Derbyshire attraction to close temporarily due to safety concerns

Following a visit on Tuesday, May 17 by an inspection team from the Office of Rail and Road (ORR), two distinct areas of concern were highlighted.

One covers the Depot Fan, where the trams enter and exit the depots, and the other is an area in the main street near the Red Lion pub.

In practice, for safety reasons, this means that the vintage trams cannot be moved in or out of the depots and in addition, visitors are not permitted into these areas, which renders the Exhibition Hall, Indoor Play Area, Depot and Red Lion currently inaccessible.

The management are liaising with contractors about a timescale for the structural maintenance to correct the situation.

Dr Mike Galer, General Manager at Crich Tramway Village said: “It is fair to say that our maintenance regime suffered badly during the pandemic and has further not been helped by the contractors we have asked to carry out the work, having their own difficulties.

"We take safety very seriously at the Museum and have taken the decision that the Museum will now be closed to all visitors temporarily, which is deeply regrettable and frustrating for all concerned”.

An Office of Rail and Road spokesperson said: “Following an inspection looking into a potentially serious matter at the Crich Tramway Museum, we’ve taken the decision to prohibit access to certain areas of the site to protect members of the public and staff working at the Museum and ensure safety improvements are made to its infrastructure. We know how much the tramway is loved and we’ve not taken this decision lightly, but have done so in the interests of safety.”

Up-dates for re-opening can be found on the website: www.tramway.co.uk and social media sites: www.facebook.com/crichtramwayvillage and www.twitter.com/CrichTramway