants is UK newly formed LRSSB will journeys rising to a record level of Tram, whose new chairman George Lowder 40 2 be key to shaping the industry’s future. 272.4 million. MBE sets out what the future holds in store for However, ridership looks set to climb the organisation and its members (p40-45). higher still, given the extensions to Meanwhile, former Metrolink director systems in Manchester, Blackpool and the Peter Cushing tells RAIL how one of the Testing times West Midlands that are currently under key recommendations of the report into SIEMENS MOBILITY construction, and others that have received the Sandilands crash of November 2016 approval in Birmingham and Edinburgh. is now being implemented following the 46describes some of the work But with only two new systems having establishment of dedicated safety body LRSSB. being undertaken to complete Crossrail. been built since 2000 (in Nottingham Last but not least, we also cover metro and Edinburgh), 2019 could well be best operations with Siemens discussing the work remembered as the year when a host of being undertaken to integrate various systems new UK cities embraced light rail as the on Crossrail (p46-47). ■ Cutting overheads key to tackling their own congestion and SYSTRA’s innovative environmental problems. PAUL STEPHEN 48approach to making urban Transport for Wales has confirmed that Features Editor, RAIL tramways a more attractive proposition. on-street running and tram-trains will be coming to Cardiff as part of the £738 million www.nationalrailconference.co.uk South Wales Metro project (see p50-51), while systems in Cambridge, Preston EDITORIAL Holistic approach For sponsorship enquiries please contact [email protected] and Leeds are all at the early stages of Managing Editor: Nigel Harris TRANSPORT FOR WALES Head of News: Richard Clinnick development. reveals the latest progress For all other information please contact [email protected] Contributing Writers: Paul Stephen 50 Several UK systems could opt to include Mike Wright on the £738m South Wales Metro project. many of the innovations taking place in the Production Editor: Headline sponsor Art Editor: Charles Wrigley light rail industry, including Very Light Rail Sub-Editor: Richard Hampson vehicles or the tram-trains that have been Managing Director: Tim Lucas trialled in Sheffield and have been ordered for Collaboration is key Cardiff. ADVERTISING KEOLIS UK CEO Alistair In this supplement, SYSTRA examines the Account Director: Julie Howard Gordon on delivering an various options now on offer for catenary-free 52 running, including the growing use of battery integrated and sustainable service. Sponsors 40 Light Rail & Metro Nottingham City Council has approved a £200,000 feasibility study into new routes for the Nottingham Express Transit. These could potentially connect with the planned HS2 station at Toton, as well as extensions from Clifton to a new 3,000-home development The charge of the and from Phoenix Park to Eastwood. ALAMY. Light Brigade As light rail and tram usage reaches record levels, PAUL STEPHEN gives a glimpse of what the future has in store for UK Tram and the newly formed Light Rail Safety Standards Board - and how they will both be key to the future of the industry ccording to the latest statistics to become the most extensive network in the on by the West Midlands Metro, which has new routes for the Nottingham Express with a £22m extension to the Blackpool that were launched last October to a new compiled by the Department for UK since its opening in 1992. firm plans to double the network’s original Transit system to the planned HS2 hub at Tramway from Blackpool North to Blackpool terminus at Rotherham Parkgate. Transport, some 272.4 million An eight-year £1.5 billion ‘big bang’ mileage by 2026. Currently consisting of a Toton, and a new 3,000-home development Pier expected to open later this year, and Recognising the success of modern Apassenger journeys were made expansion programme was completed with single 12.7-mile route between Birmingham near Clifton. passengers in Sheffield continuing to benefit tramways in becoming effective and efficient on the eight light rail and tram systems in the opening of a second route (2CC) across and Wolverhampton city centres, extensions Other systems are also continuing to grow, from the UK’s first-ever tram-train services people movers wherever they have been England (279.7 million when also including Manchester city centre in February 2017, are under way to Edgbaston in the south and implemented, other UK towns and cities Edinburgh Trams) - representing a 1.9% while a £350 million extension to Trafford Wolverhampton railway station in the north are also now planning their own schemes - increase on the previous year, and a 44% Park is currently under construction and due Meanwhile, a proposed 6.8-mile line from There is plenty of optimism around with one or two new systems now reaching increase over the last decade. to open in 2020-21. Wednesbury to Brierley Hill was approved in advanced stages of development. However, the growing popularity of light With strong growth (6.1%) in patronage March, and an eastward extension from Bull light rail, given the big environmental The closest to fruition is the £225m Luton rail is not just evident from these crude recorded in 2018-19, there remains a strong Street to Digbeth via Birmingham’s new HS2 DART (Direct Air Rail Transit) project, ridership figures, but from the increasing appetite in the region for further extensions station at Curzon Street is being considered and urbanisation factors we’re all which will provide a direct connection from calls from operators, local authorities and (including a cross-city tunnel between by government. Luton Airport to Luton Airport Parkway passenger transport executives for further Manchester’s Piccadilly and Victoria Elsewhere, on March 14 councillors in aware of. Light rail is a green mass station from 2022. investment to extend existing systems, or to stations) as set out by Transport for Greater Edinburgh voted to approve a 2.9-mile Close behind Luton, tram-trains are due build entirely new ones. Manchester’s recently published 2040 extension to Edinburgh Trams from the transit mode, and so we should be to start running in and around Cardiff from Historically, the leader in this field has Strategy. city centre to Newhaven and Leith, while 2022 as part of the £738m South Wales been Manchester Metrolink, which - with 93 In the more immediate future, Metrolink’s Nottingham City Council has announced seizing these opportunities. Metro project that will integrate light and stops and 62 miles of track - has expanded mantle would appear to have been taken it will fund a £200,000 feasibility study into George Lowder MBE, Chairman, UK Tram heavy rail with local bus services. 40 41 Light Rail & Metro Tram-train 399203 departs Rotherham Parkgate with a test run to Sheffield Cathedral on July 19 2018. Passengers in South Yorkshire have been the first in the UK to benefit from tram-trains, although they have now been procured for Cardiff and are being considered by several other cities including Manchester. MIKE HADDON. Elsewhere, proposals for a metro system in Cambridge are at an early stage, while in August the West Yorkshire Combined Authority invited experts to submit ideas for a mass transit system in what is currently the largest city in Europe without one - Leeds. Given this increased focus and renewed interest in light rail, the DfT issued a call for evidence in February to seek views on the potential for new schemes, and how best to address the issues that are currently holding them back - particularly high capital costs 843. and a lack of standardisation. RAIL Government is currently considering its findings, although prior to the closure of the companies, operators and authorities that Branch (RAIB) report into the fatal tram consultation on May 19, lengthy submissions are starting out. They should be able to crash at Sandilands Junction, Croydon, on were made by network operators, local come to an organisation that is well placed November 9 2016. Until that point the tram authorities, transport executives and the to provide - with a degree or authority, industry had enjoyed an exemplary safety trade body UK Tram - whose members expertise, industry input and legal support - record with no passengers killed in an include all of the aforementioned, plus all of those things that someone taking on or accident on board a UK tram since 1959. infrastructure and rolling stock maintenance considering taking early steps needs to know. But with seven passengers killed by the organisations. “UK Tram needs to be somewhere that overturning tram at Sandilands and 51 Chairman of UK Tram and Chief they will feel comfortable that they’re getting requiring hospital treatment, the Office of Executive of Transport for Edinburgh good guidance and information, and that Rail and Road was called upon to co-operate George Lowder MBE tells RAIL: “I welcome they can lean on us for the softer support as with UK Tram to build on the work already the consultation, and I think there is plenty well as more practical things.” done by UK Tram’s safety board, to develop a of optimism around light rail, given the big Another key role for Lowder over the body to manage standards and safety, and to environmental and urbanisation factors that coming months will be to help oversee provide authoritative impartial advice.