Bee Network tram services are running again on all lines in Greater Manchester after two weeks of major improvement work was successfully completed on time.
Tram services have resumed across the Altrincham, Eccles, and Trafford Park lines this morning (Monday 2 November) following the completion of major track replacement work between Trafford Bar and Deansgate-Castlefield.
Maintenance and renewal work also took place on the Eccles line and in the city centre during a planned closure between 19 October to 1 November.
The work forms part of a major investment programme to maintain, renew and improve Greater Manchester’s Metrolink network, helping to keep services safe, reliable and resilient for years to come.
Engineers have replaced around 4km of track on one of the busiest and most complex sections of the network, where five Metrolink lines converge and trams pass through every 30 seconds for much of the day.
The new track will allow further speed restrictions to be lifted, helping to improve journey times and provide smoother, more reliable journeys for passengers. Around 100,000 journeys every day are already benefiting from journey time improvements delivered through previous phases of work.
Some minor route changes through the city centre will remain in place for a few days (from Monday 2 to Wednesday 4 November) whilst final checks on Piccadilly Gardens engineering works are completed. Trams running on the Bury – Altrincham, and Victoria – Manchester Airport lines will divert via Exchange Square, rather than Market Street.
Trams continue to be unaffected by ongoing road repairs on Portland Street following a burst water main, though Bee Network buses remain on diversion. The latest travel advice for diverted bus services can be found on the TfGM website.
Ian Davies, Network Director for Metrolink at TfGM, said: “This was an essential piece of engineering work on one of the busiest parts of our tram network and will help keep services safe, reliable and fit for the future.
“We’re sorry for the disruption and I’d like to thank passengers, residents and businesses for their patience while we got on with the job.
“The upgrades mean customers will benefit from smoother journeys and allow us to lift further speed restrictions on this section of the network. It will help speed up our journeys and improve reliability for everyone who uses our network.
“Completing work of this scale on time is a significant achievement and I’d like to thank everyone involved for getting it done safely and efficiently.”
Image credit: TfGM
