With the latest easing of restrictions taking place in England from today (Monday 19th July) which has seen the removal of the legal requirements for wearing face masks and to maintain social distancing – although still highly recommended in most settings – we thought it was time to review the current services running on public transport systems (i.e. not heritage tramways!) across the British Isles. This article gives a summary of services which are planned to be run but please note due to high numbers of staff having to isolate there have been frequent occasions recently of reduced services having to run on some systems – so, as always, if travelling any distance please check with the operators first.
Blackpool Tramway
Trams depart every 7/8 minutes from Starr Gate for most of the day. Alternate departures terminate at Little Bispham with a tram every 15 minutes to Fleetwood Ferry. Service frequency early morning and evening is reduced.
- The full timetable can be downloaded from the Blackpool Transport website at https://passenger-line-assets.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/bts/BLAC/Tram-timetable-20210601-f99c8b33.pdf
Docklands Light Railway
Normal service in operation
Edinburgh Trams
Normal service in operation (trams every 7 minutes throughout the day)
London Tramlink
Normal service in operation
Luas
Normal service in operation
Manchester Metrolink
- Altrincham to Bury
Monday-Thursday: Every 12 minutes 0700 to 2000
Friday: Every 12 minutes 0700 to 2000
Saturday: Every 12 minutes 0900 to 1830
- Altrincham to Piccadilly
Monday-Thursday: Every 12 minutes 0600 to 0000
Friday: Every 12 minutes 0600 to 0100
Saturday: Every 12 minutes 0600 to 0100
Sunday: Every 12 minutes 0700 to 0000
- Bury to Piccadilly
Monday-Thursday: Every 12 minutes 0600 to 0000
Friday: Every 12 minutes 0600 to 0100
Saturday: Every 12 minutes 0600 to 0100
Sunday: Every 12 minutes 0700 to 0000
- East Didsbury to Rochdale Town Centre
Monday-Thursday: Every 12 minutes 0600 to 0000
Friday: Every 12 minutes 0600 to 0100
Saturday: Every 12 minutes 0600 to 0100
Sunday: Every 12 minutes 0700 to 0000
- East Didsbury to Shaw and Crompton
Monday-Thursday: Every 12 minutes 0700 to 2000
Friday: Every 12 minutes 0700 to 2000
Saturday: Every 12 minutes 0900 to 1830
- Eccles to Ashton-under-Lyne
Monday-Thursday: Every 12 minutes 0600 to 0000
Friday: Every 12 minutes 0600 to 0100
Saturday: Every 12 minutes 0600 to 0100
Sunday: Every 12 minutes 0700 to 0000
- Manchester Airport to Victoria
Monday-Thursday: Every 12 minutes 0600 to 0000
Friday: Every 12 minutes 0600 to 0100
Saturday: Every 12 minutes 0600 to 0100
Sunday: Every 12 minutes 0700 to 0000
- MediaCityUK to Etihad Campus
Monday-Thursday: Every 12 minutes 0700 to 2000
Friday: Every 12 minutes 0700 to 2000
Saturday: Every 12 minutes 0900 to 1830
At all other times the Eccles to Ashton-under-Lyne service runs via MediaCityUK
- Trafford Centre to Cornbrook
Monday-Thursday: Every 12 minutes 0600 to 0000
Friday: Every 12 minutes 0600 to 0100
Saturday: Every 12 minutes 0600 to 0100
Sunday: Every 12 minutes 0700 to 0000
Nottingham Express Transit
Normal service in operation
Stagecoach Supertram
Monday to Saturday
Blue route: Up to every 15 minutes during the day and every 20 minutes at other times
Purple route: Every 30 minutes
Yellow route: Normal timetable (up to every 10-12 minutes during the day and every 20 minutes at other times)
Tram-Train service: 2 services an hour
Sunday
Blue route: Every 20 minutes
Purple route: Every 30 minutes
Yellow route: Every 20 minutes
Tram-Train service: 2 services an hour
Tyne and Wear Metro
Normal service in operation
West Midlands Metro
Until Sunday 25th July
Monday to Friday
Up to every 7 minutes (reduced frequency early morning and evenings)
First tram from Library at 0510. First tram from Wolverhampton St George’s at 0515.
Last tram from Library at 0030. Last tram from Wolverhampton St George’s at 0023.
Saturday
Up to every 10 minutes
First tram from Library at 0510. First tram from Wolverhampton St George’s at 0515.
Last tram from Library at 0057. Last tram from Wolverhampton St George’s at 0103.
Sunday
Up to every 10 minutes
First tram from Library at 0800. First tram from Wolverhampton St George’s at 0800.
Last tram from Library at 2355. Last tram from Wolverhampton St George’s at 0000.
From Monday 26th July
No trams will run between Bull Street and Library until October. Trams will run to the following frequency between Wolverhampton St George’s and Bull Street.
Monday to Friday
Up to every 7 minutes (reduced frequency early morning and evenings)
First full route tram from Bull Street at 0500. First full route tram from Wolverhampton St George’s at 0515.
Last full route tram from Bull Street at 2330. Last full route tram from Wolverhampton St George’s at 2330.
Earlier and later departures to and from Wednesbury Parkway.
Saturday
Up to every 8 minutes
First full route tram from Bull Street at 0515. First full route tram from Wolverhampton St George’s at 0515.
Last full route tram from Bull Street at 0000. Last full route tram from Wolverhampton St George’s at 0000.
Earlier and later departures to and from Wednesbury Parkway.
Sunday
Up to every 10 minutes
First full route tram from Bull Street at 0805. First full route tram from Wolverhampton St George’s at 0800.
Last full route tram from Bull Street at 2300. Last full route tram from Wolverhampton St George’s at 2300.
Earlier and later departures to and from Wednesbury Parkway.
- The revised timetables can be downloaded at https://westmidlandsmetro.com/using-the-metro/service-status/
Although the legal requirement to wear masks on board public transport was removed in England from Monday 19th May it remains mandatory on Docklands Light Railway, London Tramlink, Manchester Metrolink and Tyne and Wear Metro and highly recommended on all other systems in England. The situation in Scotland and Ireland has not changed and remains a legal requirement. If travelling on board any tram or light rail system please remain cautious and be considerate to all other passengers on board. The information provided above is the basic service information taken from the official websites of the systems mentioned. Some websites are much better than others with timetables often very difficult to find (if at all!) as the service frequency is considered to be so regular that you don’t need to know exactly when the next tram may run! Where normal timetable is shown above this is the same frequency as was running pre-Covid. If you are planning to travel on any system we advise you check before travelling, not only for the service running but also any special rules in place. As always we provide this information in good faith but accept no responsibility for any errors (but if you do see any please let us know!).