The Greater Nottingham Light Rail Transit Advisory Committee usually meet on a quarterly basis (although the meetings have been fewer during the pandemic) and as part of this updates from Nottingham Express Transit are given. The latest meeting is due to take place on 13th July and included in the meeting papers is an update from the NET Head of Operations, Mike Mabey, which includes performance data.
This report confirms that in the three month period from February to the end of May reliability was 98.11% and punctuality was 97.25% (details of what makes a tram in Nottingham punctual or reliable is not given).
All the COVID signage currently remains in place across the network, but this will be reviewed once the Government confirm social distancing and mask changes. Trams continue to have a cordoned off area behind the drivers cab to allow the safe entry/exit of the tram by the driver. Tram stops have signage reminding passengers of social distancing, wearing a face covering and to use the NETGo app where possible to purchase a ticket. On the trams the signage consists of mandatory wearing of a face covering, maintaining social distancing with seat covers indicating where not to sit along with tram window vinyls – there are also on board announcements to this effect.
There has been an increase in anti-social behaviour across the network and to help prevent this Community Protection partners continue to operate on the tramway and 857 individual patrols have been conducted (by staff both in and out of uniform). This has mainly been reinforcing face-covering legislation and alcohol confiscation.
Nottingham Express Transit also looks set to be seen on your television screen later this year as they provided support for a new Sky/HBO drama on the real-life events of Susan and Christopher Edwards. NET were requested to help support a number of scenes for the opening episode of the series.
Also in the pack of documents ahead of the meeting was an update on ticketing with contactless ticketing on its way. To aid this all ticketing vending machines will be replaced by 22nd December and these will also have the facility to top up Robin Hood cards (with some also able to retail these cards). A new website is also due to be launched by the end of July which will have a rewards portal and a customer sign-in portal so business customers can manage their own accounts.