Path cleared for ‘very early’ start on Manchester underground

A £6m infusion into the Bee Network will support a round of business cases for the expansion of the Metrolink system as well as initial feasibility work on a central subway.

Greater Manchester Combined Authority approved the funding at its meeting on Friday. The £6m push will ultimately support the GMCA’s 2030 goal for 90% of city region residents to be within a five-minute walk of a bus or tram that arrives every 30 minutes.

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham said: “This latest funding means we can develop the case for a pipeline of both tram and tram-train new lines and extensions – and ultimately underground infrastructure in the city centre – to make sure we get a public transport system befitting the global city region we are.

“More people are getting on board the Bee Network, but we can’t afford to be complacent. We need to plan ahead to accommodate continued growth, with more tram, bus and train routes giving people a viable alternative to the car.”

The meeting’s decision built upon a report first considered by the combined authority’s Bee Network committee, which was reported on by Place North West nearly two weeks ago. Accordingly, the money will support:

• finishing the outline business case for the Oldham-Rochdale-Heywood-Bury tram-train, with construction to start in 2028
• completing the strategic outline case for the East Disbury-Stockport Metrolink expansion, with an eye for construction starting in 2030
• commencing the strategic outline case for the Airport Line’s Western Leg that may include stops at Wythenshawe Hospital, Davenport Green, Altrincham, Stockport, and Mid-Cheshire
• starting the strategic outline case for a north-west link featuring Salford Crescent and Salford Quays with potential further stops at Leigh, Wigan, and Bolton
• developing pre-strategic outline case documents for connections in Middleton, Northern Gateway, Trafford Waters, Port Salford, and the Western Gateway
• assessing feasibility of a central underground public transport system
• protecting the potential for future routes to Glossop, Hadfield, Marple, and Warrington
• buying ‘next generation’ trams that are fully walk-through and double the length of the usual tram.

To be clear, there is still a long way to go before an underground network is a reality in Manchester. GMCA has only committed to “very early development work” on the possibility of such a system, as per the committee report.

Vernon Everitt, transport commissioner for Greater Manchester, explained why the authority was investing in this next round of public transport works.

“Better transport is a core enabler of economic growth, higher productivity and greater access to homes, jobs and wider opportunity across the whole of Greater Manchester,” he said.

“This new development work will help ensure that we have a pipeline of projects to build on everything that is already being done across bus, tram, rail and walking, wheeling and cycling as we create an integrated Bee Network for the people and businesses of this fast-growing city-region.”