23.01.15
Manchester Victoria Metrolink stop will open in February – NR
Much to the delight of many, including RTM, tram services will be restored to Manchester Victoria’s Metrolink stop next month, Network Rail has confirmed.
The tram stop, which has been upgraded as part of the redevelopment of Manchester Victoria station, has been closed since February 2014.
It was, originally, meant to be completed by November last year. However, in October, Network Rail announced that the work had been pushed back to February 2015 “due to the complex nature of the construction and engineering works being carried out”.
The stop is expected to re-open to passengers by Wednesday 18 February, during a week of changes to Metrolink services that will allow an extended programme of work at Victoria and along Balloon Street to be completed.
The latest news on the project, which is expected to allow more frequent tram services to run through the city centre station, is that Network Rail will complete its work between Saturday 14 February and Saturday 21 February, which will involve changes to tram services through the station.
Ian Joslin, area director for Network Rail, said: “The completion of and reopening of the tram stop at Manchester Victoria is a milestone in the redevelopment of the station. To allow us to complete the work, there will be changes to tram services between 14 and 21 February and we apologise for that.
“However, the result will ultimately be a better tram service with better connections to the railway as part of the stunning new Manchester Victoria station.”
Peter Cushing, TfGM’s Metrolink director, said that he is looking forward to welcoming customers back on-board at Victoria as the station’s wider redevelopment enters its final stages.
He added: “There will be changes to services in the run up to the re-opening – during the traditionally quieter half-term period – and we’ll be publicising these as widely as possible.
So far, TfGM has stated that between Saturday 14 and Tuesday 17 February, no services will run to or through Victoria. But the following services will run, alongside shuttle buses ferrying passengers into the city for drop-off and connections:
- Bury to Crumpsall (with shuttle bus between Crumpsall and Shudehill & Piccadilly Gardens)
- Oldham and Rochdale to Monsall (alight at Central Park for buses to Victoria, Shudehill & Piccadilly Gardens)
- Altrincham to Piccadilly
- East Didsbury to Piccadilly
- Eccles to Ashton, via MediaCityUK
- Manchester Airport to Cornbrook
By Wednesday 18 February, trams from Bury and Rochdale will terminate at the new Victoria stop. Services through Victoria – to Shudehill, Market Street and beyond – are expected to resume from the start of service on Saturday 21 February.
Details of the specific changes will be provided by Metrolink and TfGM at stops and online at www.tfgm.com and www.metrolink.co.uk.
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