Temporary changes are being introduced to some Metrolink services after planned engineering works in Manchester city centre have been delayed.
Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has announced that planned work to replace a damaged rail in Piccadilly Gardens that was originally set to start next week to “ensure the continued safe running of services across the network” has now been delayed until the end of November due to issues with the rail supplier.
Several precautionary route changes will now be introduced from Monday 24 October, TfGM confirmed.
Repair works come after a “minor derailment” of a tram in the Piccadilly Gardens area caused significant disruption across the city centre late last month.
TfGM has assured that passengers on all lines will still be able to get into the city centre, and there are alternative travel options for those wanting to make cross-city journeys on affected routes – including other tram services, bus replacements, or walking routes.
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People are being advised to plan ahead and allow extra time when making connecting journeys, and TfGM says that Metrolink staff will be at all affected stops to help customers out.
From Monday 24 October there will be a temporary change to some tram services.
↪️ Altrincham-Piccadilly and Bury-Piccadilly will run Altrincham-Bury
Bury and Altrincham services will not operate into Piccadilly Station, and will instead operate from Bury to Altrincham via Market Street at a six-minute frequency from 7am to 8pm on Monday to Friday, and 9am to 6.30pm on Saturdays.
Outside of these times, services will operate every 12 minutes.
Ashton services will operate to Crumpsall via Victoria Station at a 12-minute frequency at all times, and passengers on the Bury and Altrincham lines will be able to connect to this service to travel to Piccadilly Station.
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Eccles services will operate to Deansgate-Castlefield, also at a 12-minute frequency at all times, and as there will be no direct connection between Piccadilly Station and Deansgate-Castlefield, a Metrolink replacement bus service will operate.
Rail services between Piccadilly Station and Deansgate-Castlefield stations can also be used for this connection.
Metrolink routes to change next week due to delayed repair work at Piccadilly Gardens / Credit: TfGM
Speaking ahead of the planned engineering works, Danny Vaughan – Head of Metrolink at said: “These are unforeseen circumstances which are outside of our control, and I want to apologise for any inconvenience this causes to our customers.
“We will be doing everything we can to minimise disruptions to journeys and staff will be available at all affected stops to provide travel advice.”
For more information on the temporary service changes, including information on walking routes between affected stops, head over to TfGM’s website here.
Featured Image – TfGM
News
First look at Albert Square as Manchester Christmas Markets return to their spiritual home
Thomas Melia
Manchester Christmas Markets are back and all our Christmas wishes have come true, as its spiritual home Albert Square joins in on the festivities for the first time in six years.
Grab a mulled wine, toast yourself a marshmallow and take a seat, because we’re going to take you on a quick tour of this brand-new offering.
You’ll be able to tick off your Christmas Markets wish list in one place, as Manchester has got all your usual favourites and so much more taking place right here outside of its iconic Town Hall.
As soon as you walk in you’re greeted by a huge sign spelling out the city’s iconic abbreviation ‘MCR’, just in case you forgot where you were, that also doubles as a nice photo opportunity.
Albert Square in Manchester city centre is getting into the Christmas spirit for the first time in six years / Credit: The Manc Group
As you walk into Albert Square there’s a mix of nostalgic wooden huts and brightly coloured modern street food vendor stations waiting to tempt you with all their tasty treats.
There’s no messing around at this Christmas hotspot because not even 10 feet after you enter, you can warm up with a glühwein and bratwurst, yes please.
Think you’re done sampling some festive feasts? Think again as there’s a marshmallow toasting station, a roasted chestnut cart and lots of huts are offering their own hot chocolate creations.
Local street food vendor Rita’s Reign has made her mark in Albert Square too, serving up her foodie feasts with a seasonal spin such as the ‘Festive Feast’ and ‘Christmas Crunch’ combo boxes.
Rita’s Reign is just one of many food vendors at Manchester Christmas Markets / Credit: The Manc Group
As you keep making your way round there’s some lovely gifts and trinkets to browse including tree decorations, ornaments and some vibrant pieces of art.
There’s plenty of ways to keep the kids (and big kids) entertained with some carnival-themed games and stalls as well as a vintage carousel, if that doesn’t get you in the Christmas spirit what else will?
Of course, there’s even more food to mention like mini dutch pancakes, toasted sandwiches, French toast, the list is endless (Much like many of our Christmas lists).
And we couldn’t finish our visit without acknowledging the elephant in the room, also known as The Manchester Big Wheel, which is the perfect people-watching spot, but maybe hop on this ride before you try all the tasty treats mentioned above.
Drivers warned of ‘bad habit’ that could land them with £1,000 fines this winter
Emily Sergeant
Drivers are being warned of a ‘bad habit’ on the roads that could seem them hit with hefty fines as winter rolls around.
Once the temperatures drop, and the days get shorter and darker, fog tends to become a more common weather occurrence around this time of year – but an eye-opening new survey has found that most drivers don’t really how to use their fog lights correctly.
According to guidance from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), fog lights should only be used on British roads when visibility drops below 100 metres, yet the new research by eBay has found that 60% of drivers use their fog lights at the wrong times, and what’s more is that one in 10 say they switch on their fog lights when visibility is less than 300 metres.
48% of drivers who took part in the research admitted that they activate full-beam headlights when it’s dark, regardless of oncoming traffic and other road users.
Drivers are being warned of a ‘bad habit’ that could land them with £1,000 fines this winter / Credit: Nabeel Syed (via Unsplash)
The RAC says these stats reveal a ‘worrying trend’ among motorists, and have warned that these habits could actually means drivers are risking fines of up to £1,000 and three penalty points on their licence.
If the incorrect usage of fog lights wasn’t bad enough as it is, the new research also found that many Brits say they do not stay on-top of regular car maintenance when it comes to car fog lights, either – with just 15% saying they check them every month, and shockingly, 24% stating they’ve never checked them before.
Due to the ongoing issue of headlight glare, in whatever form that may be, The RAC has found that as many as one in four drivers (25%) who find headlights ‘too bright’ are actually driving less as a result.
“Unfortunately for a lot of drivers, the annual onset of darker evenings coincides with another unwelcome arrival – that of overly-bright headlights that they believe make driving more difficult due to dazzle and discomfort,” explained Rod Dennis, who is the Senior Policy Officer at the RAC.
“While most of us have no choice other than to adapt to driving at night more often as the clocks go back, the fact headlight glare is the leading cause of nervousness underlines it’s a problem that needs tackling.
“At the same time, it’s important to remember that brighter headlights can give drivers a better view of the road ahead, so there’s a balance to be struck.”
Emily Sergeant -
20th October 2022 
