The Department for Transport (DfT) has awarded South Yorkshire PTE £5 million, as a one off payment as part of the DfT’s Local Pinch Point Fund, to replace tram tracks around Sheffield city centre.
The project , which is the first stage of a £32 million scheme to replace rails across the network, will be delivered by SYPTE in conjunction with tram operator Stagecoach and Sheffield City Council.
Work will start in June and focus on the section of track between Spring Lane and Park Grange Croft tram stops. It is expected that this work will take 12 weeks to complete.
Engineers estimate that around 22 kilometres of route will need its rails replacing with harder wearing steel over the next decade and it’s envisaged that the new rails will have a life expectancy of around 30 years.
The work will be aligned with the planned tram train pilot project which is expected to commence in 2016 and will link Sheffield with Rotherham.
