Tram connections through the city centre will be up and running for the bank holiday weekend and Manchester Pride festival, Metrolink bosses announced today.
Metrolink services will start running on a new line through St Peter’s Square from Friday 28 August, as work continues on the multi-million pound construction of a brand new tram stop.
Trams will once again stop at St Peter’s Square when a much bigger, better stop opens close to the Cenotaph in autumn 2016.
A major information campaign will launch next week to advise passengers of the changes. From Friday 28 August Metrolink will run along the following routes:
Altrincham to Etihad Campus
Altrincham to Deansgate-Castlefield
Bury to Piccadilly
Bury to East Didsbury
Eccles-MediaCityUK to Piccadilly
Rochdale to Ashton-under-Lyne
Manchester Airport to Cornbroo
More detailed information is now available at www.metrolink.co.uk. Free city centre Metroshuttle bus services continue to offer frequent links around the city and step-free walking routes through St Peter’s Square will also be fully signposted.
Peter Cushing, Metrolink Director at Transport for Greater Manchester, said: “I’d like to thank our customers for their patience over the summer while we’ve worked to build this single line of track through the square.
“It means we can keep trams running through the city – getting people to work, shopping and events over the coming year – while we build a brand new tram stop right alongside the new line.
“We’re pleased to be on track to get the work finished in time for the bank holiday and Manchester Pride celebrations, of which we’re a proud supporter.”
Councillor Andrew Fender, Chair of the TfGM Committee added: “You can really see the shape of things to come in St Peter’s Square, with a much bigger, better tram stop on the way.
“The demolition of the old stop will make way for more public space for everyone to enjoy as part of the council’s exciting flagship redevelopment of the square.
“Work is really gathering pace in the city – the brand new tram stop in Exchange Square is set to open it this winter, meaning more frequent services between Shaw and Crompton and the city. And when the Second City Crossing opens in 2017 people right across Greater Manchester will benefit – not just from better access to the city, but more trams and frequent services on the Metrolink network.”
No trams have run through St Peter’s Square since 28 June during the first phase of construction work, and a similar closure will take place in summer 2016 for final works before the new, expanded Metrolink stop opens close to the Cenotaph.
The stop will have two new island style platforms and two sets of track in each direction, allowing more services to run through it on the existing lines and the new Second City Crossing, due 2017.
