The GMPTE have ordered an additional 28 trams as part of the £575 million project to build new lines to Oldham and Rochdale, Droylsden and Chorlton. This order is on top of 12 trams already ordered to alleviate overcrowding and provide the MediaCity:UK service.
The trams will be built by Bombardier and will be of the same design as those currently operating in places such as Cologne and Bonn. Up to 200 passengers will be able to travel on them with wide double doors making it easy for people with wheelchairs or child buggies to get on and off them.
Philip Purdy, GMPTE’s Metrolink Director, said: “We're expecting passengers to make more than 90,000 journeys on the Metrolink network every day when the extensions open so we'll need lots of extra trams. We've got a construction team in place to build the three new lines, and I'm pleased we've now reached the stage where we can place an order for new state-of-the-art trams to run on them. I'm looking forward to seeing the new model of tram become a familiar sight across Greater Manchester."
This latest order will take the total number of trams operating on Metrolink to 72 (with 26 Phase 1 trams, 6 Phase 2, 12 previously being ordered and these 28). The trams will be designed and manufactured at sites in Bautzen, Germany and Vienna, Austria. No details have been released as to when the trams will start to be delivered to Manchester.
Source: GMPTE