15.09.14
Manchester ups tram order from 12 to 16 in £34m deal
Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has struck a deal with Bombardier to buy 16 more M5000 Flexity trams using cash from the government’s Local Growth Fund.
The £34m contract, which will boost Greater Manchester’s Metrolink service, was initially expected to pay for 12 trams, but through a combination of favourable exchange rates and buying in bulk, the larger order has been made possible.
Alongside a recent order of 10 trams, this latest deal means the M5000 fleet, which has completely replaced the old T68 vehicles, will consist of 120 vehicles by 2017.
Cllr Andrew Fender, chair of the TfGM’s Metrolink Committee, said: “This latest tram order is great news for Metrolink passengers and means there will be 26 new trams set to start running on the network in coming years.
“As Metrolink expands and grows in popularity we know that our customers want extra services and extra room on trams, and that’s why we are looking to the future and making sure we can meet that demand.”
TfGM added that Metrolink’s distinctive yellow trams – the Flexity Swift model – can carry more than 200 passengers and first began running back in 2009.
It is currently building a ‘second city crossing’ to allow more services to operator, and consulting on extending the network out to Trafford Park and the Trafford Centre.
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