Calls for Sheffield Supertram drivers to enter European Tram Driver Championship
A petition is calling on Sheffield City Council to enter a team into the international competition
One of the more unusual petitions set to come before Sheffield City Council wants a Supertram team to take part in the 2025 European Tram Driver Championship.
An online petition on the council’s website is calling for the city to organise a team for the event – also known as Tram EM – which this year took place in Frankfurt, Germany in September. The petition, launched by Jeremy Luke Goldsworthy, has so far been signed by 44 people and runs until December 1 on the democracy.sheffield.gov.uk online petitions page.
The petition says: “Through games and entertainment, Tram EM aims to connect people and cultures, enhance the appeal of public transport, build networks between drivers across Europe, encourage people to pursue careers in public transport, advertise transport companies and their respective cities across the world, and facilitate an exchange of culture and friendly competition for local transport. This mission is undeniably important.
“Sheffield strives to reach net zero emissions before 2030, and the UK as a whole aims for net zero by 2050, it cannot be denied that public transport will play a huge part in this.
“Participation in the European Tram Driver championship perfectly compliments existing commitments like the Connecting Sheffield initiative and will improve the appeal of jobs within the public transport industry.
“Furthermore, it grants an opportunity for Sheffield – a major UK city which is often overlooked – to represent not only itself, but also the UK as a whole on a European stage.”
The petition says that teams from all over Europe “and even Australia” have competed. It adds: “Only three UK teams are competing in this year’s contest – Edinburgh, Manchester and Birmingham – and on previous years there have usually been none.
“Supertram already connects Sheffield to Rotherham but through Tram EM it could become a bridge connecting Sheffield to the rest of the world, while celebrating Sheffield’s commitment to green transport.”
Supertram, which started running in 1994 in Sheffield and has now expanded to Rotherham, was taken into public ownership in March of this year by the South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard and is now owned by the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority.