The latest four week period of performance statistics on Manchester Metrolink have been released and there is good news as both punctuality and reliability as the percentages are up on both counts with punctuality up at its highest level since September.
The period under review is period 11 for the financial year which took place between 5th January and 1st February. The headline figures are that 90.5% of trams were considered on time (departing less than two minutes late) and reliability was 98.9% (that is the planned miles which actually operated). Just 0.09% of journeys were completely cancelled and 0.77% of journeys were incomplete journeys (i.e. either turned or started short from their usual destination).
On punctuality and as there always is there were fluctuations between the lines ranging from the Altrincham line at 95.4% down to the Eccles line at 87.5%. Its never any coincidence that those lines which seem to perform better are those with more reserved track such as the Altrincham and Bury lines whilst those with more on street running have more factors affecting performance.
Again, on reliability there were fluctuations although these are never as big as punctuality with just 1.1% between the top and the bottom. For completeness sake the top performing line was the Airport line at 99.4% and those at the bottom were the Ashton-under-Lyne and East Didsbury lines at 98.3%.
Amongst the issues affecting performance in this period were:
* Signal faults – 6th January (Victoria), 7th January (Victoria)
* Points fault – 9th January (MediaCityUK)
* Road Traffic Collisions – 17th January (between Derker and Shaw), 18th January (Holt Town), 21st January (Market Street), 27th January (Martinscroft), 30th January (Rochdale), 31st January (Piccadilly)
* Network Rail points fault – 21st January (Timperley)
* Driver Availability – 26th January (MediaCityUK)
* Tram faults – 9th January (Bury)
* Power failure – 10th January (Victoria)
* The latest report can be downloaded on the TfGM website.