SOUTH YORKSHIRE’S MAYOR LAUNCHES DOGS ON TRAMS TRIAL

Published 21 March 2025 at 8:25am

•    Trial starts today following over 10,600 responses to a public consultation 
•    Announcement comes as Supertram marks first anniversary back under public control 

South Yorkshire’s Mayor Oliver Coppard has announced a pilot to allow all dogs on trams from today [Friday 21 March] following a consultation that asked the public to ‘paws’ for thought on whether four-legged friends should be allowed to travel freely with their human passengers. 
 
Over 10,600 people had their say in South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority’s consultation, with 75% in favour of a change in the rules.  
 
Previously it was only possible for dogs to travel on Supertram services if they were assistance dogs or within a carry cage. Most buses and trains in the region do not have this restriction and let all dogs travel openly with their owners. More than nine in ten respondents (93%) said a personal benefit to allowing all dogs on trams is a fully integrated transport network, allowing passengers with dogs to use different modes seamlessly. 

Under the new pilot, one well-behaved dog is allowed to travel per-passenger on Supertram. The outcome of the pilot will inform whether or not to permanently permit all dogs onboard. This follows other successful trials across Light Rail networks in Greater Manchester, West Midlands and Blackpool. 

The move comes as Supertram celebrates its first anniversary under public control on 22 March 2025, and plans are published setting out a £100 million capital improvement programme to the network. This investment will help improve the reliability of the system and ensure the network is fit for the future. 

Over 350 employees were transferred over with responsibility for operating 32 trams and running 2,650 services per week with 9 million passengers per annum. First introduced to South Yorkshire in 1994, the trams operate on 100% renewable energy source, there is no roadside carbon emissions, and all trams and tram stops are accessible with level boarding.  

Since Supertram came back under public control last year, investment has more than doubled to £15.3 million to improve the network, passenger numbers are up, revenue is up, and within the first 100 days, a deep-clean programme was implemented to clean all trams and stops to restore pride in the network and give customers a better experience. 

South Yorkshire’s Mayor, Oliver Coppard, said:  
 
“A year ago we took back control of our tram network; a network that hadn’t had much love or investment over its nearly thirty years of life, a network that didn’t work for all too many people.

“There are still challenges, I know: too many trams are cancelled, delays do still happen, ticket prices remain too high.  
 
“But we’ve made huge progress: revenues are up, ticketless travel is down, more people are using the tram. We’re investing tens of millions of pounds into repairing and renewing the network.  
 
“And now we’re taking another step towards creating a fully integrated transport network in South Yorkshire, by allowing dogs on trams. Over 10,600 people responded to our public consultation telling us that’s what they wanted to see, and we’ve listened.  
 
“You can already take dogs on buses and trains, and from today that will be extended to trams so everyone can enjoy seamless journeys even when they’re with their best, four-legged friend.  
 
“Step by step, we’re fixing public transport in South Yorkshire.” 
 
Sean English, Managing Director at Supertram said: 

“With strong public support, we welcome dogs onboard our trams and the benefits it brings to passengers. Ensuring the safety and wellbeing of both our colleagues and customers remains our top priority, and we have measures in place to manage the trial effectively and monitor its impact to ensure a positive experience for everyone.” 

A new Business Plan for 2025/2026, approved this week by the SYMCA Board, outlines priorities for the tram network which includes a £15 million investment in the next two years tackling the issues caused by trams that are 30 years old. SYMCA is also looking at buying a new fleet by 2032, subject to government funding. 

A new Tram-Train stop at Magna Science Adventure Centre is also being built, set to open in Winter 2025. It’s the first addition to the Tram Train service since 2018 and will serve visitors to the Magna Science Adventure Centre and people living and working in Templeborough, Rotherham. 

Other priorities include a regular review of the Supertram timetable and to identify where extra services could be added, especially for people who rely more on public transport.  
 
There will also be a renewed focus on: 

Safety - through the introduction of bodycams for conductors to give passengers and staff more confidence to travel. 

Cleanliness - through undertaking a deep clean of all trams and tram stops and the introduction of additional cleaning staff across the system to improve standards for passengers. 

Customer Service – through improving recruitment processes and training, we are ensuring we provide a friendly and customer focussed service for passengers.  

With buses coming back under public control from 2027 and Supertram already under public control, it will allow the Mayor to realise his ambitions to create a fully integrated public transport system across South Yorkshire. 
 
For more information about dogs on trams guidance visit: travelsouthyorkshire.com/dogsontrams