Tram driver jobs open as Metro network expands

National World - LocalTV

West Midlands Metro is recruiting 40 new tram drivers and engineers as it prepares to triple its network. But while jobs are being created, existing roles like conductors are being phased out. Ticket machines are now live, signalling a shift toward automation—and raising questions about the future of staff who’ve served on board for decades.

Transcript

00:00The Metro's plan is simple, bigger network, better service, but scaling up means changing how it runs and who's on board.

00:10The expansion will take the tram system from a single spine to a full regional network.

00:15Direct links to Digbeth, Briley Hill and the NEC. That's why they need 40 new drivers and engineers.

00:21Training includes four weeks of pre-employment prep, then seven weeks of paid driver training.

00:27The goal is to build a new generation of staff, many from local colleges and job centres.

00:33But while jobs are opening up, some are also disappearing. Ticket machines are now live across the Metro.

00:39Passengers are expected to pay before boarding by card app or swift card.

00:44With that shift comes a question, what happens to the conductors?

00:47Their main role selling tickets on board is being phased out. Some may move into enforcement roles.

00:53Others may retrain as drivers. Many are waiting in a kind of employment limbo, unsure how long they'll remain.

01:00For passengers who rely on face-to-face support, it's not just a policy shift, it's a human one.

01:06These are the people who've helped passengers navigate the system for decades.

01:10Now they're being repositioned as the Metro modernises. Behind the rollout is a move to cut costs and run things more efficiently.

01:17The Metro says these changes will help tackle fare dodging and improve the journey.

01:23While conductors may no longer be a fixture on board, the shift reflects a broader move towards automation across transport.

01:31New roles are being created and some staff will retrain.

01:34But as the network grows, so too does the challenge of making sure no one is left behind.

01:41The end.

01:42The end.

01:43The end.

01:44The end.

01:45The end.

Category

Transcript

Be the first to comment

Recommended