News Releases
Tuesday, 20 July 2010Engineering work on the Bury line
Services on Metrolink between Woodlands Road stop and Victoria will be suspended for one week, from 31 July to 6 August, for engineering work to be carried out to link the existing line with the new Oldham and Rochdale route.
When this essential work is completed, the track on the Bury line will be connected to the new Metrolink route to Oldham and Rochdale for the first time - ready for phase one of the line, to Central Park, to open in spring 2011.
Work will also take place during the week to renew the track crossover at Victoria, which is now almost 20 years old.
Metrolink services will be affected as follows:
From Saturday 31 July to Friday 6 August (inclusive) Bury line trams will run between Bury and Woodlands Road stop only.
On Saturday 31 July and Sunday 1 August Altrincham services will run to Piccadilly only.
From Monday 2 to Friday 6 August, Altrincham services will run to Piccadilly and Victoria. There will also be a tram service between Piccadilly and Victoria.
Throughout the closure, replacement bus services, running at the same frequency as the usual tram service, will be in operation between Woodlands Road and Piccadilly. Information will be displayed at stops, directing passengers to replacement bus services, and customer service staff will be on hand at key stops throughout the week to advise and assist.
Bus services will call at Victoria, Shudehill, Piccadilly Gardens and Piccadilly Station every day except on Sunday 1 August when services will terminate at Piccadilly Gardens due to the Sky Ride cycle event.
The Eccles line will be unaffected.
Tickets may be purchased from Metrolink ticket vending machines as normal before boarding the replacement bus.
Philip Purdy, GMPTE's Metrolink Director, said: "This work represents a significant milestone in the expansion of the Metrolink network, with the existing Bury line being connected to the new Oldham and Rochdale line an important step towards the opening of the first phase of the new line to Central Park next year.
"This new route, which will also open to Oldham Mumps in 2011 and to Rochdale Railway Station in 2012, will be a real benefit for the area, providing passengers with frequent services to and across Manchester city centre as well as onward connections with tram, bus and rail networks across the UK.
"We do appreciate the closure of a section of the Bury line for the engineering works will cause some disruption; however the work is essential to the network's expansion and simply cannot be done any other way.
"Rather than dragging the closure out over many weekends, we have opted to condense the closure into a week-long period during the summer to limit inconvenience for passengers.
"During the closure we will, of course, be providing alternative means for passengers to travel between Woodlands Road stop and Victoria, and a full service will be restored when the work is complete."
Leaflets giving details of the affected services and replacement bus services will be handed out to passengers in advance of the works.
To find out more about the project, call the Metrolink public liaison team on 0161 244 1555 (open during office hours), email future.metrolink@gmpte.gov.uk or visit www.gmpte.com/futuremetrolink.
ENDS
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