DDRG visit Rochdale line as opening date approaches

Members of Transport for Greater Manchester’s Disability Design Reference Group (DDRG) have recently become some of the first passengers to be carried on Metrolink’s extension of the Oldham and Rochdale line between Shaw & Crompton and Rochdale Railway Station as they took a trip on a test tram to inspect the new stops to see how they meet the needs of disabled people.

Shadow running of the service on this extension of the line started from Monday 18th February and although no official date of opening to the public has yet to be announced by TfGM the press release giving details of the DDRG visit says it will open in the “near future”. Five new stops will be added to the Metrolink network when this latest extension does start operations at Newhey, Milnrow, Kingsway, Newbold and Rochdale Railway Station. Services will initially run every 12 minutes between St Werburgh’s Road and Rochdale Railway Station.

Speaking about the visit of the DDRG, TfGM’s Metrolink Director Peter Cushing said: “I’d
like to thank the Disability Design Reference Group members for taking the time to inspect the five new tram stops on the Rochdale line today. We are looking forward to seeing the new extension come into passenger service soon. Metrolink raises the bar very high when it comes to accessibility, and the group has played a very important role in making sure we pick up on even the smallest issues that could be a barrier to travel. Their hard work has helped to make Metrolink one of the most accessible transport systems in the region, and we hope our customers with disabilities find it easy to use.”

The DDRG has given practical advice on a host of accessibility issues from the design and layout of the stops and car parks to the seating arrangements on the new trams. The approach TfGM use with the DDRG is now recognised as a model of best practice by the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

* A Photo Gallery of images from the shadow running to Rochdale will be added to British Trams Online this weekend.

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1 Response to DDRG visit Rochdale line as opening date approaches

  1. Ken Walker says:

    Official confirmation of the opening date – Thursday 28th February

    http://www.tfgm.com/Corporate/media_centre/Pages/News.aspx?articleId=175

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