News, Greater Manchester
Local Democracy Reporting Service
More disruption is coming to the Metrolink tram network in Manchester this summer as part of its £150m upgrade.
Passengers have faced disruption for weeks in the city centre as Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) began replacing older sections of tram track between Piccadilly Gardens and Piccadilly station.
TfGM bosses said the project was “two-thirds complete” and have named the date when roadworks will move towards the railway station and new diversions will be in place for motorists.
Engineering works are set to move on from Piccadilly Gardens and Portland Street to Aytoun Street and Auburn Street, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.
How long will the work take?
The works on Aytoun Street and Auburn Street will start on Thursday and will continue until 10 August.
What disruption will it cause?
It means the new “traffic management measures” will be in place for Aytoun Street, as it is an area where tram tracks meet the road so it will be closed off completely.
The measures include:
- A signed diversion route along Minshull Street, Portland Street, Piccadilly, Gore Street, and Chatham Street
- The Portland Street bus lane will be temporarily suspended eastbound, towards Newton Street, so all traffic will be able to use that stretch of road while the works are carried out
- Chatham Street will be temporarily made two-way, with the ‘no entry’ from Piccadilly lifted for the works
- To allow local access to Aytoun Street, temporary two-way traffic access will be allowed on parts of Aytoun Street and Auburn Street where there is usually only one-way access
What does it mean for tram users?
Tram passengers – including those heading to the final Oasis gigs in Heaton Park – are also facing disruption.
Metrolink service changes in the city centre includes:
- The Altrincham and Bury lines will not stop at Piccadilly Gardens or Piccadilly station
- Altrincham and Bury trams will run via Market Street
- All trams from Ashton-under-Lyne and the Etihad Campus will terminate at Piccadilly station, with signs in place encouraging passengers to walk to Market Street to continue their journey, or use the city centre free bus
- All trams from Eccles, including those going via MediaCityUK, will run to Victoria via Market Street
- The MediaCityUK to Etihad Campus peak time services will not run during the engineering works
Metrolink said there would be extra double trams on the Eccles – Victoria via MediaCityUKservice.
What are the other planned tram works outside the city centre?
Other tram works are also taking place outside the city centre including:
- Essential engineering works at Pomona, and on the Eccles line, on 2-10 August means no tram service will operate on the Eccles via MediaCityUK line or between Cornbrook and Wharfside
- Services on the Trafford Park line will only operate between Wharfside and the Trafford Centre
TfGM said a bus replacement service would operate between Eccles and Piccadilly via Wharfside during the closure, serving all the affected stops.
