December marks Nottingham’s busiest period of the year, with thousands of motorists hitting the roads.
Amid the increased presence of motorists within the city – many of whom have travelled from other cities – Nottingham Express Transit (NET) has spearheaded a new safety campaign encouraging road users to be more aware of the reality of sharing the road with a tram.
The campaign follows a growing trend across the tram network of road traffic collisions involving motorists, with this year’s figures showing an increase of 19% compared with last year.
Between January and October 2025, the city’s tram operator also reported that 205 tram emergency brake activations took place to avoid motorists, with many of these occurring due to drivers running a red light.
According to a recent study from Direct Line, Nottinghamshire had the eighth-highest number of penalties issued against red traffic light runners in 2024. In addition, according to the same report, a fifth of UK motorists (21%) have received penalty points for running a traffic light, and 19,734 drivers received penalty points for running traffic signals during 2024.
Connor Hardy, Quality, Health, Safety and Environmental Manager at NET, said: “In my role, I see first-hand the impact of motorists thinking they can beat the tram or a red light. It may seem tempting to chance it, especially when you’re in a rush, but the reality is that split-second wrong decision could have very real consequences.’
“Sometimes, we know it can even be a case of a short lapse in attention that causes drivers to miss spotting an incoming tram. However, our trams weigh about 40 tonnes, which means slowing down or applying an emergency brake is no mean feat. So, when driving near the tram tracks, it’s worth taking a second glance, as it could really mean a second chance.”
This year, road traffic collisions have resulted in a number of damaged tram cabs and trams being taken out of service for repair, which has, in turn, led to disrupted services and unavoidable delays across the network. In June 2025, NET implemented an emergency timetable to enable the network to maintain a consistent service with a reduced number of trams, while many of its trams were being repaired.
Connor added: “We’re always committed to ensuring the safety of our drivers, passengers, and the many motorists our trams share the road with. However, following this year’s road traffic collision figures, we wanted to go even further. The trams are a big part of our city, and we all have a responsibility to look out for them and for each other. Through this campaign, we hope people will think twice before rushing and will stay alert while driving near the tram tracks.”
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