The National Transport Awards, which are organised by the Transport Times, will be taking place this year in 1st October and the shortlist of nominees has recently been announced. The ceremony includes a UK Tram Operator of the Year category, amongst many other awards which aim to highlight the unwavering commitment, expertise and innovation of those working tirelessly to improve transport networks across the UK.
Obviously the one category which is dominated by tramways is the Tram Operator of the Year. There will be three systems up for the award and they are Blackpool Tramway (the current holder of the award), Edinburgh Trams, and West Midlands Metro.
Blackpool Transport have also been nominated in the Campaign of the Year category where their Festive Family Saver is recognised. That is likely to be a hard fought category which also includes nominees such as Alstom for the Greatest Gathering and Transport for Greater Manchester for hyperlocal marketing to get people on board the bus.
In the Best Alliance/Collaboration of the Year, the Light Rail Standards and Safety Board are nominated alongside VibeSafe Technology and Efficiency Ups Ltd for Safer Tram Crossings. This is pioneering technology that will use track vibrations to alert pedestrians of approaching trams at crossings, with initial trials having already taken place in Sheffield.
The winners will be announced at a black tie ceremony taking place at the Westminster Park Plaza, London on 1st October 2026. Key note speaker is currently planned to be Secretary of State for Transport, Heidi Alexander MP, although presumably that all depends on if she is still in position by then!
- The full shortlist can be seen at https://www.transporttimes.co.uk/Admin/uploads/ntas-26-final-shortlist.pdf
Sorry to seem so negative about all this but, seriously’
TRAM OPERATOR OF THE YEAR!!!!
BLACKPOOL!!?? Is someone avin’ a larf??!!
Whoever came up with that nomination must not have been there recently, or even heard of ORR.
Or alternatively, the award goes to Blackpool for being a bit more honest and open in admitting their shortcomings when certain others facing similar regulatory interventions have managed to keep it very quiet???
But Blackpool haven’t admitted their shortcomings. They have had them exposed for everyone to see following the intervention of ORR, surely?
Which, ‘certain others facing similar regulatory interventions’ by the way?
As BTS gleefully rubs its hands together at the thought of yet more awards, I wonder if any of its managers have considered increasing the Tramway’s service frequency during the high summer season, let alone undertaking some work upon a few of the heritage trams to provide an added attraction?
Also, are the Flexities still subject to that 20 mph speed limit? I assume that Lord St Fleetwood is still closed with no date set for it to reopen. The complete lack of news updates on all the above shows how little any of those in charge really care.
Unfortunately Blackpool’s example of a modern light rail system is woeful in comparison to so many systems that have been built globally. Most heritage operations of all modes of transport offer a more resilient and reliable.
It just gives ammunition to the naysayers and sets the bar so low for proposed systems such as Bradford / Leeds (why even bother with a single route? Get a better rail service instead.), which will probably not come to fruition.
Frankly, it seems easier to find out what is happening within the higher echelons of GCHQ than it is to get a straight answer, or indeed any answer at all, about anything from BTS.