UK: Fleet renewal and network expansion are included in the ambitions South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority set out when it took over management of Sheffield Supertram following the end of Stagecoach’s operating contract.
From March 22 services are being operated by South Yorkshire Future Tram Ltd, a newly formed, publicly owned arm’s length company.
Existing staff have transferred over. ‘I would like to extend a sincere thank you to the Supertram team’, said Stagecoach Non-Executive Chairman Ray O’Toole. ‘Their commitment to serving the community of South Yorkshire has been pivotal in shaping the success of our 27-year long partnership and we at Stagecoach wish them all the very best in their next chapter with SYMCA.’
Passengers are not expected to see many immediate changes, although Stagecoach bus and tram tickets are no longer valid for tram travel; tram-only products purchased on the Stagecoach website and app will be accepted until they expire.
There will be a 10% discount on one, five, seven and 28-day tram-only fares until June 30, and a new ticketing app has been launched with multimodal journey planning capability to be added.
The stops and shelters are to be deep cleaned, and there will be a review of the tram timetable looking for opportunities to better cater to passenger demand.
There will be a new website, with a survey seeking views on personal safety, cleanliness, condition and maintenance of seating, tram stop information, bike facilities and being able to take a dog on a tram.
There are plans for the tram fleet to be refurbished by March 2027, and ‘a whole new fleet’ rolled out by 2032, subject to government funding; an investment case was submitted this week.
A new stop is to open later this year at Magna in Rotherham, and opportunities are being explored for tram-train expansion to Stocksbridge, Barrow Hill and Chesterfield.
‘One small step for tram’
Sheffield’s second-generation tramway opened in 1994-95, initially being run by the South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive before being taken over by Stagecoach in 1997 under a contract running to 2024.
The transfer to public operation was announced in 2022 as part of SYMCA’s ambitions to position Supertram as part of a fully integrated transport network. This includes exploring opportunities for ‘renewal, improvement and even extension’ of the network.
The authority said taking the tramway under public control will enable integration with buses, train and active travel to create ‘a London-style fully integrated public transport system’.
South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard, said ‘today is a historic day for South Yorkshire; it’s one small step for tram, but it’s the first step in our journey back to a public transport system that puts people first, connecting our communities and helping us to build a bigger and better economy’.
