VIDEO: Airport trams to start running next month
Communities in Wythenshawe, Northern Moor, and Baguley will be connected to the Metrolink network from Monday 3 November when the new 15-stop airport line is due to open to passengers.
Test trams will start running without passengers between Cornbrook and the airport every 12 minutes, in line with the timetable, on Monday 20 October.
From November, trams from the airport will run as far as Cornbrook initially, until the Second City Crossing opens in 2017, unlocking extra track capacity through the city centre.
Journeys from the Airport to Cornbrook, where passengers can connect with frequent services to stops across the network, will take around 45 minutes and will effectively double the number of trams running between St Werburgh's Road and Cornbrook.
A driver's eye view of the journey from Cornbrook
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A 300-space park and ride facility – free for Metrolink passengers to use – will open at the Sale Water Park stop, off Junction 6 of the M60.
The 14.5km Airport line will bring the size of the Metrolink network – owned by Transport for Greater Manchester – to 92.5km, or 57.5 miles, serving 92 stops.
Cllr Andrew Fender, chairman of the TfGM Committee, said: "Seeing our trams reach Manchester Airport more than a year ahead of schedule is a truly amazing achievement – and a game-changer for the communities set to benefit from its 15 new stops and frequent, fully accessible services.
"For Wythenshawe in particular, Metrolink will provide new and easier ways for people across Greater Manchester to reach the town centre and all it has to offer – as well as making it a more attractive place to live, work and do business.
"The arrival of the new town centre interchange next year will, of course, make it even easier still. For people already living along the line, it will provide new ways of getting to work, leisure, health and education opportunities."
Sample of adult peak return ticket prices:
- Baguley to Manchester city centre £5.70
- Sale Water Park to Manchester Airport £3.70
- Wythenshawe Town Centre to Manchester Airport £2.40
- Manchester Airport to Cornbrook £4.40
The MPT consortium is made up of Laing O'Rourke, VolkerRail and Thales UK. MPT was appointed by TfGM to design, build and maintain the Metrolink extensions.
This is massive!
By MetroBuff
I hope there will be a maximum stay with a hefty fine put on the Park and Ride as Sale Water park, otherwise it is going to get abused by airport travellers as a cheap long stay.
By Anon
Will it be timetabled to serve early and late flights, and the airport staff who have to get there to run them?
By GRH
of course it won’t. It’s the most expensive form of public transport in Manchester and takes 45 mins to go from the airport to the City centre. Train takes 15 mins less stops, faster and a more plesant journey. Shame as it’s a good idea but not cheap enough for people to use. This runs through working class areas not Hale!!
By Jon
Idea of the line is to allow ordinary people to get to work in the Airport at the busiest times. It isn’t intend to replace, or even supplement, journeys from the Airport to the city centre. Think of this as the Wythenshawe line rather than the Airport line.
By mancboi