Services on Stagecoach Supertram are expected to return to normal during the week commencing 11th November – subject to weather conditions – when the rail replacement works on Park Grange Road finally come to a close. Nearly 5,000 metres of rail has been replaced and Volkerrail are now completing the final 5% of the works – although dry weather is required to complete this work and so any prolonged spells of wet weather will mean a further delay to the programme.
The first phase of the £32 million scheme to replace life expired track on the Supertram network began in July with trams unable to run to Herdings Park or between Sheffield Station and Spring Lane since then. There have also been a number of weekend track closures in other locations on the network which have led to further disruption for passengers and the familiar sight of replacement bus services running around Sheffield. But now there is finally a light at the end of the tunnel for long suffering travellers.
It had originally been planned that the works would have been completed by the end of October but because of the “complex nature” of the work, which involves the weather being closely monitored, it has proved not possible to meet this deadline. This is just the first phase of works and the next few years are likely to see further disruption to passengers as the network is fully upgraded to be fit for many more years of service.