Purpose

SYMCA is the owner of the South Yorkshire Supertram System. The system comprises 29km of twin track with associated overhead line equipment.

Understanding the condition of the track and overhead line equipment is essential to ensuring the system remains safe and corrective action can be planned if required. It is common to use digital surveys to understand the condition of these assets – this involves mounting specialist equipment to a tram which can measure various parameters including wear, geometry and levels.

A similar digital survey was completed in 2022 and 2024 by Deutzer Technische Kohle GmbH, a German company that specialises in undertaking measurements on tramways across Europe (they have also completed surveys for London Trams and the West Midlands Metro). The results from 2024 were very positive which helped inform the rail replacement programme for 2025 and 2026.

The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) have made clear their preference for these improved methods for monitoring track geometry as opposed to previous manual methods.
To aid further understanding of the condition of the system, it is proposed to procure a similar survey to be completed in 2026 via an existing framework.

Decision

Option 2 - Appoint Deutzer Technische Kohle GmbH to undertake a digital survey of the Supertram track and overhead line equipment at a cost of £169,375.65.

Alternative options considered

1. Do nothing – this option would mean future renewals being programmed using data from 2024 rather than the current state of the network, along with manual measuring of the track and overhead lines (which does not provide sufficient detail regarding track geometry).

2. Procure a digital survey to measure the overhead line and track. It is proposed to appoint Deutzer Technische Kohle GmbH via an existing framework agreement. This allows the survey to be undertaken in the summer months before parts of the network close for rail replacement, and outputs to be received in time to inform the 2027 rail replacement programme.