Ultra light trams – The latest development in ULR could be relevant to Bath. A Tripartite group has been formed by Clayton Equipment Ltd, Parry People Movers Ltd (parrypeoplemovers.com) and Pre-Metro Operations Ltd, (premetro.co.uk/) to be known as Light Rail Partners Ltd. They have joined up to produce successor vehicles to the highly successful PPM 139 that has been operating at Stourbridge for 7 years with over 99% reliability. The new trams will have higher capacity than the 139 and be zero emission, running either on green electricity or biomethane. Their biggest cost saving is that their low weight drastically reduces the cost of the infrastructure and make s it simple and quick to install. They do not have overhead catenary wires which in a historic city like Bath is an important advantage.
Within the UK
PPM with their partner Clayton Equipment (www.claytonequipment.co.uk) are able to produce quality products. Clayton are recognised as an international manufacture of mining locomotives. (presently do not have a low floor option).
TramPower have the ability to produce quality low floor, cost effective trams including energy recovery (talks have taken place regards the possibilities of on-board energy systems). They have all the technical aspect in place. They also supply the LR55 track and cost-effective O.H.L equipment
TDI designed trains for the London Underground and are an international company with a track record. Their trams would be produced by Seven Lamb to a high quality and can be produced for both on-board and external energy supplies. http://www.tdi.uk.com/EN/trams/ here is a video of a ULR railcar built for a client in Turkey https://youtu.be/MmRMsXbw0io
Europe
There are also established tram manufactures in Eastern Europe who produce trams with axle weight only just over 5 ton and could bid for the supply of the fleet.
Deciding who can meet the operational requirements and provides best value for money would come during the feasibility stage.