UKTram has strengthened its leadership team with the appointment of Tim Bilby as Stakeholder and Innovation Manager, bolstering its capacity to support collaboration, engagement and innovation across the UK light rail sector.
Tim joins UKTram with more than a decade of experience at Sheffield Supertram, where he began his career in 2012 as Head of Finance and Commercial before going on to serve as Managing Director from 2017. During his time leading the organisation, he steered the operation through periods of significant change, earning a strong reputation for inclusive leadership and a people-focused culture. More recently, Tim has held safety and finance roles within Network Rail, further broadening his understanding of the wider rail industry.
In his new role, Tim will lead UKTram’s stakeholder engagement activity, supporting closer collaboration between members and partners and helping to promote innovation that delivers practical benefits for the light rail sector. His responsibilities will also include coordinating engagement events and best-practice sharing, strengthening links with statutory bodies and academia, and representing UKTram at industry forums.
James, speaking on behalf of UKTram, said the appointment reflects the organisation’s focus on delivering greater value for its members.
“This year, we will continue strengthening the value we bring to our members,” he said. “Tim’s appointment allows us to spend more time engaging with an expanding membership, while also dedicating resource to innovation. His experience within the light rail sector means he can hit the ground running, helping ensure the sector is well placed to identify and benefit from emerging ideas and technologies that support long-term performance and continuous improvement.”
Tim Bilby said he was looking forward to returning to the light rail community in a sector-wide role.
“I’m really excited about this opportunity to work with stakeholders across the sector to develop ideas that can benefit everyone,” he said. “Light rail has shown it can be agile and flexible in implementing change, and I believe there is real potential to deliver innovation that improves services and outcomes for passengers and communities.”
The appointment follows a period of organisational growth for UKTram. Over the past year, the team has expanded to enhance member support and sector capability, including the recent appointments of Dan Hill as Knowledge Manager and Chelsea Branch as Digital Marketing and Communications Manager.
