Metrolink customers are set to benefit from later running trams, better connections and improved capacity and resilience when a service pattern change is introduced later this month.

The changes, which come into effect on Sunday 28 January, will see Airport line services running to Victoria previously Deansgate-Castlefield, providing better connections and additional capacity through the regional centre.

Sunday services extended by approximately an hour into the evening and additional platforms at Altrincham and Victoria stops being brought into operatio.

-Services from MediaCityUK will run to Etihad Campus (previously Piccadilly) while Altrincham services that previously ran to Etihad Campus terminating at Piccadilly.

Trams will continue to operate either a six or 12 minute frequency as now. Metrolink staff will be on hand at key stops in the first weeks of the new pattern to explain any changes and guide customers.

Customers will also notice a change to the network map, which has been re-designed due to recent service changes and takes into consideration feedback from customers. Coloured lines have been reintroduced to make it easier to distinguish the services that operate as well as numbered flags.

Councillor Andrew Fender, Chair of the Transport for Greater Manchester Committee, said: “More and more people continue to travel on Metrolink and this is a really important service pattern change that is focused on delivering improvements for our customers.

“Metrolink connects large parts of the city region, providing vital links across our towns and cities and the introduction of later running trams on Sundays will be a boost to our night time economy and the many workers and revellers who support it.

“This, coupled with the fact that we’re extending services from the airport to Victoria – which will provide better connections and additional capacity through the regional centre – will undoubtedly improve our customers’ journey and experience of Metrolink.

“This is especially significant as this has only been made possible by bringing into service the third line through Victoria; the final piece of the jigsaw funded by Metrolink’s remarkable £1.5bn ‘big bang’ programme of extensions and upgrades.”

Aline Frantzen, Managing Director at operator KeolisAmey Metrolink, said: “Our mission is to put customers at the heart of everything we do, to keep Greater Manchester moving and growing every day.

“To achieve that, we need to listen to what our customers are telling us and we’ve done exactly that by responding to the feedback we’ve had from people about wanting to be brought closer to where they want to go, the need for more space on trams for people – particularly travelling through the city – and services stopping short.

“Our new pattern should mean our services are more consistent and reliable for customers and this was our commitment to the people of Greater Manchester and TfGM when we began operating the network for them.”

The additional trams introduced on the Altrincham and Bury lines before Christmas will continue to operate, providing additional capacity at peak times on the network’s two busiest lines.

1 COMMENT

  1. To change the tram from Altrincham to Eithad campus, to stopping at Piccadilly is going to cause more over crowding on the Cornbrook station when there is a match day. Extra Trams should provided on match days that go straight from Altrincham or from Deansgate Castlefield to the Eithad. But again these services should be advertised so that people are aware of the service.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here