Manchester trams to close for three weeks
Starting Monday, no trams will run on the Altrincham, Eccles, and Trafford Centre lines until 3 August. Those coming into the city on the East Didsbury and Manchester Airport lines will find their trams terminating at Firswood during this time. Commuters coming from Rochdale will have their trams stop at Exchange Square.
The lines are closed to enable Transport for Greater Manchester to replace 1.6 kilometres of track between Trafford Bar and Deansgate-Castlefield, as well as additional work at Eccles and around Piccadilly Gardens. More than 3,000 tonnes of rail will be installed as part of the programme, alongside 800 concrete sleepers.
Taking advantage of the closures, TfGM will also use this time to replace lifts at Heaton Park and Failsworth stops.
Replacement buses will be in action during this time, with special event buses running for the 26 and 31 July cricket matches at Old Trafford.
A further two-week closure is due to be announced for the autumn.
The closures are part of TfGM £150m investment into the tram network.
“The work at Trafford Bar and Deansgate-Castlefield is taking place on one of the busiest stretches of tram track in the country,” said Ian Davies, network director for Metrolink at TfGM.
“Some sections are more than 30 years old, with 40-tonne trams running every 30 seconds at peak times – that level wear and tear takes its toll, which is why this work is so important.
“It’s one of the most complex parts of the network to access, requiring a carefully planned approach to carry out the work safely and efficiently. These upgrades will also help us reduce journey times and make services more reliable for passengers,” he said.
Tram work will no doubt reduce footfall in the city centre, which is down 4% year on year according to the latest report from the Manchester Business Improvement District.
What a joke
By Anonymous
Only in this country could a whole tram network close down in July and August.
By Elephant
@Elephant try getting anything done in Italy in August!
By Anonymous
Good to see money being invested in aging infrastucture
By Wislon
@Elephant
I suspect that you’d have said that no matter what two months were involved. in July and August there’s less people commuting for work and far fewer students using the network, amongst other factors. When would you suggest it closes for this work to be done?
By Anonymous
People complain about maintenance work causing disruption to their journeys but they would be the first to complain if the system failed due to lack of maintenance. TfGM are damed if they do and damed if they don’t.
By Anonymous
@anon and Elephant or Germany, or France… Surely school holidays when there are less commuters is the ideal time to do it?
By red rose
They definitely should have linked this with an ebike trial.
I’m happy to get on a bike but my office doesn’t have a shower. 11 miles and no shower, i’m going to be popular.
By Sweaty Betty
Perhaps January and February. When nobody has any money after Christmas, when it is cold and dark early. That might be a better option than the two hottest months of the year, when families want to go out. People want to enjoy a relaxing drink on a warm evening, and people want to access all the big events in the city.
By Elephant
Brilliant news about the lift replacements – very much needed
By SELNEC
Burnham starts his campaign to widen Manchesterism with a bang (or maybe more B for Bang)
By Bewildered Mancunian
Good safety first 👍
By Anonymous
Finally some work being done but for what they charge and the issues they have day-to-day, they’re a disgrace and it’s always that old chestnut that the buses are the backup!
By Anonymous
How about closing the system down at 8pm& working through till 7 am
By Anonymous
Great photo.
By Anonymous
@Anonymous 7th July 13.24pm
You’re absolutely wrong because it nothing do with students, it tourist most popular summer holiday season in Manchester from abroad including most teens holiday from school which is most busy summer in Manchester without tram is absolutely ridiculous because it would be January and February it absolutely the best way for engineering work because most people are run out of money after Christmas, the January and February is absolutely best options for engineering work. 👍🏻
By G J Kitchener
Due to weather conditions January and February are the worst time to be carrying out major engineering maintenance work. Adverse weather would add more costs and delays.
By Anonymous
Nothing do with weather conditions because of winter is very quietest network and winter is the best way for engineering work in the UK January and February is always best engineering work because the tram is the same design as railway system. South Wales, Northeast of England and Scotland is completely since February it is winter engineering work. Metrolink would be engineering work on January and February is absolutely the best.
By G J Kitchener
TFGM will have all the data to know when the quietest time to undertake these works are. Makes no sense for them from a revenue perspective to carry out during busy periods. Think people.
By Mr Mcr
If January and February were the optimum months they’d be doing it then I suspect – given that these are experienced professionals in their game they might have considered when’s best to do it! Shorter daylight hours and bad weather would just combine to drive up the cost and lengthen the project, then everyone would be moaning anyway. However, all the qualified construction, project management and engineering experts on here seem to be much better informed…
By Anonymous
All most very experienced as construction projects, management and engineering work for winter in the UK were perfect since 1948 the same design as railway system. Danny Vaughan who is chief network officer for TfGM he would be knew better about winter engineering work (January and February)
By G J Kitchener
A few armchair engineering project management experts in this comment section
By Anonymous
Thank goodness some people are pointing out some fairly basic facts. Do those complaining think TfGM have gone out of their way to make it as disruptive as possible? If so, to what end – just to annoy you? It’s a pain in the backside, yes. It’s also the least of all the pains you might have to put up with from the alternatives – not doing it until things break or doing it at a worse time of the year for undertaking the work, for reasons that others have explained.
Life’s a bit annoying at times. Live with it.
By Conspiracy detheorist
Why do repair work in the school holidays and at times when its most needed? Why not do it ,eg in September?
By Anonymous
People who think parking spaces aren’t necessary for flats next to tram stops, please take note.
By Gigantic Steve
I hate this country
By Anonymous
Why don’t TfGM invest in some fairy dust so the renewal works can take place without impacting anyone whatsoever.
By Compo Face Commenter
Gigantic Steve, is your argument that cars should be encouraged at developments in accessible locations because every now and again the trams might be out of action for a short period of time? That’s quite desperate, in more than one regard.
By Conspiracy detheorist
The back up tram buses are a joke they should running from all locations
By Anonymous
Always the same summer holidays the Eccles tram stops for work to be done it’s bloody ridiculous why can they not get it done the first time
By Anonymous
Eccles AGAIN!!!!!!!
Seems to happen school hols when we would use tram more with g/kids.🙈
By Anonymous
Cities had tram networks up until the mid 20th century. They were removed for a reason, they clog up streets in busy city centres. We should have built an underground railway or at least a network that is underground in the city centre, that’s what Glasgow and Liverpool did.
By Frank
January and Feb are the worst months….doesn’t take a genius to work out why..THE WEATHER…rain snow..frost..how many days would be lost due to the conditions??…these sorts of things take months to plan…just recruiting rail replacement buses is a nightmare..in summer lots of spare buses due to no school requirements….
By Anonymous
It’s a lovely idea tbh :)) the quicker the rail can be replaced, the faster the journey will be
By Unknown
To the person who thinks work on the tramlines should be done during the night…..I like to get some sleep at night, as I imagine thousands of other people do. Obviously you do not live near a tramline!
By Bea
C.’mon Bev
Tell us what a great job Labour is doing by shutting down the tram network in July and August. Bet Manc city traders are happy chappies
By Bernard
Manchester cannot be taken seriously until is has an underground network. One faulty tram and the whole system grinds to a halt
By Anonymous
Blackpool tram tracks were made to last donkey’s years (s’cuse the pun) why aren’t Manchester’s?
By Anonymous
Could have put an extra tractor carriage on the Northern Fail line at least. Numpties.
There’s zero chance of the northwest economy going much further until they sort the trains.
By Anonymous
Sweaty Betty. Sweat does not smell. That is a propaganda campaign by US deoderant firms fooling you into buying stuff that stops you sweating so you drop dead after overheating. I say again: sweat does not smell. And Manchester is one of the driest cities in England. Dont fall for the myths.
By Anonymous
@ July 13, 2026 at 5:37 pm
By Anonymous
Blackpool Tram Network is an underrated system. Modern carriages, good accessibility plus you can pay for your fares on the tram itself. Quite reasonably priced too. The system should be extended to Thornton, Poulton le Fylde and Lytham.
By Rye