Manchester …. ready for another international event?

 Now Manchester does its bit at hosting international events, from heaps of football matches to the Commonwealth Games and possibility the G20 annual gathering next year.

So, I wonder if there are plans to host the European Tram Driver Championship.*

This year it is in Warsaw and I have been watching live transmission of the events.  It lasts four days and judging by the pictures it is drawing big crowds.

And I have to say why not?

 Most people I talk to use our own trams and like them.

 I do and prefer them to the bus.

 Not that I don’t use the bus, I do and more so since our transport system becomes more joined up.

And the Warsaw tram network is equally neat.  And so, once our Saul who lives in Warsaw alerted me to the competition I tuned in.

The values of the promoters are all that you would want which fully endorses the motto of the European Union of "United in diversity”, and so competition stands for ... connecting people through games, entertainment and information

presenting public transport as a modern, interesting service provider

exchanging experiences and networking for drivers and managers

presenting transport companies as attractive employers

And lots of European cities have taken part and hosted the event over the last 12 years.**

Of course, Transport for Manchester may have a team out there, and I so I had better check.

Either way wouldn’t it be grand if we could have a turn at welcoming the event.

Pictures; Warsaw trams, 2026 from the collection of Andrew Simpson, and logo and image of competitors courtesy of tramem

* Warsaw 2026, https://www.tramem.eu/

**Frankfurt, 2024, Oradea, 2023, Leipzig, Brussels 2019, Stutgart, 2018, Tnnerfife, 2016, Vienna, 2025, Budpest, 2013, Dresden, 2022