The next phase of a major £147m programme to maintain, upgrade and improve Greater Manchester’s tram network gets under way next week.
Essential track replacement work between Piccadilly station and Piccadilly Gardens takes place between Tuesday, 3rd June and Sunday, 10th August. Normal tram services resume on Monday, 11th August.
No tram services will run via Piccadilly Gardens during that period, as work to replace older tracks and keep the network safe, reliable and accessible is carried out. There are approximately 300 tram movements through this section of track in each direction every day.
During this period, the Bee Network will be doing everything it can to keep the city-region moving as smoothly as possible. Many people will be able to make their tram journey as normal, or with minimal disruption.
Key changes to services are as follows:
- Trams on the Altrincham/Bury lines won’t serve Piccadilly Gardens or Piccadilly station. Services will run between Altrincham and Bury via Market Street.
- All trams from Ashton and Etihad Campus will terminate at Piccadilly station. Signage will be in place to direct passengers walking to Market Street to connect to services across the city and beyond. Passengers will be able to use the fully wheelchair accessible free bus services around the city to connect to tram services at St Peter’s Square, Deansgate Castlefield or Victoria. A replacement bus will run outside the usual free bus operating times.
- Eccles services (via MediaCityUK) will run to Victoria via Market Street.
- MediaCityUK to Etihad Campus peak time services will not run during these works. There will be extra double trams on the Eccles – Victoria via MediaCityUK service, to boost capacity.
Ian Davies, TfGM’s Network Director for Metrolink, said:
“This is a major piece of our coordinated package of track replacement works which will see a £147m investment in the network up to 2027.
“Metrolink forms a key part of the Bee Network and, as the country’s largest light rail network, carried 46 million passenger journeys last year alone.
“It plays a vital role in keeping Greater Manchester moving, supporting economic growth and connecting people to jobs, education and opportunity.
“That is why it’s so important to continually invest in the network to keep it safe, reliable and accessible for years to come.
“We’re doing everything we can to minimise disruption to people’s journeys - and I’d also like to reassure people that we have detailed plans in place to manage the big events coming up during this summer’s big events.”
The project is the largest in a coordinated series of track renewals to ensure Metrolink can continue going from strength to strength, building on one of the strongest post-Covid recoveries in the UK ,with the network seeing record-breaking patronage last year.
The work has been planned for the summer as it is outside of the football season and also partly falls within the school holidays, when the tram network is less busy.
Bespoke, detailed plans have also been developed to ensure the network can manage the extra demand from big upcoming events, including Oasis’ run of gigs at Heaton Park and Parklife.
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