A £3.5 million project to fully refresh all of the original trams on Nottingham Express Transit – the 15 Bombardier Incentro trams – is underway with the first “new look” tram due to be unveiled on Friday 10th May. This will be the second refresh for the trams – the only second generation trams in the UK to be assembled in the UK – with the previous programme taking place in 2013/4.
It has been revealed in the Nottingham Post that the work will include the replacement of floors and all interior fittings with the aim to not only boost reliability but also to try and ensure the interior of the Incentros is similar to that of the Citadis trams.
Over the past year or so there have been concerns over the reliability of the trams with delays to service caused by their unavailability and it is hoped that this work will help to solve those issues in the medium-term.
The new look is due to be unveiled by the Sheriff of Nottingham, Cllr Catherine Arnold, although at this stage it isn’t known which tram has enjoyed the work first off. It is planned that one tram will be taken out of use at a time to try and keep disruption to a minimum to the service. It is anticipated all 15 trams will be completed by the end of this year.
Paul Robinson, director and general manager, said: “This investment reflects NET’s commitment to providing a first-class tram network for Nottingham. The refurbishment will have significant benefits for customers and has been carefully considered to take into account the needs of people with disabilities, including those with sight impairments. Research has shown that having a single look across the fleet can help them access the network and also make it easier to use for people who may have dementia. When the first refurbished tram rolls out of the depot and straight into service on the network, we’re sure the new look will prove a huge hit with customers.”