Dogs are now being allowed to travel on-board Sheffield’s Supertram system following confirmation of the start of a pilot by Mayor of South Yorkshire, Oliver Coppard. This comes after the conclusion of a public consultation when out of 10,600 responses 75% were in favour of the change.
Before this pilot, dogs were not able to travel on-board the trams unless they were an assistance dog or were within a carry cage. This was contrary to policies on most of the region’s buses and trains, with a large majority of those in the survey (93%) saying that by allowing dogs on the trams it would help to make a truly integrated transport network.
As part of the pilot, one well-behaved dog is allowed per passenger on Supertram. The outcome of the pilot will inform whether or not to make the change permanent. There have already been successful trials on tram systems in Manchester, the West Midlands and Blackpool.
The news of this pilot comes around a year since Supertram came under local control again. 22nd March 2025 was the exact anniversary of the end of the Stagecoach years and the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority marked the occasion by setting out a £100 million capital improvement programme to the network.
Oliver Coppard commented: “A year ago we took back control of our tram network; a network that hadn’t had much love or investment over its nearly thirty years of life, a network that didn’t work for all too many people.
“There are still challenges, I know: too many trams are cancelled, delays do still happen, ticket prices remain too high.
“But we’ve made huge progress: revenues are up, ticketless travel is down, more people are using the tram. We’re investing tens of millions of pounds into repairing and renewing the network.
“And now we’re taking another step towards creating a fully integrated transport network in South Yorkshire, by allowing dogs on trams. Over 10,600 people responded to our public consultation telling us that’s what they wanted to see, and we’ve listened.
“You can already take dogs on buses and trains, and from today that will be extended to trams so everyone can enjoy seamless journeys even when they’re with their best, four-legged friend. Step by step, we’re fixing public transport in South Yorkshire.”
Sean English, Managing Director of Supertram, added: “With strong public support, we welcome dogs onboard our trams and the benefits it brings to passengers. Ensuring the safety and wellbeing of both our colleagues and customers remains our top priority, and we have measures in place to manage the trial effectively and monitor its impact to ensure a positive experience for everyone.”
The business plan for 2025/6 has also outlined priorities for the network which includes a £15 million investment over the next two years to overhaul and refurbish the trams which are now over 30 years old. Subject to government funding its also hoped to buy a new fleet of trams by 2032.
They are also continuing to review the Supertram timetable to see if and where extra services could be introduced.
Supertram are also renewing their focus on safety, cleanliness and customer service as they seek to make the service something that can be relied on by locals.
Good, no issue on Blackpool Trams. Just needs owners to be sensible and not take them on a crush load!