Cath Leech, Managing Director of Anturas, discusses the importance of Light Rail and explains how she and her team have the expertise to put projects on the right track
Light rail is more than a transport solution. It can transform areas and lives, becoming part of a city’s fabric. And for the communities they serve, transit systems are often a source of real pride.
Simply put, light rail doesn’t just get people from A to B: it creates space, community, and social mobility.
Take the ambitious mass transit plans we are working on with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA). These plans represent a massive opportunity for growth and regeneration in the region, including the delivery of thousands of new homes every year.
By strategically weaving together placemaking, housing, and regeneration elements, WYCA is positioning mass transit as a catalyst for comprehensive regional change. And recent updates to the Green Book further support this integrated approach, creating new opportunities to demonstrate the wider economic and social benefits of investment in mass transit and take account of transformational change.
The evolution of light rail
I qualified in Civil Engineering over 25 years ago and began my career working on site, for a major contractor, Laing Civil Engineering. While working for Laing, I was part of the Manchester Metro phase two delivery team, which designed and built the route from Eccles into Piccadilly. This gave me a real and lasting grounding in the complex nature of light rail delivery.
Light rail projects are complex – there are no short cuts. And although there may have been many technological advances since 1996, when I arrived in Salford, the overarching principles were still the same: a well-defined set of outcomes, a coherent delivery plan, and a strong set of relationships. This latter point is key; all the partners should trust each other, because they have a shared responsibility to deliver the outcomes to the agreed plan.
And, when they’re delivered successfully, the impact of light rail schemes is incredible. This really hit home for me when I arrived in Salford 20 years later to attend an event at Old Trafford.
I used Manchester Metrolink to travel to the event and was struck by the changes Salford Quay had undergone. What was once a partially derelict industrial site was now a vibrant waterside destination. That one line has been transformational for the area, with knock-on effects generated in Salford and Manchester.
Renewed Government focus: A golden opportunity
The focus now being given to developing new schemes and enhancing existing schemes, identified by the UK Government in The Spending Review 2025, is a great opportunity for the light rail sector to shine. Starting from the top down, we have a once in a lifetime opportunity to transition from cars and create an urban transport solution that supports net zero.
The UK began to develop its light rail networks in the 1990s, starting with Manchester Metro phase two and Sheffield Supertram. Since then, we’ve developed some incredibly successful systems – mass transit that has delivered positive results for the communities it serves.
And we’ve seen stations become focal points for community activity, with high-quality public realm that celebrates the built and natural environment. Light rail also contributes hugely to revitalising neighbourhoods, improving public spaces, and enhancing connectivity.
The UK now has a mandate from Government to deliver light rail systems, and industry leading experts are ready to offer their support. It would be incredible if the UK could build on this, developing an ecosystem (like France) where the introduction of light rail schemes into cities is done on a rolling programme using standardised systems. This way of working would drive a reduction in costs across all elements of the system lifecycle. And it would create a truly world leading set of delivery specialists.
The challenges ahead
The issue we now have, particularly in these uncertain times, is that all partners must deliver more for less. And cost savings are achieved by generating true efficiency, which I feel should be done at scale. Developing a trusted pipeline of light rail works for the whole UK would allow partners to invest to the required levels. It would also mitigate the cyclical nature of programme delivery we’re currently seeing.
The need for a transparent, trusted UK pipeline is becoming more urgent, as Ireland is also targeting significant investment in its Luas system across the country, as well as developing its Metrolink project. Due to the strong and enduring relationship between Ireland and the UK, particularly around the reciprocal arrangements, many UK rail businesses are now looking to opportunities in Ireland.
I was part of the Railway Procurement Agency team (a precursor to Transport Infrastructure Ireland) who sponsored, developed, delivered and operated the first Luas lines in Dublin. They were exciting times, during which we changed the city’s landscape. Today, the plans are even more exciting and ambitious. And due to the way the Irish state has arranged its delivery organisations, they are creating an integrated approach. This supports the supply chain’s understanding of priorities and timescales.
Anturas: a critical friend to the light rail sector
Light is rail a key area of expertise for Anturas, and we are striving to retain that expertise as we grow.
To create a sustainable business – one that responds to the net zero challenges society is facing – Anturas is working to train the next generation of light rail experts. We want to give young professionals true exposure to the issues, risks and opportunities that the light rail sector provides. There are so many moving parts, and they must be well managed. We want our people to fully understand this, advising the supply chain to create better outcomes
And our overarching objectives are clear. We want to provide trusted support to help clients deliver large-scale projects and improve the built environment. We’ll do this by supporting schemes from early-stage, and supporting business case development through to procurement, delivery, and operational optimisation.
When it comes to light rail, we’ve been there and done it. We’ve got the ability, and we understand the moving parts, from project outset to completion. We help client and partners to communicate – and more importantly, deliver – while ensuring we all stay on track with the outcomes. It’s about supporting everybody so the supply chain works correctly.
My team and I work with this supply chain to make delivery as smooth as possible. Leveraging our subject matter expertise, we monitor the expected outcomes, keep track of the project, anticipate issues, and help to protect our clients from them. We support both the client and the sponsor, acting as that critical friend.
A successful track record
Anturas’ three business owners (myself and Technical Directors Rob Leech and Sheena Smith) have been delivering light rail projects worldwide since 1994.
Rob and I have both supported contractors, clients and design consultancies, working on mass transit schemes such as phase two of the Manchester Metrolink, Dublin Luas and Metro (as client), Edinburgh Tram, and Sydney Metro.
Sheena (who we met while working on phase one of the Edinburgh Tram project) brings regulatory, safety and assurance process expertise to the team.
“Light rail is our pedigree. We understand the issues and the risks, especially when it comes to programme set-up and management, commercial and contract structuring, assurance and safety management systems,” she explained.
Sheena is an expert at ensuring that what the capital delivery programme does, the operator can then operate. She ensures that it reflects the operator’s needs and the regulator’s expectations. And we all share this understanding of the light rail project lifecycle, because we’ve seen it from every angle of the industry.
I’m particularly proud of the work Anturas did on Edinburgh Tram.
The extension to this network came in on time and on budget, and we used our expertise to really galvanise the supply chain. With the client and the contractor, we created a collaborative set of behaviours, working well under the NEC4 contract (a flexible, collaborative suite of construction and engineering contracts designed to manage risk, cost, and project delivery efficiently).
It was an excellent project, illustrating the insight we can bring to other clients and systems, and highlighting our subject matter expertise. It also shows that we can deliver.
Ultimately, I take great pride in that fact that all the light rail schemes I’ve worked on are well patronised and loved by their communities, creating opportunities for those who use them. And looking at the light rail project pipeline, one thing is clear: if they are built, further communities will be transformed.
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