Ban on dogs is awful

Thanks for yoy reply Luke 

I note that Sheffield also changed its policy last year to allow dogs on trams. This move followed similar successful trials on light rail networks in Greater Manchester, the West Midlands, and Blackpool. The BBC covered this here:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c9d6y5g1qeyo

These examples show that other comparable tram systems have been able to introduce dog-friendly policies without issue. Additionally, the London Underground — arguably the busiest transport network in the country — allows dogs. If such a high-capacity, high-demand system can accommodate this, it raises the question of why NET cannot explore a similar approach.

In Nottingham, we often speak about creating a more inclusive transport network that works for everyone. For many people, that includes being able to travel with a well-behaved dog, as is already permitted on buses and trains nationwide.

I would appreciate it if you could share the feedback from senior management on this matter. I feel strongly that this policy is out of step with other transport providers, and I intend to continue raising it until it receives proper consideration.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Thank you for your feedback on this subject.

I'll certainly feed this back to our wider senior management team for further consideration.

As it stands, unfortunately, we have no current plans to change our rules.

If things do change in the future, we will let our customers know.

Regards

Luke Taylor

Customer Experience Manager

Hi Luke,

I would genuinely love to use the trams more often, but NET’s current policy on dogs unfortunately prevents me from doing so.

I appreciate your comments regarding seating capacity and standing passengers; however, I can’t help but note that busy conditions are already a reality on buses and trains across the country. At peak times, people regularly stand on both services, all of which allow dogs without issue. From a passenger’s perspective, it feels inconsistent that NET remains the only transport operator that does not permit dogs.

Given that buses, trains, and even other tram networks successfully accommodate dogs, I struggle to see why a similar approach could not work for NET. 

I would also be very interested to understand how the recent changes in Manchester—where dogs are now allowed—have worked in practice, and whether NET has reviewed the outcomes from that decision.

Allowing dogs, even with sensible restrictions such as off-peak travel or dogs being kept on leads, would encourage more people like myself to choose the tram over other forms of transport. I believe this could improve accessibility, increase ridership, and bring NET in line with national norms.

I would respectfully ask NET to reconsider its policy on dogs and explore whether a trial or limited allowance might be possible in the future.

Thank you for taking the time to consider this, and I look forward to your response.

Hi Matty

Thanks for your comments and welcome to the NET Forums.

Currently we only accept guide and assistance dogs on our trams. You can also take your small pet with you if they are in a suitable pet carrier.

I understand your frustrations with this, but there are a few reasons why we don't accept dogs on our trams, unlike the approach taken by some bus companies.

You may be able to take your dog onto a bus, but buses are predominantly fitted with seats throughout. There is very little standing room and customers can board a bus with a dog who can stay protected under the seat or at least between seats next to their owner.

Although we have some seats on our trams, the majority of customers will stand during their journey, especially during peak times. During peak hours, our trams can be very busy and it's likely your pet may not be in the safest place when boarding the tram as there are lots of people standing and walking throughout the tram. We wouldn't want to cause any injuries to any dog paws.

There is also the concern of the safety of other passengers and whilst I understand that most pets are well behaved and trained by their caring owners, some are not. There's always the potential that having a dog who misbehaves in a crowded area, could cause the dog to become agitated and that's a real concern for us as we are responsible for ensuring the safety of all of our passengers.

There is always the potential for this rule to change in the future. Our friends over at Manchester Metrolink changed their Byelaws to accept pet dogs on the Manchester Trams, so there's always the potential we can follow in their direction in the future, but for the time being, we have no current plans to change the rules.

I'm sorry if this was not the answer you were looking for, but thank you for sharing your thoughts.

Luke Taylor

Customer Experience Manager