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‘Difficult decisions’ as TfL gives green light for new tram fleet

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Transport for London confirmed this week that it is to replace the oldest trams in its fleet on the Croydon to Beckenham and Wimbledon network, with procurement to begin in 2024 in what could cost at least £50million.

End of the line: after 23 years’ hard work, the original Bombardier trams are due for replacement

The Croydon tram network opened in 2000, and the original fleet of 24 Bomardier-built trams have already passed their expected service period, with increasingly frequent withdrawals of vehicles for urgent repairs and upgrades.

Of the original 24 Bombardier CR4000 trams that came into service 23 years ago, two are not in operation. This includes 2551, the tram involved in the Sandilands derailment in 2016 when seven passengers died.

Inside Croydon reported at the start of the year how TfL was looking into the issue of replacing the ageing rolling stock, and finding a way to pay for it.

In June, Inside Croydon reported how one-fifth of the London trams’ operational fleet had to be removed from service for emergency repairs to the vehicles’ wheels.

That same month, a report to the TfL board said: “The majority of our trams fleet is reaching the end of its initial design life and, as a result, is experiencing declining reliability, with one of the lowest states of good repair categorisations across our fleets.”

With the Tory Government continuing to deliberately under-fund London and its transport infrastructure, the £250million announced by the Department for Transport on Monday being half what was requested by TfL, paying for the new trams will stretch budgets in other areas. Extensions of the tram network, such as into Sutton, have been shelved, permanently.

A City Hall meeting this week heard from TfL commissioner Andy Lord who said, “Our intention this year is that we will start procurement for the new tram fleet. The vast majority of our trams are coming up to 25 years old. We hope to start the procurement process for that imminently.”

In an update, TfL added, “We will continue to make the case to central Government for further capital investment for large-scale projects which are unaffordable from our operating revenue alone.” Officials confirmed this includes the replacement of the 24 Bombardier CR4000 trams.

“Difficult decisions” would have to be made, Lord said.

A D V E R T I S E M E N T


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