New plans are being considered that could bring trams to Stockport at last.
Transport for Greater Manchester and Stockport Council are developing a business case to extend the tram network to Stockport from East Didsbury.
There are proposals to make use of the ‘underused’ Denton rail line, connecting Ashton to Manchester Airport via Stockport.
Technical work on the first stage of the business case is underway, with plans to submit the case to the Department for Transport next year.
Work could begin before the end of the decade.
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It’s thought that some of these plans, including using the line through Denton, could transform connectivity for thousands of residents and businesses across Greater Manchester.
The first step in the process is exploring a ‘core’ extension from the existing Metrolink stop at East Didsbury to Stockport town centre.
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But another idea and future extensions includes using tram-train technology to run beyond Stockport town centre, connecting Tameside and Manchester Airport.
Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said: “We’ve a bold plan to deliver a decade of good growth for Greater Manchester, one that benefits every part of the city region. Developing the Bee Network and delivering better bus, tram and train connections will be fundamental to our growth story.
“For too long, Denton has been overlooked and by working up the tram-train option to connect Denton and the wider area to the Metrolink is a big step toward unlocking opportunities for local residents and businesses.
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“We’re committed to extending Metrolink to Stockport and beyond as part of our efforts to connect all our districts to the tram network and delivering a truly integrated transport network for everyone.”
Andrew Gwynne, MP for Gorton & Denton, said: “For years I’ve campaigned, alongside the local community, for improved transport links to Denton and across the constituency. I’m delighted that as part of the Metrolink extension plans, TfGM are looking seriously at using the rail line as an option for tram-train services.
“Improved connectivity is key to opening up opportunities for our people and communities, and supporting the growth ambitions across the city region.
“I’ve long campaigned for better transport links for Denton, and I’m delighted TfGM is looking seriously at this rail line as part of the Metrolink extension plans. This could be transformative for our community, improving connectivity and supporting growth across the area.”
Navendu Mishra, MP for Stockport, said: “Since my election to the House of Commons in December 2019, I have been pushing the Government to fund the extension of Manchester’s Metrolink tram network into my constituency of Stockport, and I thank the Secretary of State for Transport, the Chancellor and Transport for Greater Manchester for backing the extension to our town centre.
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“This will be a significant boost for Stockport’s connectivity and local economy, helping people to get to work, school and healthcare appointments more easily and sustainably as well as unlocking new homes and jobs.”
Leader of Tameside Council, Cllr Eleanor Wills, said: “The options being developed to utilise the Denton rail line to expand Metrolink and better connect Ashton to Manchester Airport via Stockport have the potential to be truly transformational.
“The Ashton Mayoral Development Zone is an exciting and vital opportunity to unlock Ashton’s potential, providing new homes and quality jobs. With even better transport links we can set ourselves up to for good growth for many years to come.”
Leader of Stockport Council, Cllr Mark Roberts, said: “I’ve always said when it comes to MetroLink that it should be “Next Stop Stockport not Last Stop Stockport” to the help deliver the ambition we have -the delivery of Metrolink and improving public transport connectivity across the borough and Greater Manchester is something we can all get behind.”
With Greater Manchester embarking on a decade of good growth, the city region is committed through the Greater Manchester Strategy to developing a transport system for a global city region – with 90% of people within a five-minute walk of a bus or tram that comes at least every 30 minutes.
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Earlier this year, the government awarded Greater Manchester £2.5 billion through Transport for the City Regions funding for a pipeline of projects including a tram line to Stockport and tram-train services connecting Oldham, Rochdale, Heywood and Bury, new Metrolink stops and modern new interchanges.
The £2.5 billion is part of a package of investment Greater Manchester is seeking to deliver its growth ambitions in full – with the city region seeking to work collaboratively with Government on exploring new funding models for major transport and other infrastructure projects.
Metrolink is already the UK’s largest light rail network, with 99 stops connecting seven of the 10 boroughs of Greater Manchester. Record numbers of people are also getting onboard, with 45.6million trips made in 2024 – up from 33.5m trips in 2022.
New £60m fund launched to fill potholes across Greater Manchester
Emily Sergeant
A new £60 million Pothole Fund has been created to repair more of the city region’s roads and pavements.
The fund – which has been set up by new Mayor Bev Craig, and is to be spent across every borough in Greater Manchester – is set to be a ‘major boost’ to efforts to tackle the pothole problem, as it will be enough to repair and maintain over a million square metres, or around 125 kilometres, of road across the wider region.
Around 2.5 billion trips are made on Greater Manchester‘s roads every year – not only by motorists, but also by buses, trams, cyclists, and pedestrians. So the fund will be used to help keep the highways network ‘safe and reliable’.
The fund will enable transport teams to repair hotspots where surfaces are in poor condition, as well as resurface roads and pavements to prevent them from deteriorating in the first place.
A new £60m fund has been launched to fill potholes across Greater Manchester / Credit: TfGM
Cold and wet winters, more traffic, and heavier vehicles using the roads are just some of the contributing factors to the pothole problem, which is why the fund is being introduced before autumn and winter properly arrives.
The amount each of the 10 boroughs will receive is based on an agreed funding formula, with the allocations being:
Bolton: £6,552,000
Bury: £4,374,000
Manchester: £8,155,000
Oldham: £5,258,000
Rochdale: £5,243,000
Salford: £5,388,000
Stockport: £6,820,000
Tameside: £4,980,000
Trafford: £4,992,000
Wigan: £8,241,000
The extra cash comes from the region’s transport budget, with leaders agreeing to reallocate funding towards highways maintenance, and it fulfils a commitment Bev made in her Mayoral Manifesto to repair more roads and make sure pavements are safe.
“Keeping our roads and pavements safe and well maintained is essential for a growing city region like Greater Manchester,” explained Mayor Bev Craig.
“That’s why I promised to create this new Pothole Fund that will benefit drivers and everyone who uses our roads to get around. Properly maintaining our roads will save motorists money on costly repairs, and by preventing potholes forming in the first place, councils won’t have to spend as much money on emergency road repairs.
“This issue came up repeatedly on the doorstep during my election campaign so I’m pleased that I can do something about it so quickly, building on the significant work already planned by councils across Greater Manchester.”
Featured Image – TfGM
Travel & Tourism
The family-run gem doing tapas, craft beer, cocktails and live music just outside Manchester
Daisy Jackson
A good neighbourhood restaurant should be somewhere you can pop in to at any time of day, for just about any occasion.
Whether it’s coffee and a bake after the school run, a tapas night with your mates, a cosy cocktail with your partner, or even somewhere to end the night listening to live music, Gin & Brews is one such neighbourhood gem.
This brilliant family-run venue opened in an old bank in Garstang in 2023 and quickly spilled over into the unit next door, expanding its offering as it went.
It’s gone from a cosy bottle shop and microbar to a true neighbourhood haunt, with fantastic deals (like two pizzas and a bottle of wine for £25 on Thursdays) and cocktails made with their own distilled spirits.
The food is a big part of the appeal, particularly the tapas.
There’s bread and oils, chorizo and prawns, goat’s cheese and loaded potatoes, with plenty designed for sharing – you might want to order more than you think you need, but at £12 for three dishes, that’s no hardship.
You can get three tapas dishes for £12Lemon curd French toast
Then there’s the homemade honey and sea salt butter. It’s the sort of butter you try once and immediately want to tell everyone about.
For daytime visits, the brunch menu brings out perfectly poppable eggs and seriously good French toast, with the lemon curd a particular must-try.
And if you have dietary requirements, Gin & Brews is unusually well set up for gluten-free diners, with almost everything on the menu gluten free – even the beer – plus a generous selection of gluten-free bakes.
The drinks offering is where things get particularly interesting.
The team make their own spirits under the Garstang Gin name, with the distillery growing from just three spirits to an impressive 46.
It’s a natural progression for the owner, who previously worked in the drinks industry before leaving to set up her own gin distillery.
They distill their own Garstang Gin spirits for cocktailsInside Gin & Brews
Those spirits now make their way into the cocktails at Gin & Brews, giving the bar plenty of its own character and making it a particularly good shout if cocktails are your thing.
There’s also a constantly changing selection of craft beer, with the range switching up regularly, alongside the bottle shop, so there’s always something new to discover.
For somewhere that has grown so quickly, Gin & Brews still feels firmly rooted in its community.
Much of what goes onto your plate is sourced from businesses on the high street, including local butchers and egg suppliers. Even some of the cakes and cookies are made by one of the members of staff.
It feels fitting for a venue in Garstang, which is recognised as the world’s first Fair Trade Town.
Bakes at Gin & Brews are made by a member of staff
And while Wednesday and Thursday evenings are already busy, the team are keen to bring more people through the doors during the day. They certainly have the offering for it.
There are coffee-and-cake afternoons, brunch dates, tapas lunches, craft beer, cocktails and plenty of gluten-free treats to take away.
Then, when the sun goes down, the music comes on, with live performances at weekends and regular events bringing the place to life.
If you’re looking for a reason to venture out of Manchester for something a little different, this might just be it.
Gin & Brews has only been around for a few years, but it already feels like one of those places that has been part of the local scene forever.
And if the homemade butter doesn’t convince you, the cocktails probably will.
Daisy Jackson -
1st December 2025 
