Manchester Metrolink depot

Tram

The return of the tram to our city streets has been a major success story. Find out how we are working to bring the benefits of modern light rail systems to more of our urban centres.

Leading light - what light rail can do for city regions

Light rail is now playing a bigger role in the life of British towns and cities than since the heyday of urban tram systems between the First and Second World Wars.

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Light rail briefing

What is light rail and why should we build light rail schemes? Our briefing answers key questions on this high capacity, fast, frequent and cost effective mode of transport.

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How we work on light rail

 

Stephen Edwards, Corporate Director of Public Transport at South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority, is our lead Board member on light rail, working with Urban Transport Group Director Jonathan Bray, who is the lead staff member on light rail.

We work with UKTram as the lead UK national body for all aspects of tram and light rail development and operation. Our Light Rail group focuses on overarching light rail funding and policy issues.

Briefing

The role of LRT during and after the pandemic

This factsheet sets out examples and statistics on the key role that light rail has played in getting key workers where they need to be during the pandemic and the essential role it will have in building back better afterwards.

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Briefing
Continuing COVID Funding Support for Urban Public Transport cover

Continuing COVID Funding Support for Urban Public Transport

This report finds that if Government’s Covid-related financial support to urban public transport outside London ends (in March 2022), buses would soon be less frequent and more expensive, and patronage would be substantially lower than pre-Covid levels, potentially up to 30% lower.
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Resources for this topic

View documents, reports and other material.

Future Streets report cover

Report

Future Streets: Challenges and opportunities

Streets are often the most contested spaces in any town or city. There are a large number and wide variety of calls on street space (at least 160 legitimate calls), and they simply can’t all be met. This report seeks to help local highway and strategic transport authorities rise to the challenge of better street and kerbside management.
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Continuing COVID Funding Support for Urban Public Transport cover

Report

Continuing COVID Funding Support for Urban Public Transport

This report finds that if Government’s Covid-related financial support to urban public transport outside London ends (in March 2022), buses would soon be less frequent and more expensive, and patronage would be substantially lower than pre-Covid levels, potentially up to 30% lower.
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Leading light cover

Report

Leading Light: What Light Rail can do for City Regions

This report, produced by Steer for the Urban Transport Group, shows how Britain’s light rail systems have supported economic growth in the areas that they serve, promoted social inclusion and led to environmental gain, including a reduction in carbon emissions.
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Number crunch 2019 cover

Report

Number crunch 2019: Urban transport trends in changing times

This is the second in our Number crunch report series and provides an updated overview of the key trends over the last ten years, as well as taking a look at what the new and most recent data is telling us.

We are living in rapidly changing times. Big shifts are taking place in urban transport trends.

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Policy Futures for urban transport

Report

Policy futures for urban transport

The latest edition of Policy futures for urban transport emphasises how a new deal on funding and powers is essential to keep the UK's cities moving forward.

The report sets out the 10 key policy changes that are needed to make cities healthier, fairer and more prosperous.

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Horizon Scan

Report

Horizon scan of implications of technological and social change

This report aims to provide decision makers with a guide to the implications for urban transport of transformative social and technological change and how they can best respond. 

The report (which was produced in collaboration with Arup Foresight) identifies four key overarching trends: 

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Report

Light Rail and the City Regions Inquiry - Final Report

Report setting out the findings of the All Party Parliamentary Light Rail Group/pteg Light Rail and the City Regions Inquiry. The report includes a suite of recommendations for national government, local transport authorities and the light rail sector based on evidence submitted to the Inquiry.

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Report

What light rail can do for cities

This report sets out the case for investing in light rail. It is based on a detailed review of the available evidence held by the promoters of schemes in the UK looking at the benefits that have been delivered so far and how these have been achieved.

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New approach needed to take the conflict out of the streets of the future, urges report

Person cycling in London
There are at least 160 legitimate calls on street space and they cannot all be met. A new report from Urban Movement for the Urban Transport Group calls for a fresh approach to remove the conflict from the competing demands for street space.

Urban Transport Group welcomes Government’s extension of COVID funding for public transport

Elderly people on bus
The Urban Transport Group has today welcomed the announcement that Government will extend its COVID funding support for local transport for a further six months.

Protect and expand Britain’s light rail systems to aid city regions’ recovery from COVID pandemic, urges report

Birmingham Metro
Britain’s light rail systems are instrumental in supporting economic growth, promoting social inclusion and achieving environmental gains (including a reduction in carbon emissions) in the urban areas that they serve.

Tram and light rail providers welcome new Covid funding package

Midland Metro
The Urban Transport Group, which represents the transport authorities responsible for tram and light rail systems in the English city regions, has today welcomed a new £56 million funding package from Government for tram and light rail systems outside London.

New report commissioned to highlight key role of light rail in city region COVID-19 recovery

Metrolink Tram
The Urban Transport Group has commissioned a new report, from transport consultancy Steer, which will provide a comprehensive analysis and summary of the benefits of light rail as a mode, as well as setting out the economic, environmental and social benefits that UK tram and light rail systems have brought.

Urban transport authorities welcome extension of COVID light rail funding support

Midland Metro
The Urban Transport Group today welcomed the extension by one month (from June 21st to July 19th) of funding from Government to close the gap caused by loss of patronage due to the pandemic.

City regions welcome continued emergency light rail funding

Metrolink Tram
The Urban Transport Group has today welcomed continued emergency funding for light rail systems outside London, but stressed that longer term funding will be needed whilst public transport recovers from the pandemic.

Urban Transport Group brings together past and present Nexus leaders to celebrate 40 years of Tyne and Wear Metro at special event

Tyne and Wear Metro

The Urban Transport Group is bringing together the former boss of Nexus (the public body which operates the Tyne and Wear Metro) Mike Parker and its current Director General Tobyn Hughes for a special event to celebrate 40 years of the unique and pioneering light rail system. 

City regions must be “at the heart” of Government’s Green Industrial Revolution

Metrolink Tram
The Urban Transport Group, the UK’s network of city region transport authorities, has today responded to the Government’s Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution.

Tram and light rail authorities respond to Government statement on further funding support

Manchester Metrolink tram
The Urban Transport Group has today welcomed the Government’s announcement of further COVID19 funding support for tram and light rail systems in England outside London.

Report paints stark picture for future of bus and tram services without continued Government COVID-19 support

Empty bus image
The future of local public transport services is at serious risk - including the potential for deep cuts to bus services and the temporary closure of light rail systems - without continued COVID-19 financial support from Government, according to a new report. 

Empower urban transport authorities to build back better from COVID-19, urges report

Build back better image
Transport authorities can play their part in shaping a positive legacy of COVID-19 for the UK’s city regions, provided they are given both the funding and powers they need to respond to the challenges that lie ahead.

City regions respond to Government’s COVID-19 funding for urban public transport

Stephen Edwards image
The Urban Transport Group, the UK’s network of city region transport authorities, has today responded to the Government’s package of financial support for urban public transport as it works to keep people moving through the COVID-19 crisis.

Changing travel habits in UK’s cities revealed in new data report

Number crunch 2019 cover
Fewer commutes per person, reduced car use in major urban centres and rapidly falling bus patronage – these are just some of the transport trends taking place in the UK’s biggest cities and city regions, as identified in the Urban Transport Group’s latest data report.

National Infrastructure Commission is right to make devolved transport funding for cities a key test for Government’s future infrastructure plan

Bus
The National Infrastructure Commission’s call for Government to make devolved funding for urban transport to cities a key test of the Government’s forthcoming National Infrastructure Strategy is hugely welcome, says the Urban Transport Group.

South Yorkshire transport chief is new Chair of Urban Transport Group

Stephen Edwards
Stephen Edwards, the Executive Director of South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive (SYPTE), is the new Chair of the Urban Transport Group.

‘Transit oriented development’ can help meet housing demand and reduce car-based urban sprawl, says report

The place to be visual
Placing transport at the heart of new building developments will help the UK to meet its demand for new homes and prevent car-based urban sprawl, a report from the Urban Transport Group says today.

Leading urban transport data tool relaunches with expansive range of new statistics

Data Hub on laptop
The country’s leading online tool for transport data in cities has been relaunched today to include an even wider range of transport-related statistics, such as congestion, road safety and satisfaction.

Transport crucial to achieving Government’s ‘Prevention is better than cure’ vision

Cyclist
The Urban Transport Group has today welcomed the Department of Health and Social Care’s ‘Prevention is better than cure’ vision, whilst also highlighting the crucial role that transport will play in achieving it.

Transport key to ‘putting towns back on the map’, says report

About towns report cover
Transport has a key role to play in helping the UK’s post-industrial towns to thrive – putting them firmly back on the map, a report by the Urban Transport Group finds today.

New deal on funding and powers essential to keep cities moving forward, stresses Urban Transport Group

Walking blur
Further devolution of rail services, greater funding for buses and reform of taxi and Private Hire Vehicle legislation – these are just three parts of a new deal on funding and powers that is required to keep the UK’s cities moving forward.

Dramatic shifts in transport trends of UK cities, revealed in new report

Number crunch cover
Ageing urban populations, rapid bus passenger decline and huge growth in private hire vehicles are just some of the dramatic shifts taking place in UK cities, a new report from the Urban Transport Group reveals today.

New ‘Horizon Scan’ report sets out how forward thinking cities can respond to rapid technological and social change

Horizon Scan cityscape
A new report from pteg aims to provide city decision makers with a guide to the implications for urban transport of transformative social and technological change and how they can best respond. 

pteg welcomes Baker's Tram Report

Yellow Metrolink and passengers
Commenting on the report ‘Green Light for Light Rail' (launched yesterday by local transport Minister Norman Baker) Jonathan Bray, Director of pteg, said:

pteg welcomes tram-train pilot go-ahead

Tram-train in Saarbruken
Chair of pteg Geoff Inskip said: 'We welcome Norman Baker's support for the tram-train pilot scheme..."

pteg welcomes MPs’ tram report

Press release
Welcoming the publication today of the findings of the pteg supported All Party Parliamentary Light Rail Group inquiry into Light Rail and the City Regions, Geoff Inskip (lead Director General for pteg on light rail issues) said...

MPs call for leadership to get trams back on more city streets

Yellow Metrolink and passengers
A cross-party Parliamentary inquiry (supported by pteg) into the future of light rail has found that light rail and modern tram schemes can help transform urban transport systems as well as the wider urban realm, promoting greener, smarter economic growth in the process.

Tram inquiry continues

Press release
The joint, select committee-style inquiry by the All Party Parliamentary Light Rail Group and pteg holds its second hearing today at Westminster after getting off to a strong start with its first hearing, held on 27th Oct.

Tram inquiry gets underway

Manchester Metrolink

The joint inquiry by the All Party Parliamentary Light Rail Group (APPLRG) and pteg will hold its first hearing on Tuesday 27th October at the House of Commons.

The Chair of the inquiry, Paul Rowen MP, today said:

pteg and MPs group launch inquiry into getting tram schemes moving

West Midlands
Today pteg and the All-Party Parliamentary Light Rail Group (APPLRG) announced a select committee style inquiry into the prospects for modern trams in the UK and how barriers to tram scheme development and implementation can be tackled.

Joint call for trams to be treated fairly

Sheffield Supertram
As the Government revises its major scheme business case guidance, Campaign for Better Transport and pteg have called for an end to the discrimination against trams.

pteg sets out agenda on where next for UK light rail

A tram in Zurich, Switzerland
Speaking at the well attended All Party Light Rail Group’s Parliamentary reception last night, Geoff Inskip set out the perspective of Britain’s big city transport authorities on where next for modern trams and light rail in the UK.

PTEs and TfL reaffirm commitment to the tram

Press release
Launching a new brochure on ‘what modern trams can do for cities’, Britain’s largest bloc of tram promoters – TfL and pteg – today, reaffirmed their commitment to developing and promoting tram schemes.

PTAs respond to Government tram decisions

Press release
Responding to the recent decision by the Government to refuse funding for new tram schemes in Leeds, Merseyside and South Hampshire, Cllr Mark Dowd, Chair of the PTA special interest group (which brings together leading councillors from all seven of the UK’s PTAs), said...

PTAs respond to Government tram decisions

Press release

Responding to the recent decision by the Government to refuse funding for new tram schemes in Leeds, Merseyside and South Hampshire, Cllr Mark Dowd, Chair of the PTA special interest group (which brings together leading councillors from all seven of the UK’s PTAs), said:

pteg welcomes Public Accounts Committee light rail report

Press release
The UK’s largest bloc of light rail promoters has welcomed a report by the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee into the future of light rail.

Select Committee puts light rail back on track

Press release
The UK’s largest bloc of light rail promoters gave its wholehearted backing today to a new report from the House of Commons Transport Select Committee on the future of light rail and modern trams.

New report finds the tram beats the bus for getting people out of their cars

Press release
New light rail schemes are far better at attracting motorists and cutting congestion than improvements to bus services, according to a new report, launched by pteg.

pteg backs UKTram

Press release
A new National Tramways Forum, "UKTram" has been established following discussions between pteg, Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT), Light Rapid Transit Forum (LRTF) and TfL London Trams (LT).

We must learn from the French on tram schemes

Press release
‘Significant shifts in government policy, funding and legislation’ are required if new UK tram schemes are to emulate the success of their French counterparts, says a new report - Lessons from French tram schemes - published today by pteg.

National Audit Office report on light rail ‘the way forward’ for next generation of schemes

Press release
pteg today welcomed the findings of the National Audit Office (NAO) report published today on ‘Improving public transport in England through light rail’.

pteg commissions new research on ‘case for light rail’

Press release

pteg has commissioned consultants Steer Davies Gleave to review the transport, economic, environmental and safety benefits of light rail and tram schemes.

Briefing

Briefing on Light Rail

This briefing on Light Rail Systems answers some of the most frequently asked questions about this mode of transport, and presents the benefits that Light Rail can bring.

This updated briefing on Light Rail Systems answers some of the most frequently asked questions about this mode of transport, and presents the benefits that Light Rail can bring.

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