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.