In-house Supertram hailed as a success

Growth in passenger numbers and a massive reduction in ticket fraud are two of the successes claimed by South Yorkshire Supertram in its first five months after taking the business in-house from Stagecoach.

Patronage at the beginning of August was reported to be 4.5% higher than at the time of the takeover in March, while fare evasion has fallen to fewer than 0.4% of journeys compared with previous highs of around 8%.

This has been helped by stimulating the purchase of tickets online by 20,000 new subscribers, tighter checks, and new machines at stops.

The South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority said it is on course for better integration of tram services with other modes of transport such as buses. It is investing £33 million in the network, more than two-thirds of it during this financial year alone.

Highlights for the months ahead include the opening of the new park-and-ride and link road at Rotherham Parkgate, to be followed early in 2025 by a similar facility at Magna, plus a much stronger online presence.