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.
ADVERTISEMENT
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.
ADVERTISEMENT
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
Family pay tribute to father-of-two killed in Rochdale plane crash
Daisy Jackson
The family of a man killed in a light aircraft crash in Rochdale have paid tribute to a ‘deeply loving father and devoted husband’.
36-year-old Arian Abbasi was one of two men killed when an aircraft crashed into farmland in Littleborough in Rochdale last week, after travelling from Birmingham.
Emergency services rushed to the scene shortly after 11am on Tuesday 3 February, but sadly pronounced both men dead at the scene.
It’s believed there was no one else on board the aircraft, and there were no reported injuries on the ground.
Now, Arian’s family have issued a moving tribute to him. He was a pilot from Harrow in Greater London.
They described him as being a ‘deeply loving’ family man, whose passion was flying.
He was about to embark on a new chapter with a commercial airline in just a few weeks’ time.
His family said: “He lived his life for his family and friends, giving them his constant love, strength, and support.
“Flying was his passion, and he was on the brink of beginning an exciting new chapter with a commercial airline on 23 February; a dream he had worked toward with immense pride and determination.”
GMP investigations are now focused on finding part of the parachute system which contains propellant and hasn’t yet been located.
Finding the device has been ‘very difficult’ due to the nature of the terrain and the wide area over which it may have travelled.
It measures approximately 10 cm in diameter and 30 cm long and has a red anodised finish. It weighs less than 2 kg. It may have a silver metal collar attached at one end.
GMP said: “Please do not handle the device if you see it. If discovered, contact the police immediately via 101 or our Live Chat at gmp.police.uk, quoting log 1056 of 03/02/26.”
Homeless children in Greater Manchester will now get free bus travel to and from school
Emily Sergeant
Children who are currently living in temporary housing in Greater Manchester are set to get extra support with school travel.
In a move that was announced by Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) at the end of last week, and following years of campaigning, homeless children living in temporary accommodation are now set to get free school travel on all Bee Network buses.
TfGM says it understands that some children end up a long way from their school when placed into temporary accommodation, and this leaves parents or carers with the difficult choice of either having to move them to a closer school, which ultimately disrupts their education, or having to pay unexpected travel costs.
While the Greater Manchester Strategy – which is the plan for the city region’s next decade – commits to reducing the number of families and children in temporary accommodation, and measures are also being taken to make sure residents have the support they need to ‘access, improve, and retain’ a decent, affordable home, this doesn’t tackle the immediate issue.
Homeless children in Greater Manchester will now get free school bus travel / Credit: TfGM
So, to help those families when they ‘need it most’, free bus travel to and from school is set to be provided, as subject to approval of this year’s Combined Authority budget.
The move comes after Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham asked TfGM last year to look at options to help with the cost of travel.
“Using our locally-controlled Bee Network buses to support families when they need it most is the right thing to do,” Andy Burnham commented.
Of course, the long-term solution is no kids in TA and we’re working with our councils to achieve this in the next few years.
We can do it because GM will soon hit the point where we are building more council and social homes every year than we’re losing through right-to-buy. 👍🏻
“A move into temporary accommodation is often a massive upheaval for families and can be a worrying time. With this measure, the cost of travel to school will be one less thing for families to worry about.
“It will mean parents and carers don’t have to choose between an extra demand on their household budget and keeping their children with friends and teachers they know and trust.”
Emily Sergeant -
20th October 2022 
