Boroughs

No trams to run on THREE major Greater Manchester lines for two weeks this month

Brace yourself for disruption.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 9th October 2026

Widespread disruption is expected, as no trams will be running on three major Greater Manchester lines for two full weeks.

As the next phase of the ongoing £150m investment into Greater Manchester’s tram network gets under way later this month, it has been announced that essential improvement work is set to be be carried out on three major Metrolink lines across the region in a bid to make the network ‘safer’ and ‘more resilient and reliable’ for years to come.

From Monday 19 October to Sunday 1 November, tram improvement works will take place at Deansgate-Castlefield, and Trafford Bar.

Additional works will also take place in the city centre during this time, allowing Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) to keep closures of the tram network to a minimum.

During the dates above, no trams will run on the Altrincham, Trafford Centre, and Eccles lines.

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No trams will be running on three major Greater Manchester line for two weeks this month / Credit: TfGM

A number of shuttle bus services will the running over the course of the two-week closure – with services arriving every 10 or 15 minutes, depending which line it’s on, and you can find a full list of these here.

Services operating on the East Didsbury and Manchester Airport lines will terminate at Firswood, and from Firswood, passengers will then need to board a replacement bus service to continue their journey into the city centre.

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Services operating on the Rochdale line will terminate at Exchange Square, it has also been announced.

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Services will resume on these lines from start of service on Monday 2 November.

However there will be some minor route changes through the city centre in place from Monday 2 to Wednesday 4 November, so it’s important to check your journey before you travel.

Featured Image – TfGM


Boroughs

New measures announced to tackle ‘rogue’ landlords across Greater Manchester

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant Houses

A cohort of trained enforcement officers are set to hit the streets in all 10 boroughs to help improve the lives of the region’s renters.

Forming part of Greater Manchester‘s commitment to the highest-quality housing standards alongside the Good Landlord Charter, the newly trained enforcement officers will be tasked with protecting tenants, joining Council teams in checking rental properties, bringing enforcement action against bad landlords, and cracking down on illegal practices.

The introduction of the new enforcement officers comes after what has been ‘years of sustained pressure’ on local budgets.

Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) says it is working with the 10 councils across the region to strengthen local teams, rebuild in-house skills and expertise, and ensure that powers can be applied with consistency in all boroughs.

As mentioned, this is happening alongside the Good Landlord Charter – which is GMCA’s ‘bold approach’ to drive up standards for renters across the region.

Landlords of more than half of rented properties in Greater Manchester have now signed up as supporters of the Charter, and as supporters, they have committed to going above and beyond legal minimums to improve the renting experience for hundreds of thousands of people.

“A safe place to call home is the cornerstone of a happy, healthy life,” explained Mayor Bev Craig. “But for years, people have felt trapped in poor-quality housing, and cash-strapped councils were unable to step in to help. I’m putting an end to that.

“We know there are plenty of good landlords in Greater Manchester, and many of them have already signed up to our Good Landlord Charter, but too many are just not good enough.

“That’s why we’re deploying a new generation of expert housing officers onto the streets of our towns and cities.”

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Mayor Bev Craig declared that she ‘won’t stand by and let rogue landlords take advantage of people’.

She continued: “By empowering renters, working with responsible landlords, and using our powers to crack down on the bad ones, I will make sure everyone in Greater Manchester has the foundation for a good life.”

Featured Image – Benjamin Elliott (via Unsplash)

Boroughs

Three Manchester motorways named in UK’s top 10 ‘most challenging’

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant Motorway

Three motorways in and around Manchester have been named the ‘most challenging’ in the UK.

As part of MoneySuperMarket’s new Great British Motorway Report, new research has found that one in three UK motorists find motorway driving ‘stressful’ – despite more than 70 billion miles being travelled on Britain’s motorways each year. 

From delays and congestion to high traffic levels, there are a number of factors that can contribute to driver stress levels. 

But are some motorways more challenging for drivers than others? According to the data, yes. And three of the top 10 worst motorways in the UK are in and around Greater Manchester.

To find out which are the most challenging, MoneySuperMarket analysed everything from collision rates and roadworks, to lane closures and driver feedback in order to reveal the top 10.

Manchester is home to three of the UK’s top 10 most challenging motorways – the M602, M62, and M60, the latter of which took the top spot on the list.

Woman driving a car
Three Manchester motorways have been named in the UK’s top 10 ‘most challenging’ / Credit: pxfuel

Encircling Greater Manchester and linking many of the region’s motorways, the M60 recorded the lowest overall score in the index.

Despite handling significant volumes of traffic, the M60 experienced some of the highest average delays, at 15.58 seconds per vehicle per mile, and alongside this, it saw 34 collisions in the past year alone. But despite these challenges, the M60 remains an essential route for regional connectivity, and often cannot be bypassed.

“If you’re feeling anxious, allow extra time for your journey so you don’t feel pressured to rush or make last-minute decisions,” commented Alicia Hempsted at MoneySuperMarket.

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“Plan your route in advance, including where you’ll stop for breaks, as regular rest stops can help you stay alert and reduce stress on longer trips, and if you’re travelling alone, consider sharing your route with someone you trust if it helps you feel more comfortable.”

Featured Image – Mike Birdy (via Pexels)


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