According to Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, the rolling stock in use on the region's Metrolink could look very different soon.
Speaking to BBC Radio Manchester’s Mike Sweeney, Burnham addressed the ongoing trouble that people on the Altrincham-Bury line are having with capacity and the running of services by outlining the fact that the line is set for a revamp. Commenting on the role that both Transport for Greater Manchester and Metrolink operator KeolisAmey should play, Burnham said:
“I will always hold people to account. It is the operator of Metrolink, KeolisAmey, and Transport for Greater Manchester that have to make sure that the service works…”
Since the Altrincham-Bury line opened more than 30 years ago, the network has undergone significant change, however the age of the line has meant that considerable maintenance is required on the line. Alongside this, Burnham added that further work will be required to replace the rolling stock that is in use. The Mayor continued:
“This, of course, is the oldest Metrolink line, and it does require substantial maintenance. We’re sort of 30+ years on now from that and I’ll be honest, it requires significant maintenance.
“We’re bringing forward a programme to do that, and we are also in a moment where we’re looking at how we increase tram capacity although we are going to have to move away soon from the current generation of trams, because they’re getting harder to buy and moving to a new generation.”
Currently, the Metrolink uses a fleet of 147 Bombardier M5000 trams across the entire network. Delivery of the first of these was taken in 2009, with the most recent arriving in 2022.
Plans to buy the next generation of trams were outlined in a report from the Bee Network committee at the end of August, with the goal being to have these run alongside the current fleet. These new trams will offer additional capacity, as well as improved passenger experienced as they will be ‘fully walk-through’ and double-length.
The procurement process has also already begun for new infrastructure on the Metrolink, with a focus on asset renewals. At the beginning of August the Bee Network published plans for a 12-year contract to cover key infrastructure, as well as additional work such as stop improvements, line extensions, vehicle infrastructure and travel hubs.
Commenting on the procurement process at the time, TfGM’s Chief Network Officer Danny Vaughan said:
“This is a significant opportunity for suppliers to help shape how we deliver the next generation of Metrolink and rail accessibility infrastructure across Greater Manchester. We’re looking for innovative, efficient and collaborative approaches that will support our ambitions for a world-class, integrated Bee Network. We encourage all interested parties to engage with us through this process.”
This contract will begin in 2027, when the current contract with operator KeolisAmey ends.
Image credit: iStock
