The Tram Train pilot is set to achieve a key milestone

The Tram Train project in South Yorkshire will soon take a significant step towards completion as construction work continues.

This significant step is the replacement of College Road bridge in Rotherham to make way for a new, higher bridge to be installed so the overhead lines (which power the Tram Trains) can be safely installed underneath.

The old bridge will be demolished using a crane and work will also be carried out to bring the signalling system, which controls Tram Train movements, into operation.

“Tram Trains will bring new travel choices for people living in South Yorkshire as well as being a first for the UK,” said Rob Cairns, Route Delivery Director for Network Rail. “The work we have planned is a crucial step forward as we work with our partners to deliver the full Tram Train service from Sheffield city centre to Rotherham Central and Parkgate next year.”

The Tram Train pilot will help the rail industry understand and assess the technical issues involved with planning and operating a Tram Train service. It will be the first time a Tram Train system has operated in the UK and is delivered by South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive (SYPTE), Network Rail, Northern, Stagecoach Supertram and the Department for Transport (DfT).

“Passengers in South Yorkshire will be the first in the country to benefit from pioneering Tram Trains,” added Stephen Edwards, Executive Director for SYTPE. “The pilot has the ability to transform transport connections both locally and nationally, and the College Road bridge engineering work is an important milestone towards making Tram Trains a reality from 2018.”

To allow for these works, College Road will be closed for 18 weeks from Friday 14 April to Friday 18 August 2017. To find out more information about the Tram Train project go to sypte.co.uk/tramtrain