All Manchester Metrolink services returned to their normal routes from the start of service on Tuesday 30th May – a week after they were prevented from travelling through Victoria after the horrific and senseless terrorist attack on Manchester Arena on Monday 22nd May.
In addition to the closure of Victoria throughout the week long closure no trams were able to serve Shudehill, Market Street or Exchange Square stops with the Second City Crossing not being served by any trams as East Didsbury trams were diverted to Piccadilly.
During the week of the closure the following services ran:
Altrincham to Etihad Campus
Ashton-under-Lyne to Eccles via MediaCityUK
Bury to Queen’s Road
East Didsbury to Piccadilly
Manchester Airport to Deansgate-Castlefield
Rochdale Town Centre to Monsall
22 people lost their lives in the terrorist attack and our thoughts are with everyone who is affected in any way by this atrocity.
Why was Victoria Station closed and that part of the tram network too for a whole week? It seems excessive.
It was all behind the Police cordon to allow for an full investigation of the scene. There was also apparently structural damage to the station which had to be repaired before passengers were allowed back in.
Considering the incident I would have thought most people would understand why it was closed for a week.
The media failed to report structural damage to the station. It’s understandable in the light of that.
I never saw any mention on the metrolink website of Exchange Square being closed, although the service pattern implied that to be the case.
I have to admit I have presumed that it was closed as all East Didsbury trams were diverted to Piccadilly. If anyone knows for certain let us know and the story can be corrected as appropriate.
I was thinking the very same thing.I would have put exchange square as just outside or on the edge of the police cordon.There is a set of spring loaded points there,as they used it as a turn back when the first section of 2cc opened.I assume they would be able to use it both ways.I know it might sound trivial due to the gravity of the bombing,but with market st,shudehill and victoria closed it would have been an ideal opportunity lessen the disruption.Maybe it was a police operational matter we did’nt hear about.
I was in Manchester on Saturday 27th May and can confirm that no trams were running that day on the 2cc from St Peters Square to Exchange Square.
Exchange Square was definitely within the exclusion zone initially, as was Shudehill. I don’t know when the cordons were moved to the Victoria side of it, but maybe Metrolink or TfGM took the decision to keep the stop closed in order to try to avoid short-notice disruption as the police have been closing large chunks of roads without warning over the last week as they carry out raids – even as recently as yesterday.
Apparently 3022 has received ‘worker bee’ markings in line with the tattoos that people have been having following the attack.