Irizar ie Tram to be trialled in Liverpool
An Irizar ie Tram is to be trialled in the Liverpool City Region this month.
The test run of the articulated electric bus is part of Mayor Steve Rotheram’s pledge to roll out a new fleet of high capacity ‘gliders’ across the region by the end of 2028.
The Irizar is able to carry 120 people.
On loan from Spanish manufacturer Irizar, the 18-metre battery-powered vehicle, wrapped in the region’s Metro livery, follows last year’s initial trial using a Van Hool ExquiCity from the Translink-operated Glider service in Belfast.
The new test will see the vehicle operate on key commuter routes, helping to gather feedback from passengers and assess performance in real-world conditions to help shape the design of the city region’s own fleet, with insights from both passengers and road testing feeding directly into future procurement.
Fully integrated with the city region’s wider public transport system, the proposed new service will link with bus, rail and active travel routes, funded as part of a £1.6bn transport settlement secured by the Mayor from national government.
Route planning is already underway for Phase 1, with links to Liverpool John Lennon Airport, Anfield and the Hill Dickinson Stadium prioritised.
Over time, the network could be extended to other areas not currently served by the rail network.
While the public won’t be able to travel on the vehicle during testing, residents are being encouraged to experience the look and feel of the gliders for themselves and provide feedback.
“I’ve made a clear commitment to have services running between the city centre, airport and both our football grounds by 2028″ – Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, Steve Rotheram
Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, Steve Rotheram, said: “This is a big moment on our journey to build the modern, reliable transport system that our area’s needed for decades.
“When I talk about a ‘London-style’ network, I mean a system that’s joined-up, easy to use, and where you don’t have to think twice about how you’re getting from A to B. That’s the standard people in our region should expect too – not just those in the capital.
“For too long, places like ours have been treated as an afterthought when it comes to transport funding and infrastructure. But we’ve secured £1.6bn from government – and we’re putting it to work, building a system that actually works for the 1.6 million people who live here.
“These gliders are a glimpse of that future – clean, spacious, accessible – and they’ll help people get to work, to training, or to the match, without having to rely on a car.
“I’ve made a clear commitment to have services running between the city centre, airport and both our football grounds by 2028 – and this trial is another big step towards making that promise a reality.”