Metrolink has pre-emptively cancelled all tram services between Bury and Manchester Victoria today, Tuesday 19 July.
TfGM has said that there is ‘too great a risk’ of passengers getting stuck on trams – which have no air conditioning – in the extreme temperatures that are forecast today.
The service was suspended at rush hour yesterday with some people saying they were stranded on board stationary trams for up to an hour.
The ‘excessive temperatures’ that hit the region have damaged overhead lines on the Bury line, Metrolink has said.
While engineers have worked through the night to repair the damage, there are fears that today’s even higher temperatures will cause further disruption.
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Metrolink has suspended the Bury line. Credit: TfGM
TfGM said: “Following the damage caused to the overhead line from excessive temperatures on Monday, there will be no tram service operating between Bury and Victoria on Tuesday 19 July.
“While we will be working through the night, we cannot guarantee the service given the higher temperatures forecast.
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“There is also too great a risk of passengers becoming stranded on trams in what are expected to be even hotter temperatures.
Last night, one disgruntled passenger said on Twitter: “Stuck on a tram for the past hour roasting in this heat and nothing’s getting done. How long before people start passing out?! Gotta love metrolink.”
They later added: “Can’t believe how long it took, a lot of people had no water and were starting to feel faint.”
@MCRMetrolink stuck on a tram for the past hour roasting in this heat and nothing's getting done. How long before people start passing out?! Gotta love metrolink🤦♀️😡
Another wrote: “A bit of hot weather and the @MCRMetrolink falls apart. Tram stuck at Victoria, no trams to Bury and Metrolink staff can’t give you any help. Avoid the tram!!!”
Someone else said: “Hello, do you guys know when services will be running again on the Rochdale line, been stuck inside the tram between Firswood and Trafford bar with no update. Safe to say it’s getting VERY hot in here?”
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Other lines along the Metrolink network are operating, but on a 12-minute timetable with ‘as many double services as possible to provide additional capacity and space on board’.
Featured image: TfGM
News
Arrest made after 14-year-old boy found in critical condition on Market Street
Daisy Jackson
An arrest has been made after a teenage boy was found unresponsive on Market Street in Manchester city centre.
Detectives believe that the boy, 14, was approached by seven males who stole a designer jacket from him.
Following the altercation, he went into cardiac arrest and was rushed to hospital in a critical condition.
Thankfully, the teenager is continuing to recover well.
Detectives from Manchester City Centre Criminal Investigation Department confirmed that an 18-year-old male was arrested yesterday, Thursday 20 February.
He has been arrested on suspicion of robbery and remains in police custody.
Detective Inspector Mark Astbury of GMP’s City Centre Criminal Investigation Department, said: “We hope the victim can continue his recovery following what must have been a terrifying ordeal for him.
“Officers are fully investigating all aspects of this shocking incident that has left a man with serious injuries in hospital.
“Our work doesn’t stop here, we are continuing to investigate this incident and information from the public plays an incredibly important role in our investigations and I ask that the community keep talking to us and keep sharing their concerns with us so our teams can act.”
If you have any information, contact GMP 101 or 0161 856 4305 quoting log 2854 of 16/2/25.
Comedy is being prescribed instead of antidepressants as part of UK trials
Emily Sergeant
Trials are currently underway to see if comedy could be an alternative to antidepressants as a way to reduce NHS costs.
UK tech company Craic Health has secured important funding for its ‘comedy on prescription’ project that’s aimed at helping the Government work with the comedy industry, communities, and organisations on comedy-based social prescriptions in the hope that they can solve financial struggles within the NHS.
The groundbreaking scheme uses stand-up shows and workshops to help people who are isolated, lonely, and vulnerable.
Craic believes comedy is an ‘untapped opportunity’ to improve health and wellbeing, and has a goal to make comedy easier to access, so that it can help communities experience its mental health and social benefits.
To achieve this, the company has started trialling Comedy-on-Prescription experiences in the UK – starting in London, with the potential for expansion – which includes things like curated comedy panel game show events and workshops, and general stand-up comedy shows at some of the capital’s world-famous venues.
Comedy is being prescribed instead of antidepressants as part of UK trials / Credit: Wikimedia Commons
“Mental health issues like loneliness, isolation, and stress are more common than ever,” the company explains.
“So much so that it’s projected that by 2030, mental health problems, particularly depression, will be the leading cause of mortality and morbidity globally, [but] in this challenging world, comedy stands out as a universal language that breaks barriers.
“Research shows that comedy and laughter have powerful effects – they bring people together, create positive connections, and make life more enjoyable.”
Craic Health says that social prescribing, of which Comedy-on-Prescription is a part of, is all about inclusivity, which makes it making it suitable for people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities.
Its focus is on personalised support, tailored to individual needs and preferences.
Daisy Jackson -
19th July 2022 
