West Midlands Metro earns international recognition at awards gala

West Midlands Metro has earned an international award for its unwavering commitment to delivering wide-ranging improvements for customers, the environment, and the communities.

The tram operator was recognised as ‘The Most Improved System’ at the Global Light Rail Awards gala event in London.

The accolade reflects a year of significant investment and innovation across the network, resulting in improved reliability, customer satisfaction, and sustainability.

Sophie Allison, Metro managing director, said: “It’s fair to say that the network has faced numerous challenges in recent years, but thanks to the fantastic work of the team and investment across the existing network, the Metro is now more popular than ever.

“Over the past 12 months, we’ve seen growing customer numbers and enhanced operational performance, alongside a reduction in our carbon footprint.”

A wide range of initiatives have contributed to West Midlands Metro’s recent success, including a series of infrastructure and track upgrades, the rollout of state-of-the-art ticket machines, support for local community groups and businesses and the installation of 100 per cent energy-efficient LED lighting across the fleet and network.

A range of measures aimed at enhancing safety and security on the network have also been introduced, including the adoption of a pedestrian safety campaign led by the Light Rail Safety and Standards Board.

The awards also recognised outstanding individual contributions within the Metro team.

Michael Parkes, assistant fleet engineer, received the Rising Star award for his proactive approach to learning and ability to take on new responsibilities and challenges.

Nicola Steadman, network controller, was also Highly Commended in the Employee of the Year category for her outstanding contribution to network operations.

Sophie added: “This recognition from our peers in the light rail community is particularly timely as we prepare for the opening of the Birmingham Eastside and Black Country extensions, and our customers can look forward to even further improvements in the months and years to come.”