09.03.20
Metrolink Trafford Park Line start date announced
Greater Manchester’s new £350m Trafford Park line will launch on Sunday 22nd March.
The date comes directly after the successful completion of the project and delivery of the new line to the operator, KeolisAmey Metrolink, whose drivers are currently partaking in a training programme before passengers can travel on the line.
Metrolink is the UK’s largest tram network, with 96km of track and 93 stops. The new Trafford Park line will add a further 5.5km of track and six additional stops, taking the total up to 99.
The new line brings Transport for Greater Manchester closer to their goal of operating a London-style transport system.
Launched in June 2019, ‘Our Network’ is a ten-year plan to create a combined, modern and accessible public network of which further Metrolink extensions and the introduction of tram-train are focal points.
This project in particular is the first to benefit from the region’s Devolution Deal, signed by Greater Manchester leaders and central government in November 2014, with a £20m contribution from Trafford Council, and has been delivered approximately seven months earlier than originally planned.
The Trafford Park line will run through Europe’s largest industrial estate, providing access to thousands of jobs, including global brands such as Kellogg’s, Unilever, Missguided, L’Oreal and Adidas. The new stops will also provide easy access to some of the North West’s top retail and leisure destinations, including into Trafford Centre, Old Trafford stadium and Imperial War Museum North.
Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said: “It’s great that the Trafford Park line will open for business on Sunday 22 March. It is a much-needed addition to the Metrolink network and will encourage more people to use public transport to journey around our city-region, and in doing so reduce congestion on our roads and improve the quality of our air.
“Last June I set out Our Network - a vision for the type of world-class transport network I want us to have here in Greater Manchester. This new line is a great step towards that, and a shining example of what we can deliver with the right funding and powers.”
Leader of Trafford Council, Councillor Andrew Western, said: “The opening of the Trafford Park Line will be hugely important for the continued development of the local and regional economy. It will also help get more cars off the road as visitors will now have a real transport alternative via Metrolink to some of the country’s most famous retail and leisure destinations including Manchester United and the Imperial War Museum.”
Transport for Greater Manchester’s Chief Executive, Eamonn Boylan, added: “A project of this size and scale is a huge undertaking and we are pleased at how smoothly it’s come together, meaning we’re opening the line much sooner than we anticipated. We’re very pleased to be welcoming passengers on board and opening up the Trafford Park area for workers, shoppers and visitors. I have no doubt it’ll make a huge difference to the area, particularly to the many local businesses.”
Image: TfGM