Sheffield trams: Major disruption in store this summer as £5m Supertram works begin - all the routes affected
Tram passengers in Sheffield face major disruption this summer during extensive rail replacement work.
The work is set to begin on Saturday, July 20 and run until Sunday, September 1.
Some stops will not be served during the works, revised timetables will be in place and there will be a tram replacement bus service.
Why is the work taking place?
But South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA), which took Supertram services back under public control earlier this year, say the works have been planned to keep disruption to a minimum.
The majority of the Supertram network will be operating as normal throughout the works, carried out by VolkerRail, with only small sections of the tram track affected at a time.
SYMCA said it is investing around £5 million this year to ‘future proof and extend the lifespan of our tram network’.
It said the new rail will make journeys more comfortable, cut noise in areas where tracks are currently worn, and reduce the risk of unplanned closures.
How will my journey be affected?
The works are being split into three phases:
White Lane, Crystal Peaks and Waterthorpe (blue and purple routes) - Saturday, July 20 and Friday, August 2, with the blue and purple routes affected
Hollinsend, Ridgeway Road (outbound) and Herdings (blue and purple routes) - Saturday, August 3 to Sunday, August 11
Middlewood Road (yellow route) - Monday 12 August to Sunday 1 September.
During the first phase of the engineering works, at White Lane, Crystal Peaks and Waterthorpe, the following stops will not be served: Halfway, Westfield, Waterthorpe, Beighton/Drakehouse Lane, Crystal Peaks, Moss Way, Donetsk Way, Hackenthorpe, Birley Moor Road, Birley Lane and White Lane. Blue route tram services will run a revised route and timetable between Malin Bridge Park & Ride and Herdings Park (replacing the Purple Route services) operating at the normal frequency.
Purple Route tram services will not operate (they will be replaced by revised Blue Route services - increasing the frequency of trams serving Herdings Park).
Yellow route tram services and tram train services will run as normal.
Tram replacement bus service
A tram replacement bus service, BL1, will run up to every 12 minutes Monday to Saturday and up to every 20 minutes on Sundays, between Gleadless Townend and Halfway, serving limited bus stops located near all the affected tram stops along the route.
All valid tram and multi-modal tickets will be accepted for travel on the BL1 replacement bus service. Customers can buy their ticket in advance using the TSY Mobile app or from a tram conductor.
Customers can view the BL1 timetable via the Travel South Yorkshire (TSY) online Timetable Finder.
Alternative bus services are available, and information will be available on the TSY Journey Planner.
Further information is available via a dedicated webpage: travelsouthyorkshire.com/NetworkImprovements. 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 the TSY disruptions page at travelsouthyorkshire.com/en-gb/newsupdates/disruptions.
Customers can check the TSY website and social media channels for the latest information.
Melanie Corcoran, SYMCA’s executive director of transport, said: “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.”
More detailed information about the impact of the phase two and three works will be released in due course.