Delays for Metrolink after car decides to drive onto track in Oldham

Posted on Tuesday 15 January 2013 by Gareth Prior

Manchester Metrolink services between Oldham Mumps and Shaw & Crompton were suspended during the evening of Monday 14th January after a car drove onto the tracks near to Oldham Mumps – this has been reported as the third time this has happened since the line opened. It is not known why the driver decided it was a good idea to take their car for a ride on the tram tracks but some comments on the Manchester Evening News website are suggesting that the road layout is confusing with a lack of appropriate signage (the former heavy rail line ran through the area on a bridge).

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2 Responses to Delays for Metrolink after car decides to drive onto track in Oldham

  1. freel07 says:
    Tuesday 15 January 2013 at 20:46

    There may be a case for improved signage here as last night’s incident happened on the opposite side of the crossing from the earlier ones. Having driven through the junction a couple of times I’m still not sure how the mistakes are made but there again I am fully aware of the tram crossing. Others not so sure may misinterpret the signage.In the eastbound direction it is perhaps easy to mistake the tramway for the left turn up Brook Street. Just what kind of legally compliant signage could be provided is hard to envisage.

  2. Ken walker says:
    Tuesday 15 January 2013 at 23:11

    I don’t know what they mean by inadequate signage. On both sides of the main road there are ‘tram only’ signs on both sides of the tramway. The ‘tram’ bit is pictorial rather than the actual word tram, but this is standard signage and it is the road vehicle drivers’ responsibility to know what these signs mean! Perhaps standard ‘no entry’ signs with ‘except trams’ underneath would be more suitable, but no doubt this would need a change in legislation. Having said that, there is no doubt that the layout of the road junctions in the Mumps bridge area has changed beyond recognition, and someone who has driven through the area but not for a while could find it quite confusing.

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