Major travel disruption expected as date announced for start of big Sheffield Supertram maintenance work

Commuters and shoppers in Sheffield are set to face major travel disruption - with a section of the Supertram system out of action for nine days this month

Bosses at the tram operator have announced that major track repairs will start on the evening of Friday, May 24, and say that parts of the network will be out of action for nine days.

But during the works, carried out by contractor VolkerRail, no tram services will be able to operate between Fitzalan Square/Ponds Forge and the University stop. West Street, City Hall, Cathedral, Castle Square and Fitzalan Square/Ponds Forge tram stops will not be served.

Bosses have described the project as ‘multi-million pound investment work to future-proof and extend the lifespan of the Supertram network’. They are expected to be completed in time for services to restart on Monday, June 3.

It is to be the first phase of the rail replacement engineering work. Further works are planned in other areas of the tram network over the summer.

Melanie Corcoran, executive director of transport at SYMCA, said: “These essential works are vital to extend the lifespan of the Supertram network.

“Every effort is being made to minimise the impact and to keep people moving while this work progresses.

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“By replacing the track we’re making sure the region’s tram network can continue to safely provide its popular service for generations to come.”

In addition, works will be carried out at Netherthorpe Road tram stop to replace the tram shelters. To ensure the health and safety of both the passengers and site workers, the platform will be closed throughout the works.

Trams will not serve Netherthorpe Road tram stop and will, instead, run directly between University and Shalesmoor tram stops, in both directions.

Customers travelling towards Middlewood/Malin Bridge should use either the University or Shalesmoor tram stops. Those wishing to travel towards Sheffield city centre should use the bus stop on Broad Lane/Beet Street to access a dedicated tram replacement bus service, TR1.

Revised services

To allow the essential engineering works to take place between Cathedral and the junction above Park Square roundabout, tram and Tram Train services will be subject to alteration from Saturday, 25 May until start of service on Monday, 3 June.

During the works, the Supertram network will run a revised timetable as follows:

Blue Route services will run between Malin Bridge P&R and University of Sheffield only (omitting Netherthorpe Road tram stop) with a reduced frequency of every 20 minutes during the day.

Yellow Route services will run between Middlewood P&R and University of Sheffield only (omitting Netherthorpe Road tram stop) with a reduced frequency of every 20 minutes during the day.

Purple Route services will run between Herdings Park and Cricket Inn Road only every 60 minutes.

Temporary Green Route services will run between Halfway and Meadowhall Interchange - serving stops on the Blue Route between Halfway and Sheffield Station and the Yellow Route between Hyde Park and Meadowhall Interchange - up to every 12 minutes during the day.

Tram Train services will run between Rotherham Parkgate and Sheffield Station only to the normal frequency of two services per hour.

Tram replacement bus service TR1 will run between the University of Sheffield and Shrewsbury Road (behind Sheffield Railway Station) and serve bus stops located near all the affected tram stops along the route as follows:

Monday to Saturday: every six minutes from around 05:30 until 20:00, then every 15 minutes until approx. 00:50

Sunday: every six minutes from approx. 07:00 until 19:00, then every 15 minutes until 00:40.

Alternatively, local bus services are available, but customers will have to pay to travel as usual.

All tram and multi-modal tickets are valid for the replacement bus service.