From 1991 to 1995 there was major construction work on the streets of Sheffield to create Britain's state of the art public transport system. This system mirrors the high quality modern tramways found in Europe and the United States, which provide an attractive alternative to the use of the car in city centres and inner city areas.

Historically, Sheffield had a comprehensive tramway system that was abolished in 1960 when society perceived that future travel lay with the car. However, by the 1970's, a major land use transportation study of the Sheffield conurbation recommended that thought should be given to a comfortable, accessible and environmentally-friendly form of public transport, which would persuade people out of their cars.

It was due to this study that the Supertram concept was born. During the late 1970's and early 1980's a series of feasibility studies were undertaken to establish the characteristics and route of the proposed high quality public transport system.

Market research showed that the car users considered light rapid transit or tramway systems close to the quality of the heavy rail systems - which they already used for inter city travel. They perceived it convenient, comfortable, safe and secure, providing a high degree of accessibility both to the able bodied and the disabled.

By providing a regular and reliable service with comparative or quicker journey times to other modes, it was possible to offer attractive public transport to the people of Sheffield. A particular benefit was that a light rail system was relatively quiet and, being powered by electricity, was pollution free on-street.

This provided major advantages for Sheffield city centre which was suffering badly from cars and buses. Following a final agreement with Central Government to finance the project in late 1990, construction began. The construction of the eight phases was predicted to take four years to complete. Despite major upheavals in both the city centre and the suburbs of Sheffield, through road closure, traffic diversions and difficulties with parking and loading for both businesses and local residents, the completion of the project was only some three months late.

During this period the neighbourhoods through which the tramway construction passed did suffer significant problems in terms of disturbance and inconvenience. However by working closely with liaison groups along the alignment, Supertram Company attempted to minimise the disturbance to the locality.

23 October 1995 saw the completion of the final phase of the Supertram project amidst celebrations in the city centre and the Hillsborough shopping arena in the northern suburbs of Sheffield.