UKTram’s new Strategy for Light Rail has been welcomed by government ministers. The bold and ambitious strategy aims to secure a sustainable future for light rail in England, Scotland and Wales.
The document has been created following engagement with the Department for Transport. It seeks to draw on expertise from across the sector in order to build a compelling case for tramways and similar transit systems with the benefits of existing networks highlighted throughout.
George Lowder, Chairman of UKTram, said: “The strategy document itself represents many months of work by professionals from across light rail and addresses the key challenges they face, including recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic. At the same time, it brings into focus the many benefits of putting tramways at the heart of future integrated urban transport networks – not least in terms of enhancing connectivity, driving inward investment, reducing congestion and improving air quality.”
Secretary of State for Transport (at least at the time of writing!), Grant Shapps and Transport Minister, Baroness Vere have both supported the strategy which is said to mark an important milestone for the sector’s representative organisation as it looks to forge a fresh approach to overcoming barriers to the expansion of the sector.
As well as providing a wealth of detail on the benefits that existing systems have brought to the places where they operate, the strategy is also calling for closer collaboration between sector stakeholders to drive both innovation and best practice.
- A Light Rail Strategy for the UK is available on the UKTram website at https://uktram.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Strategy-for-Light-Rail-Final.pdf
Is this just another version of the ‘fifteen new light rail systems by 2010’ promise that John Prescott unveiled in 2001? The lesson of history should not give us cause for optimism, as so far very few schemes have ever come to the stage where they carry passengers. .