DESCRIPTION
Sheffield tram opened in 1873 and it was electrified in 1902. The original tram network was closed in 1960.
Due to an increasing road congestion, in years '80s the local authorities decided to reintroduce a modern LRT/tram service (Sheffield Supertram). Supetram opened in 1994 (on March: Fitzalan Square-Meadowhall; on September: Fitzalan Square-Spring Lane; on December: Spring Lane-Gleadless Townend) and it was extended in 1995 (Fitzalan Square-Cathedral; Cathedral-Shalesmoor; Gleadless Townend-Halfway; Gleadless Townend-Herdings Park; Shalesmoor-Middlewood/Malin Bridge).
Supertram network consists in 3 radial lines (Meadowhall line, Halfway line, Middlewood line) which join each other in the city centre (at Cathedral, Castle Square and Fitzalan Square/Ponds Forge stops). Meadowhall line serves essentially an industrial district and runs mostly in reserved and segregated lanes (partly along an elder railway track). Halfway line goes through some peripheral suburbs, partly in reserved lanes, partly on the road traffic. Middlewood line serves the vital district of Hillsborough and the victorian suburbs.
The whole system is completed by 2 short branches to Malin Bridge and Herdings Park.