Three bid for Yorkshire tram plan

Three consortia are formulating tram design concepts for West Yorkshire’s 95m bid to build the country’s third Supertram.

West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive and Leeds City Council will submit applications to the Department of Transport at the end of June. The project is expected to be mainly Government funded, though private investors will also be contributing.

The Tramrider consortium comprises BICC, Siemens and the Badgerline Group. Its graphic identity is by Leeds freelance designer David Kinsella in conjunction with The Black and White Design Agency. Interiors and industrial design are being managed in-house by Siemens.

The vehicle for the second tender, called Tramtrack (Leeds), is being designed by an in-house team from Bombardier Eurorail. Other consortium members are Sir Robert McAlpine and the Serco Group. “If we win we will certainly look for an outside consultancy to design interiors and street furniture,” says a Bombardier spokesman.

Swiss tram and light rail specialist Vevey is designing the third tender, Eurotrans. The consortium comprises Morrison Construction, Christiani & Nielsen, Taylor Woodrow Civil Engineering and British Bus.