£35.4 million support for light rail operators

Government funding worth an initial £35.4 million will be split across six light rail operators over the next 12 weeks, with a potential further £32.4m to follow.

Blackpool Tramway, Manchester Metrolink, Nottingham Express Transit, Sheffield Supertram, Tyne & Wear Metro and West Midlands Metro will split the money in order to continue operating.

Metrolink will receive the largest amount (£17.52m), while Blackpool Tramway will receive the smallest figure (£352,000).

Revenues have been drastically hit due to COVID-19. The Department for Transport said that more than 119 million journeys are made annually on these networks, and that local authorities and operators would have struggled to maintain services without this funding.

The additional £32.4m after the initial 12 weeks will be subject to a government review, informed by local authorities’ plans to move networks onto a more financially sustainable footing, until the end of March.

“Trams serve as a vital link for communities in the North and Midlands. Whether it’s to get to local shops, school or work, we know many people rely on these services every day,” said Light Rail Minister Baroness Vere.