All track now in place for Second City Crossing

This week has seen a major milestone in the construction of Manchester Metrolink’s Second City Crossing with the last of the track now having been laid. It is anticipated that all other major civil engineering works – including the installation of the overhead – will be completed by the end of the year allowing the line to open in early 2017.

As we have reported extensively on British Trams Online the Second City Crossing (2CC) will – unsurprisingly considering its name! – provide a second line through Manchester City Centre which will enable more frequent services to operate. It leaves the current line at St Peter’s Square – where an expanded stop has been constructed – and runs to Victoria Station via Princess Street, Cross Street and Corporation Street. The first section of 2CC opened in 2015 between Victoria and Exchange Square.

The good progress made in the construction has come despite a number of unforeseen challenges including a collapsed Victoria sewer and double the anticipated number of exhumations following the discovery of a former church graveyard. It has been thought these issues may cause a delay to the project until summer 2017 but it now appears that time has been caught up and it will be the early part of the year when the first trams can run.

Cllr Andrew Fender, Chair of the TfGM Committee, said: “It’s great to see these final sections of rail laid, one of the final jigsaw pieces in the puzzle. With some infrastructure still dating back to the Victorians, building through a busy city has not been an easy task. The scale of the venture has been impressive and, while there has been inevitable disruption, we’re close to the finish line and to customers, residents and businesses reaping the benefits. Since the Second City Crossing programme began we’ve seen a huge increase in Metrolink use across the network, from 27 to 35 million passenger journeys a year. The need for a new line through the city has never been more pressing. To make room for more customers we’ve also opened a new tram stop in Exchange Square and competed major rebuilds of a further four city centre tram stops. This major overhaul will mean we can continue supporting the demand to travel from workers, residents and visitors to our ever-growing city – connecting people with jobs, days out, family and friends.”

It is expected that the city centre will be clear of major construction works in time for the busy festive period – including the famous Christmas markets – before testing and commissioning commences in early 2017 ahead of the public opening of the line.