Next week will see the first of 27 new trams arrive on the Metrolink in Manchester.
The first tram is set to be put into service before Christmas once testing and commissioning has been completed.
More trams will then follow every 3-4 weeks. The new trams will be a boost to capacity and will help with social distancing.
Funded by the Transforming Cities Fund, the £72m contract with Bombardier will see the new trams introduced onto Manchester’s Metrolink network, the same M5000 model as the existing fleet and will enable the Metrolink to run more double trams.
Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said: “Public safety has, and will remain, my absolute priority as we continue to navigate our way out of this pandemic – and these new trams will be vital to helping us provide more capacity on Metrolink when we come out of lockdown and once again focus on building back better from this virus.
“We know concerns over using public transport – including social distancing – can be a real barrier that prevents people from travelling, and measures like this will help restore and build confidence in our networks.
“With infection rates across Greater Manchester still high it’s important that we continue to work together to stop the spread so, if you must use public transport, please remember the basic rules – wear a face covering and sanitise your hands when using our buses, trains and trams.”
Do you use the Metrolink? What do you think of this news? Let us know in the comments below.
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Manchester is like “We don’t need DLR, Underground, Overground etc like London has. We got our own trams, trains and buses for Manchester”.
What about tram-trains if the extension to Stockport does get the go ahead. And more extra trams if the loop around Wythenshawe is approved.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proposed_developments_of_Manchester_Metrolink
It is fairly easy for the Metrolink trams to run on normal railway lines as when they first started to run on the Bury to Manchester Victoria Line they used the original BR railway lines and kept the high platform height that matches normal trains, they are also diemensionaly within the normal UK rail loading gauge.
That said, I do feel for people like Louise. I can imagine how frustrating it just be to have the noise disturbance the teams undoubtedly cause…… 🤐
On the 2nd city crossing noise attenuation measures were put in place to try and isolate the noise of trams passing a recording studio, these failed and they move the studio.
I think it’s great. I use the Metrolink daily from the city centre to Eccles. You can count on one hand the number of double trams. It is always extremely busy on the journey back i to town with standing room only. So if they out some of the extra capacity on that line it’d be great.
They lied to us when they told us how frequently they would pass each day 7 days a week.They are relentless. They people who live along the line have been treated as we do not exist or matter. If they cared about spreading virus they would decrease amount running ..they trap germs etc
27 more plus is going to make it even worse.We can see the trams pass and .most are empty..even before virus..I cannot believe the council has wasted money spent better else where on the same unimproved empty vessels.Does anyone else have noise problem with tram…
Mike
These trams pass our flats constantly 22 hours a day and make horrendoundous unreasonable noise poluultion level sound drowning tv phone calls sleep everything we do in daily acti ity..they have ruined free quality of life.
Andy Burnham is a joke and a hypocrite. He goes on about tesco not enforcing the wearing of masks but doesn’t enforce it on his own tram system. No wonder people won’t use the trams. Get in the real world burnham put guards on every tram and enforce it like you are telling tesco to do.