The town that is finally getting Metrolink

Trams have been promised to Heywood for years and now it’s finally happening – but locals have curbed enthusiasm.

Trams have been promised to Heywood for years and now it’s finally happening – but locals have curbed enthusiasm.

Public transport has long been a taboo subject in the town on the border of Rochdale and Bury. A lack of links to Manchester and neighbouring towns has been a gripe for residents in these parts.

Now there is hope the arrival of Metrolink could solve some of those problems.

Greater Manchester will get a £2.5bn slice of the £15bn promised for northern transport projects. This includes cash for new buses, tram stops, tram-trains and interchanges in the city-region.

Alongside Stockport, Heywood is set to get the iconic yellow tram rolling on a new line connecting their town to Bury and Rochdale tram stops. Both of these tram terminuses then have connections towards Manchester city centre.

For locals, they say ‘it’s about time’ they got it.

“This town needs something, and this has been promised for so long,” Geoff Bickerton said.

“Overall it’s run down and in decline.

“We’ve been promised money for so long and with nothing coming from it. This could be the kickstart we need, but people have a lack of faith.

“That’s because of what’s happened in the past with false promises. We need more affordable housing to go with this as well because if the town is getting regenerated we need housing that is affordable to go with that.”

Geoff operates the printing service in Heywood Market – where business owners were excited by the prospect of trams shipping in more punters.

Ashleigh Wardle, who runs Omorfiá nail bar, said: “I’m from Heywood and it is such a small town, I’m just wondering where this is going to go.

“However, if people are coming from other towns, it would be good for business. As Heywood is so small, it’s a strong community and this would give those who can’t drive the ability to travel places.”

Just a few stalls down, Caroline Law of cosmetics brand ‘Just Lovely’ feels this could help ease congestion in Heywood.

“Anything that brings people into the town is great,” the 46-year-old said. “Everything seems to take people out of the town.

“I mean it is so easy to park at Rochdale and go into Manchester. I massively use the train and Metrolink, my children also use public transport all the time, it’s just easier and cheaper.

“I can just drive to Whitefield, but then I have to battle with the junctions, when I could, if it was available, just get the tram.”

Traffic was a common thing brought up by traders, with Heywood regularly victim to gridlock traffic at peak times due to their tight road network.

Jenna Collins has long been calling for better links, which is why she welcomed this latest news about the Metrolink arrival.

The food stall owner said: “It’s hard for people if they’ve got to get a bus. If you want to go anywhere it’s a long commute, I was going to Slattery’s in Bury the other week and it was a complicated route with multiple buses to catch.

“So the tram coming is really positive. It would make it easier for people going out exploring.

“I get called Dora the Explorer because I’m always out and about so this suits me.

It might help the traffic situation especially when the motorway is closed. Trams don’t get traffic so it could syphon off the cars on the road.

“No one wanted pedestrianisation because of all the traffic. So this could be really exciting.”

Just over the road from the market in the memorial gardens, scepticism is rife. One pensioner flicking through a magazine on a bench, waiting for a hair appointment, likes the status quo.

“They’re talking about altering the centre but I can’t see the point,” she said. “I do like it as it is.

“If you use the buses you have to go around the town centre.

“I’m not against trams as I use them a lot. I just don’t know how it would work here, I’m skeptical.

“There is nothing to bring people here as well. Plus it could take people away from the centre to other places.”

A few benches down in the picturesque gardens, Lee Tarrant is tucking into his lunch. The 61-year-old has lived in Heywood all his life, but feels the Metrolink money could be put to better use elsewhere.

“It depends on where the tram goes. For the people of Heywood I don’t think it would make a huge amount of difference.

“The money could be spent on better things really. I think it’s money into something that will take people out of the town. It should be spent on stuff for the people of the town and this community.”

A number of locals felt Heywood didn’t have enough to offer to bring people to the town via the tram. Luna Locksmith’s Adam George is in that crowd, although he is excited about the potential opportunities the tram service could bring.

“I think the tram stop in Rochdale became a bit of a hub,” the 37-year-old said. “There isn’t too much a hub here in Heywood.

“It’s not just the tram that can help, it needs a few other things like a better town centre and more exciting things going on to create a proper offer.

“Bury has a good market, Bolton and Rochdale have proper big centres. We need to build something here to attract people.”

The people’s wish has been granted though, as the town’s makeover is already underway – starting with the civic centre.

In September 2023, Heywood was announced as one of the 55 areas earmarked to benefit from the Government’s Long-Term Plan for Towns. The £19.510m will first go towards the regeneration of the civic centre and Peine Square.

The square will get new green spaces and seating areas to ‘encourage community interaction’, which can double up as a performance space. The centre itself is undergoing a major transformation – including a new bar, seating, lighting and sound systems.

Just over the road from what is currently a building site around the civic centre, the market has been slowly building itself back up from the brink of extinction. Lucy Marie is currently the market manager, and she has been helping grow the community hub into what is a feel-good space for locals.

There are now a plethora of stalls on offer with a variety of vendors for punters to choose from. The 37-year-old feels the latest town centre changes, promised funding and the new Metrolink is just what is needed for them to take their next step forward.

She told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “If they did it, it would be nothing but a positive thing for our town, it would certainly bring more people in.

“It gives people who don’t drive more access, the bus routes aren’t the best around town.

“We’ve modernised our market and the tram system would modernise the town centre and allow more people to come, it would be fantastic if more people were to come into our town.

“The doors of our market nearly closed a few years back due to the lack of people wanting to come on and trade, it’s a community run market so we’re keeping businesses alive with the smallest prices available. Now the market is booming again.

“I don’t know what the shops would think of a tram and how it would affect them, but I see any form of transport being positive, it’s so much easier to get on trams with a pram as well, compared to a bus.

“It will definitely positively impact the market; however, I don’t know what it will do to the traffic, it is quite a congested area.”

The next steps

The next step would be getting spades in the ground and building the new Metrolink line between Rochdale and Bury. The town’s local MP, Elsie Blundell, has been pushing for pace on the project this week in the House of Commons.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves told the MP for Heywood and Middleton North the government would do everything they can to get the scheme up and running as quickly as possible.

Mrs Blundell, welcoming the government funding Heywood Metrolink, said: “Since I was elected, I have worked hard to make the case for more transport investment in our area.

“Today, it has paid off, with the announcement of the UK’s biggest ever local transport investment, including the Metrolink for Heywood.

“Working with Andy Burnham, the Labour Government has listened to the needs of towns and communities at risk of being left behind, even when they are within a successful city region like Greater Manchester. Transport connectivity is more important than ever before, which is why this is transformational.

“I’m delighted that Metrolink is finally coming to Heywood.”