Driverless trams are expected to be used in Tees Valley town centres in less than three years, regional bosses say. Construction of a new facility to test and build “trackless trams” is set to begin in July at Teesside Airport.

It is hoped the vehicles will be used to move luggage from aircraft to baggage handling facilities and as passenger shuttles, according to the BBC.

Tees Valley Combined Authority’s (TVCA) Andrea Reacroft said the vehicles would be rolled out in a “phased approach” and, if successful, they could be used in town centres in Teesside by the end of 2027.

Ms Reacroft, TVCA’s digital transport programme delivery manager, said the phased roll-out would allow testing to be carried out in a “controlled environment before wider deployment”.

She said revised legislation was expected to come into force in 2027 which would allow CAM (Connected and Automated Mobility) technology to operate on roads without a safety driver.

Before then, a licence is needed for trials to take place at Teesworks, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The facility at Teesside Airport will be one of eight government-funded CAM testbeds in the UK.

A feasibility study into the tram project is nearing completion and, if approved, this will be followed by a six-month procurement period.Testing on the vehicles will then start at the end of 2025 or beginning of 2026, with a second pilot phase will then be carried out at the airport in the third quarter of 2026.

(Pic: Tees Valley Combined Authority)