Sheffield Supertram
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Siemens-Duewag Supertram in July 2010
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| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Owner | South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive |
| Locale | Sheffield |
| Transit type | Light rail tram |
| Number of lines | 3 |
| Number of stations | 48 |
| Annual ridership | 11.6 million (2015/16) |
| Website | www |
| Operation | |
| Began operation | 21 March 1994 |
| Operator(s) | Stagecoach |
| Number of vehicles | 25 Siemens-Duewag Supertram 7 Vossloh British Rail Class 399 |
| Technical | |
| System length | 29 km (18 mi) |
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) |
| Electrification | Overhead line (750 V DC) |
| Top speed | 50 miles per hour (80 km/h) |
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Franchise(s): | Tram-train operator, not subject to franchising Services to begin in 2017 |
| Main Region(s): | South Yorkshire |
| Other Region(s): | North East Derbyshire |
| Fleet size: | 25 (6 tram-trains on order) (1 in-testing, estimated in service mid-2016) |
| Stations called at: | 48 |
| Route km operated: | 29 |
| Parent company: | Stagecoach |
| Website: | www.supertram.net |
The Sheffield Supertram (officially the Stagecoach Supertram) is an English light rail tram system in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire. The infrastructure is owned by the South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive, with Stagecoach operating and maintaining the trams. The service commenced in 1994 and currently consists of three lines, named after colours.
Following a parliamentary act in 1985 authorising the scheme, the Supertram line was built by the South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive (SYPTE) at a cost of £240 million, and opened in stages in 1994/95. It was operated by South Yorkshire Supertram Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary company of SYPTE. In December 1997, the company was sold to Stagecoach for £1.15 million. Stagecoach gained the concession to maintain and operate the Supertram trams until 2024. Patronage has grown from 7.8 million passenger journeys in 1996/97, to 15.0 million in 2011/12. In 2014/15 it carried 11.5 million passengers.
A tram-train extension to Rotherham is currently under construction and is scheduled to open in 2017, with a fleet of seven Vossloh Citylink Class 399 tram-trains in a UK first. This will involve trams operating on Network Rail's Dearne Valley Line from Meadowhall Interchange to Rotherham station with a short extension to Rotherham Parkgate Shopping Centre. The proposed station will be a combined tram stop and railway station. It is also planned that Rotherham Parkgate will be the hub for longer distance inter regional services, while Central station will be the hub for local, Yorkshire based services. To cater for the tram train services, Rotherham Central will have a third platform built. It is thought that constructing the station will cost around £14 million (£53 million including the railway service to Leeds) and deliver economic benefits worth over £100 million. A study has concluded that it is not worth expanding Rotherham Central railway station because it would cost £161 million to expand the station but only deliver benefits worth £76 million. This is why constructing a new station is considered more viable.
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