Trams are set to be suspended this month as work to replace the tracks on a section of one of the busiest light-rail routes is carried out.
As the next phase of the ongoing £150m investment into Greater Manchester’s tram network gets under way this month, essential track replacement work is set to be be carried out in a bid to make the network ‘safer’ and ‘more resilient and reliable’ for years to come, and this includes a section of track which is considered to be one of the busiest light-rail routes in the world.
Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has confirmed that it will replace around 1.6km of track – some parts of which are more than 30 years old – at Trafford Bar and Deansgate-Castlefield, as well as working on a separate section on the Eccles line at the same time.
The track between Trafford Bar and St Peter’s Square, in particular, is one of the busiest sections of light-rail in the world, as one tram passes through every 30 seconds for 20 hours a day, seven days a week.
As the nature of the work required where the Eccles and Altrincham lines meet at Cornbrook is considered to be so ‘complex’, it will be the first time a type of specialist lifting equipment has been used in the UK.
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Tracks are set to be replaced on a section of one of the world’s busiest light-rail routes / Credit: The Manc Group | TfGM
More than 3,000 tonnes of new rail and 800 new concrete sleepers will be fitted as part of the scheme, with a team of 70 engineers working across three sites throughout the summer to get the work done as ‘quickly and efficiently’ as possible.
Once installed, the track will be carefully adjusted and tested to ensure it meets strict safety standards and trams travel smoothly and efficiently along it.
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While the work is being done, no trams will run on the Eccles, Trafford Centre, and Altrincham lines.
Services on the East Didsbury and Manchester Airport lines will terminate at Firswood, while services on the Rochdale line will terminate at Exchange Square.
As is to be expected, there will be some disruption on the affected lines – with replacement buses due to run between each required stop, accompanied by special event bus services running for the cricket at Old Trafford on 26 and 31 July.
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“The work at Trafford Bar and Deansgate-Castlefield is taking place on one of the busiest stretches of tram track in the country,” explained Ian Davies, who is the Network Director for Metrolink at TfGM. “Some sections are more than 30 years old, with 40-tonne trams running every 30 seconds at peak times – that level wear and tear takes its toll, which is why this work is so important.
“It’s one of the most complex parts of the network to access, requiring a carefully planned approach to carry out the work safely and efficiently.
“We’re sorry for the disruption. We know it can be annoying, and while these essential upgrades take place we will do everything we can to keep people moving.”
Normal services are due to resume from Monday 3 August, but until then, everything you need to know is on the Bee Network website here.
Featured Image – Janus Boye
Boroughs
Police issue urgent warning following a rise in scam calls across Greater Manchester
Emily Sergeant
The public is being urged to ‘remain vigilant’ following a rise of scam calls across Greater Manchester.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) says it has been made aware that scammers, who are impersonating police officers, are contacting people trying to convince them to hand over personal and sensitive information linked to their ownership of cryptocurrency.
From the numerous reports that GMP has received, one common method the offenders appear to be using is claiming that a suspect has been arrested and was found to be in possession of the victim’s personal documents – such as their passport, driving licence, or banking details.
On several occasions, fraudsters asked victims about their cryptocurrency accounts – specifically looking for their IDs, recovery phrases, and security codes.
GMP is urging the public to know that the police would never ask you to share this information or move your accounts.
The police have issued an urgent warning following a rise in scam calls across Greater Manchester / Credit: Rawpixel | Nordwood Themes (via Unsplash)
“These calls can appear convincing and are being made through spoofed GMP phone numbers but we are urging the public to remain vigilant, especially when providing sensitive information via phone calls,’ GMP said in a statement this week.
GMP is asking that the public ‘be wary’ of unsolicited calls, emails or messages relating to cryptocurrency investments or accounts, and that they never share passwords, recovery phrases, or security codes with anyone, as well as refusing to transfer any money or cryptocurrency to accounts suggested by a caller.
DS Reed, from GMP’s Cyber Crime Team, said these calls are ‘incredibly sophisticated’, and those responsible are targeting ‘vulnerable communities’
“We take offences of this nature incredibly seriously, and our Cyber Crime Team are working around the clock to understand how these offences have occurred, and how to prevent it from continuing,” DS Reed concluded.
Featured Image – Priscilla Du Preez (via Unsplash)
Boroughs
No trams to run on THREE major Greater Manchester lines for two weeks this month
Emily Sergeant
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.
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.
Services operating on the Rochdale line will terminate at Exchange Square, it has also been announced.
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.
Emily Sergeant -
3rd July 2026 
