Government funds are needed to renew Supertram says mayor

SOUTH YORKSHIRE Mayor Dan Jarvis has said the renewal of Supertram and getting the backing of the Government must come first before looking to lay the groundworks for expansion of the service.

He said he had to fight “tooth and nail” alongside other metro mayors with tram networks to secure emergency funding from Government to keep services running during the pandemic.

But Supertram, which covers Sheffield and parts of Rotherham through tram-train, is due for renewal in 2024 and costs are likely to be over £400m – with a contribution from councils.

Government handed Sheffield City Region £166m in the guise of the Transforming Cities Fund which the region had to bid for – less than the £220m expected.

Ministers had ‘indicated support’ for the renewal of Supertram but Mr Jarvis said the Government is consumed with the pandemic and the finances associated with the crisis.

He said: “I’m in constant talks with the Department for Transport about renewing Supertram.

“Obviously the priority in recent months has been about keeping the system going. I’ve had to fight tooth and nail to get additional money out of national government to keep Supertram running, and we’ve been able to do that.

“We’ve got to look at our public transport system in the round, so I don’t look at buses, or the tram in isolation, because we need an integrated network, but we are working closely with the DfT nationally and with Sheffield Council, to ensure that we are in a financial position to invest in the renewal of Supertram.

“I’ve always said we will renew Supertram, it is an expensive project to do but that is something that we will do with a significant amount of that investment will have to come from national government.

“But what we don’t yet know is where Government are post-pandemic in terms of what money they will make available. There is no reduction in our commitment to make sure that we renew and then enhance Supertram.”

Tentative plans are afoot for future tram-train expansion which includes a route beyond Parkgate in Rotherham and adding stops on existing routes at Swinton, Warmsworth in Doncaster and the town centre.

Places in Sheffield like Beighton, Stocksbridge, Heeley, Millhouses, Totley, Chapeltown, Woodhouse and Handsworth could all in future become part of the tram-train network, using existing rail routes.

Places like Meadowhead and other stops along the A61 Chesterfield Road could also be used in a later expansion plan.

Sheffield City Region bosses are keen to expand the service to Barnsley and Doncaster. Both councils pay a levy towards the network without directly benefiting.

Mr Jarvis has previously said that there is an ambition to roll the network out from Waverley towards Mexborough before a terminus at Doncaster Sheffield Airport and also towns in the Barnsley Dearne Valley area.

Plans laid out for the renewal of the service includes improvements to the network with a fleet of close to 30 trams, track improvements, better facilities for passengers, refurbishment and extension of the depot, renewal of control, signalling and communications systems and renewed and enlarged power supply.

I’ve had to fight tooth and nail to get money to keep Supertram running. South Yorkshire Mayor Dan Jarvis.