Urges Sheffield to take part in European Tram Championships

The online petition, started by Jeremy Luke Goldsworthy, had been signed by more than 50 people as of Friday evening and will run until December 1, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Mr Goldsworthy said the competition, which previously included teams from Birmingham and Edinburgh, would give the “oft-overlooked” Sheffield the opportunity to represent the UK “on the European stage”.

“Participation in the European Tram Drivers Championship perfectly complements existing commitments such as the Connecting Sheffield initiative and will enhance the attractiveness of jobs in the public transport industry,” Mr Goldsworthy said.

“Supertram already connects Sheffield to Rotherham, but with Tram-EM it has the potential to become a bridge connecting Sheffield to the rest of the world, while celebrating Sheffield’s commitment to clean transport.”

Supertram, which began running in 1994 in Sheffield and has now expanded to Rotherham, was taken into public ownership by South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard in March this year.

According to the Tram-EM website, the aim of the event is to “present transport companies as attractive employers” and promote “cultural exchange and peaceful competition in the field of future-oriented local transport.”

Listen to the highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Soundskeep up to date with the latest events episode of “Look North” or tell us the story you think we have to cover here, external.