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Commuters face disruption as tram lines are upgraded

02/07/2007

Metrolink commuters travelling on the Altrincham line will find their journeys disrupted during summer following the commencement of essential works.

Almost 20 miles of worn-out track will be replaced in July and August as part of a £100 million project to improve the Metrolink network.

Trams will continue to run between Old Trafford and Manchester until the end of the month before the whole line from Altrincham to Cornbrook closes for August.

Nearly 30 extra buses every hour have been laid on, while extra carriages have been introduced on a number of Altrincham-Manchester trains.

Work is also underway on the tramlines between Manchester and Bury, which should be completed in September.

Trafford councillor Matthew Colledge said: "The track on the Altrincham line is now more than 50 years old in some places and so needs replacing.

"I hope passengers who use the line will be prepared to put up with a couple of months of disruption while this work takes place."

Meanwhile, Stagecoach's ten-year deal with Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive to manage the Metrolink service starts this month.

"We believe there is significant potential for growth on the Metrolink network," remarked Stagecoach boss Ian Dobbs.

According to the GMPTE, passengers now make 55,000 journeys on Metrolink every day, amounting to nearly 20 million a year.


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