SECOND AREA OF SUMMER SUPERTRAM INVESTMENT STARTS ON SATURDAY 3 AUGUST

Published 29 July 2024 at 9:29am

The second phase of summer Supertram investment, to future proof and extend the lifespan of the tram, will begin on Saturday 3 August.

These summer network improvement works, carried out by VolkerRail, are scheduled to take place from Saturday 3 August until Sunday 11 August inclusive.

Works commenced at White Lane, Crystal Peaks and Waterthorpe on Saturday 20 July and are progressing well. Works will continue in this area until Friday 2 August before the contractors move to Hollinsend, Ridgeway Road and Herdings from Saturday 3 August.

The works, essential to ensure trams can continue to run safely, are one element of a multi-million-pound investment in the Supertram system.

The impact of these planned works will be kept to a minimum and will only affect small sections of the tram track at a time. The majority of the Supertram network will be operating as normal throughout the works. 

Speaking as the summer re-railing works began in mid-July, Melanie Corcoran, Executive Director of Transport at South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA), said: “The latest phase of works planned to take place during the summer are part of SYMCA’s ongoing investment in Supertram. The rerailing works are critical to extend the lifespan of one the region’s best loved modes of transport.

“By scheduling works over the school summer holidays, when we have smaller passenger numbers, we hope to minimise any passenger and traffic disruption and keep people moving while this work progresses.

“By investing in replacing the track we’re increasing the longevity of the region’s tram network and ensuring the safe operation of this popular service for generations to come.” 

The new rail will give passengers a better travel experience by improving comfort, reducing noise in areas where tracks are currently worn, and reducing the risk of unplanned closures on the network. 

The works will affect trams as follows:

Area	Track affected	Routes affected	Proposed dates
Area 1	White Lane, Crystal Peaks and Waterthorpe	Blue, Purple	Saturday 20 July to Friday 2 August
Area 2	Hollinsend, Ridgeway Road (outbound) and Herdings	Blue, Purple	Saturday 3 August to Sunday 11 August
Area 3	Middlewood Road	Yellow	Monday 12 August to Sunday 1 September

Area 2: Hollinsend, Ridgeway Road, Herdings 

To allow the essential engineering works to take place at Hollinsend, Ridgeway Road and Herdings, tram services will be subject to alteration from Saturday 3 August until Sunday 11 August inclusive. 

Herdings Park, Herdings/Leighton Road, Hollinsend, Manor Top, Spring Lane, Arbourthorne Road, Park Grange, Park Grange Croft, and Granville Road tram stops will not be served during this time.

During the works, the Supertram network will run a revised timetable. 

Blue Route tram services will run a revised timetable, and only operate between:

• Gleadless Townend and Halfway (peak frequency of every 15 mins)
• Malin Bridge and Sheffield Station (peak frequency of every 12 mins)

Purple Route tram services will not operate

Yellow Route tram services and Tram Train services will run as normal

Customers can view the revised timetables via our online Timetable Finder.  

Dedicated tram replacement bus service

A dedicated tram replacement bus service, BP1, will operate to help people make their journeys from Saturday 3 August to Sunday 11 August inclusive. The BP1 will run between Commercial Street (near Fitzalan Square) in the city centre and Herdings Park, via Gleadless Townend, and will serve limited bus stops located near all the affected tram stops along the route as follows: 

• Monday to Saturday: every 20 minutes in the early morning, every 15 minutes during the day, and every 30 minutes in the evening
• Sunday: every 20 minutes in the early morning and during the day, and every 30 minutes in the evening. 

All valid tram and multi-modal tickets will be accepted for travel on the BP1 replacement bus service. Customers can buy their ticket in advance using the TSY Mobile app or from a tram conductor. 

Customers can view the BP1 timetable via our online Timetable Finder.

Alternative bus services;

There are alternative travel options through the wider South Yorkshire bus network.

Our Journey Planner will have up to date information about the changes to tram services as well as the replacement bus service to help people plan their journey during the works. It should be noted that during these works, Supertram tickets will only be accepted on the BP1 bus service.

Further information is available via a dedicated webpage.  Alternatively, customers can call Traveline on 0800 952 0002.

Details of the impact of the rail replacement works on tram and bus services will be available on our Travel South Yorkshire disruptions page.

Customers are advised to keep checking our website and social media channels for the latest information. 

More information on Area 3 of the work will follow nearer the time.