For most of you reading this website it is probably no big surprise to hear that Nottingham Express Transit are renewing their pleas to motorists driving close to the tramway to be careful, especially when you consider the number of trams in Nottingham which have been sidelined for significant periods after being involved in collisions. As part of the latest campaign, NET have also revealed the cost of these collisions \u2013 with the largest incident to date having cost more than \u00a3500,000.<\/p>\n
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During 2025 figures showed that incidents increased by 19%. Between January and October 2025 there were 205 emergency brake activations reported that took place to avoid motorists, with many of these due to drivers running a red light.<\/p>\n
The impacts of the collisions \u2013 and near misses \u2013 has also been highlighted. Its not just the monetary cost of repairs (a single incident can cost over \u00a3100,000 and lead to trams being out of service for some time) but also operational (last year this led to a reduced timetable because of a shortage of trams mainly caused by collisions) and emotional impacts for those involved in the incidents.<\/p>\n
One driver commented on the far-reaching effects of one split second decision: \u201cThere is nothing that could have prepared me for my incident. I never thought I would see someone run a red light all to gain a few seconds. I can still see the incident in slow motion. Hundreds of people place their trust in you daily. That trust can be broken in a split second because of someone else\u2019s actions.\u201d<\/p>\n
Another driver described how his trust in himself was affected after an accident: \u201cHaving an incident that isn\u2019t my fault has made me question if I am good enough for this job. Having a car pass a red light and into the side of my tram has really knocked my confidence.\u201d<\/p>\n
Although each driver is offered targeted support following a crash, the emotional impact of these collisions is clear. One driver said: \u201cPut simply, I am not the same person I was before my collision. I have been fortunate enough to continue my role as a tram driver, however I live in constant fear of the same situation happening again. After my incident the only thing I wanted to do was go home and see my children. People often forget we are humans, not robots.\u201d<\/p>\n
Connor Hardy, Quality, Health, Safety and Environmental Manager at NET, said: \u201cEvery collision between a road vehicle and a tram on our network has serious consequences far beyond the moment of impact, which puts strain on our infrastructure and ultimately, affects our ability to keep more passengers moving.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf car drivers ignore traffic lights, enter restricted tram lanes or misjudge tram movements, and it results in a collision, it causes immediate service disruption. This affects thousands of passengers, both those on that tram and those wanting to use the network that day, ruining their day while reducing our fare revenue \u2013 an essential source of income to keep the network running. Add to this, the costs accumulated through engineering resources and replacement bus services, as well as repair work to the trams, highway infrastructure and overhead lines, together with lost driver time and the emotional impact on them, and this can all affect our operations for weeks beyond the day of the incident.<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery avoidable collision carries a major operational and economic impact for the entire network and city. We\u2019re hoping to raise awareness of the issue to help reverse the trend. By thinking twice before rushing and being alert on the road, motorists can help to keep their journeys \u2013 and those of others \u2013 safe and incident free, whilst also supporting a service that thousands depend on every day for work, study and leisure.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
For most of you reading this website it is probably no big surprise to hear that Nottingham Express Transit are renewing their pleas to motorists driving close to the tramway to be careful, especially when you consider the number of … Continue reading