The continued recovery of passenger numbers travelling on Manchester Metrolink has been seen in recent months with the third week of October said to have featured the highest number of passengers on the trams since before the pandemic hit in March 2020.
Although there have been seasonal fluctuations (holidays, planned engineering works, rail strikes and events of national significance) journeys being carried out on Metrolink are now consistently above 70% of pre-Covid levels. The week of 6th June had seen the numbers reach 85% and whilst the report to the transport committee (from which this article has been prepared) does not give figures it does state that the third week of October was the highest since the pandemic so presumably was higher than that.
During September 2022 commuter numbers have started to recover at a higher rate with estimates suggesting that an average of 80% of pre-Covid average commuter patronage has returned to the network in the morning peak. During September at least two days a week saw patronage reach 90%. This has led in turn to increased pressure on peak capacities between Tuesdays and Thursdays on the Altrincham, Bury, East Didsbury and Eccles lines.
Although patronage has continued to improve, the same can’t be said for performance of the network – but this has mainly put down to the severe hot weather experienced in the summer which led to a fall in reliability. On 11th/12th August high temperatures affected services on the Bury line which was temporarily suspended for lengthy periods until the temperatures fell. Then on 26th August an overhead line fault at Queens Road again impacted the Bury line with disruption from mid-morning until 1715.
The targeted operated mileage over a 12 month period is meant to be at 99.4% but it is currently standing at 97.2%. This has been mainly impacted by periods earlier in the rolling 12 months but no period in the year has been able to reach the target. The last period into September (21st August-17th September 2022) was at 98.3%.
There also remains challenges over tram availability with the latest period seeing just 84.2% of vehicles available for service. Unfortunately, anti-social behaviour which has seen smashed glazing and doors, damage to ceiling panels and damaged seating, offensive graffiti and etching. Added to supply chain issues this has meant some trams have spent prolonged periods out of service.
The report also gives a comparison of the current rolling annual trips on each line against pre-Covid levels:
- Airport – 2.1m (pre-Covid 3.3m)
- Altrincham – 7.4m (pre-Covid 11.3m)
- Ashton – 2.0m (pre-Covid 2.8m)
- Bury – 5.2m (pre-Covid 8.2m)
- East Didsbury – 4.2m (pre-Covid 6.0m)
- Eccles – 3.7m (pre-Covid 6.2m)
- Oldham & Rochdale – 4.3m (pre-Covid 6.4m)
- Trafford Park – 1.5m (pre-Covid n/a as it wasn’t open!)