Some bikes are now allowed on trams in Greater Manchester from this week, as a ‘supervised trail’ has now been launched.
Passengers who regularly use the Metrolink will know that folded bikes in bags have been permitted on trams in the region under the current rules for quite some time now, but standard cycle bikes and non-standard bikes are not allowed.
Officially launching last Thursday (29 February), and being supervised by the tram operator, Keolis Amey Metrolink (KAM) under test conditions, the ‘guided pilot’ is taking place with volunteers selected by TfGM.
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The pilot will run for the next four to six weeks on off-peak services on different lines, routes, and stops across the Metrolink network, and at different times of the day and days of the week.
However, it is very important to note that, during the ‘guided pilot’, there has been no change to TfGM and Metrolink’s ‘Conditions of Carriage’ policy – which means that bikes and non-standard cycles are not allowed to be taken onto trams by members of the public, and only invited participants under supervision by KAM staff will be able to take their bikes on the Metrolink network.
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Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham committed to carrying out the pilot study as part of his mayoral manifesto.
It was also recommended by the region’s Active Travel Commissioner, Dame Sarah Storey.
Bikes are now allowed on Greater Manchester trams as ‘supervised trial’ begins / Credit: TfGM
TfGM says the pilot has been developed to ensure “all passenger groups are represented” – which includes people with disabilities, and those travelling with pushchairs.
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Researchers’ aim of the pilot is to observe different scenarios involving bikes on trams in a controlled way, and record the experiences of everyone using trams.
The space required to transport bikes alongside passengers, as well as the existing challenges of accommodating bikes, both on trams and the wider network – including stops and transport interchanges – are to be the main points of consideration.
Not only that, but TfGM has also said it will be using the pilot to look at the carriage of adapted bikes used as mobility aids, scooters, and a broader range of mobility scooters that are not currently permitted too.
Only bikes approved by TfGM for the pilot are permitted on trams across the region / Credit: TfGM
Feedback from other passengers will also be recorded as a part of the pilot, along with feedback from the volunteers taking part and any other participants involved, and then, a follow-up report will be taken to the Bee Network Committee later this year with recommendations about bikes on the Metrolink network in the future.
“I’m pleased the pilot to test the carriage of bikes and non-standard cycles on trams is now underway,” commented Danny Vaughan, who is the Head of Metrolink at TfGM, “and I look forward to reviewing its findings.
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“I would like to remind Metrolink customers and cyclists that only invited volunteers can take part in the pilot, and that the current conditions of carriage still stand.
You can read the current rules around taking bikes on trams on the TfGM website here.
Featured Image – TfGM
Travel & Tourism
Drinks prices revealed as Manchester Airport’s first-ever Wetherspoons pub opens inside T2
Emily Sergeant
It’s official… Manchester Airport’s first-ever JD Wetherspoon pub has officially opened its doors inside Terminal 2.
The 300-seater pub – which welcomed its first customers earlier this week – is named The Belle Vue after Manchester’s historic showground.
Throughout the pub, you’ll spot design features that nod to the city’s sporting heritage – including vintage event posters and memorabilia, a ‘locker wall’ hosting trophies and other sporting exhibits, and a cricket-themed design in the carpets and bar panels.
Creating around 150 jobs in the process, The Belle Vue is the final planned new eatery to open in the airport’s redeveloped Terminal 2, marking one of the final steps in the super-terminal’s decade-long, £1.5bn transformation.
Manchester Airport’s first-ever Wetherspoons pub has opened inside Terminal 2 / Credit: Supplied
According to the MEN, pints are priced from £6.20 for Carling and Coors lager, £6.45 for Budweiser, £6.60 for Guinness, and £6.70 for Poretti and 1664 Biere.
Prosecco is £9.20 for 175ml glass and £37.10 for the full bottle, while spirts and mixers are £6.80 for singles and £10.20 for doubles.
There’s also the classic Wetherspoons tea and coffee machines, where you can refill as many times as you like for just £3.60.
“It’s a proud moment to see the final new retail unit opening in our new-look Terminal 2,” commented Richard Jackson, who is the Retail Director at Manchester Airport.
“To be rounding off this 10-year programme by adding such an iconic name as Wetherspoon to the terminal is particularly special and we know that it will prove extremely popular with passengers. We think they’ll love the nods to Manchester’s heritage in the décor and design – and of course the name.”
The Belle Vue will be open from the first flight to the final flight each day, and food will be served from opening until 10pm.
Featured Image – Supplied
Travel & Tourism
Etihad Stadium showcases City Hall, the new beating heart of Manchester City match days
Lonnie Bowes
There’s a particular kind of Manchester buzz you only get pitch-side. If you’re a seasoned Cityzen this one’s for you – one of three major new hospitality options for your next game day at the Etihad Stadium.
Tucked in the heart of the new Pep Guardiola Stand, directly behind the goal, we have the brand-new City Hall.
City Hall is built for people who actually want to watch football in comfort, and with a massive 500 capacity hall a stone’s throw from the pitch, it’s a hard one to pass up.
Doors open a full two hours before the match, and that early access turns the day into an occasion rather than a scramble.
There’s time to properly soak up the atmosphere in what is a genuinely lively, buzzing bar, and I have to say potentially one of the best I’ve come across on a match day.
Food and drink are where the local flavour really comes through. The street food menu leans into Manchester’s own identity with a modern twist.
The catering is relaxed and doesn’t take itself too seriously, let’s just say having a chip barm and chicken madras pie on the run-up to a kick-off is my idea of heaven.
Every guest gets an inclusive drink as part of your booking, too. You get to pick from a selected wine, beer or soft drink which you can claim at any point during your visit.
It’s a setup that suits everyone, whether you’re in it for a proper pre-match pint with your mates or meal with your family before a day of making pitch side memories.
The little touches matter too. A matchday programme is a nice, old-school addition in an era where so much matchday content has gone digital.
And crucially, the experience doesn’t end at the final whistle: with an hour’s access after the match, there’s no need to bolt for the exits the second the referee blows for full-time. You can sit and finish your drink, and let the ground empty out around you instead of fighting through it.
Put it all together and City Hall feels like hospitality done with an actual sense of place.
Manchester street food, a proper buzzing bar, and one of the best seats in the house, all wrapped around a schedule that respects the fact that match day is about more than just the 90 minutes.
For anyone looking to upgrade how they watch City this season, it’s well worth a look.
Have a look and make a booking at City Hall at the Etihad Stadium HERE.
Emily Sergeant -
6th March 2024 
