Teesside Airport to trial autonomous trams

The Tees Valley Combined Authority (TVCA) Cabinet approved the Autonomous Public Transport project in January 2024, integrating it into a £1 billion regional transport plan. This month, Cabinet members will review a proposal to allocate £2 million to establish a dedicated pilot hub at the airport.

The hub is expected to oversee the procurement, operation, and storage of autonomous trams, which will be used for both passenger and freight transport within the airport premises.

A report submitted to the TVCA Transport Committee outlined the project timeline: “Subject to Cabinet agreement and subsequent business case approval, it is proposed that the project will be tested in autumn 2025, with full roll-out of the pilot project planned from December 2025 onwards.”

The UK Government is working on legislative changes to regulate autonomous vehicles on public highways, with new safety and security measures expected by 2027. In preparation, TVCA intends to trial the technology in an off-highway setting at the airport.

Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen emphasised the region’s track record in adopting advanced technologies, stating: “Our airport has been at the forefront of using the very latest technology available – from hydrogen tugs and new hydrogen fuel station to new scanners, and our new 5G testbed to boost trade.

“So, it makes complete sense to use our airport as a pilot zone, learn from it and ensure we are perfectly primed to roll this out across Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool.

“We still need clarity from the Government on future funding to get this project fully running across our region – but we’re not standing still, and we’re determined to see this cutting-edge technology moving around our airport before the year is out.”

Once fully operational, autonomous vehicles could offer a flexible, hop-on, hop-off service across the region’s town centres.

An update on the project is scheduled for discussion at the Combined Authority Transport Committee on 11th March, followed by a Cabinet decision on 28th March.