The 2015 Light Rail Awards, which took place on Wednesday 7th October, saw over 250 guests from 8 different countries attend to celebrate achievements and initiatives within the light rail industry.
Edinburgh Trams were named Operator of the Year following the 2014 launch of a new line through the city. Passengers of Edinburgh Trams not only benefit from additional, simpler commuting options, but also free onboard passenger Wi-Fi.
Ian Craig, Chief Executive of Transport for Edinburgh “Initiating and running a brand new operation comes with many challenges and Edinburgh Trams has risen to them all. It’s great to be recognised by the industry in this way and, with passenger satisfaction ratings among the best in the UK, we know our customers like what we do too.”
Also among this year’s winners were Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), who won multiple awards and continue to be recognised for their success. The TfGM Metrolink Wi-Fi programme, which provides free passenger Wi-Fi on all Metrolink trams, won the Best Customer Initiative award, marking a notable step towards a better-connected future. As well as this, the Metrolink Airport line scooped the award for Project of the Year over €50m, and TfGM were highly commended for recently transforming the Deansgate-Castlefield Metrolink stop in the Project of the Year under €50m category.
Chair of the TfGM Committee, Andrew Fender, said “Free Wi-Fi on our trams means customers can browse the Internet, use social media or catch up with work emails, as well as accessing online journey planning tools and service information – it’s all part of making travel easier, more pleasant and even more productive.
“We’re delighted that these achievements here in Greater Manchester have been nationally recognised as leading examples of success in the transport industry.”
