30.09.16
Milestone moment as Metrolink’s final M5000 tram leaves Vienna depot
Transport for Greater Manchester has celebrated the successful upgrade of the Metrolink tram fleet as the 120th vehicle left Bombardier’s Vienna depot.
Tram 3120, the final tram in the fleet, left the manufacturer’s depot on 27 September and is due to arrive in the UK this weekend.
It will now be fitted with Metrolink livery before entering service.
Cllr Andrew Fender, chair of the Transport for Greater Manchester committee, said: “This is a proud moment for everyone associated with Metrolink as the imminent arrival of Tram 120 is symbolic of the major investment and expansion of the Metrolink network in recent years.”
The 120 M5000 model trams were introduced to provide a more modern alternative to the T68s, which were retired in 2014.
A part of the network’s new Second City Crossing, a new stop opened at Exchange Square last year, followed by a stop at St Peter’s Square last month.
Metrolink passenger journeys have increased by 19.1% in the past year, and it scored 89% passenger satisfaction in a recent Transport Focus survey.
It has also become the first fully wi-fi enabled tram network in the UK.
Peter Cushing, director of Metrolink, told RTM recently that the company is also keeping a “watchful eye” on the £60m tram-train study in South Yorkshire, which is currently under review.
Christian Diewald, Bombardier’s chief country representative for Austria, said: “We are pleased that tram 120 will soon be available for the passengers of Greater Manchester.
“These trams feature a high degree of passenger comfort and score points with their strong performance in terms of energy efficiency and reliability.”
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