More major Manchester tram stops to be out of action due to ‘essential track replacements’ next week

Two more major Manchester tram stops are to be out of action due to ‘essential track replacement work’ next week.

After Transport for Greater Manchester‘s (TfGM) announced last month that no trams would run between Piccadilly and Piccadilly Gardens for a total 17 days from 22 June to 9 July, it has now been confirmed that two more key city centre tram stops are to be out of action from next week – with no services set to run.

This is all due to the ongoing programme of works intended to “maintain and improve” the Metrolink system and ensure tram journeys in Greater Manchester remain “safe, reliable, and accessible”.

As TfGM looks to improve a key part of the Metrolink network in the city centre, no trams will operate between Market Street and Shudehill tram stop while “essential track replacement work” is carried out from Wednesday 24 July until Monday 19 August.  

Passengers travelling between Piccadilly station and Victoria, in either direction, will instead be directed to either board a replacement bus service, or change trams at St Peter’s Square.

A signed walking route will also be put in place between Market Street and Shudehill tram stops.

As well as the tram stops being out of action, TfGM is warning city centre visitors that Shudehill will also be closed to traffic where the Metrolink tracks cross the road between Wednesday 24 July and Monday 5 August, and during this closure, some bus services will be diverted as a result – but information for customers is to be provided at affected bus stops.

A signed diversion route will be put in place for drivers and cyclists, and access to the Manchester Arndale multi-storey car park will be maintained “at all times” during the works, with businesses remaining “open as usual”, TfGM has reassured.

As is often the case with maintenance works of this nature, disruption for passengers is to be expected this summer, but TfGM says it will doing “everything we can” to keep disruption “to a minimum”.

Pete Sommers, who is TfGM’s Metrolink Director, is encouraging anyone travelling to “plan ahead” and “leave plenty of time” for any journeys, adding that: “During these essential works, we will be doing everything we can to keep disruption to a minimum with replacement bus services and signed diversions for vehicles and pedestrians.   

“We also have support from our traffic signals team to ensure city centre traffic flows as freely as possible.”

Read more:

• ‘Essential’ track replacements set to stop trams running between key Manchester stops
• Metrolink workers set to strike and bring Manchester to a ‘standstill’ this summer
• Teens could be recruited as train drivers to help ‘improve’ Britain’s railways amid ongoing strikes

Find out more about the planned tram improvement works on the TfGM website here.

Featured Image – TfGM