Recently we reported on how Transport for Greater Manchester had launched a new safety campaign aimed at motorists to reduce the number of collisions between cars and trams. Judging by recent days it hasn’t had much impact as there have been two collisions reported within the space of three days.
Collision number one happened on Monday 6th March close to Ashton West tramstop. The tram involved was not reported but its been said that it happened after a motorist took a wrong turn close to IKEA. There was damage to the tram but no injuries were reported. There were no arrests and the car was not on the scene when Metrolink staff arrived to assess the incident.
During this incident no trams ran between Ashton West and Ashton-under-Lyne for around an hour from approximately 1330.
Then just two days later on Wednesday 8th March and 3112 was hit by a van on Cross Street (which is on 2CC in Manchester City Centre). The collision happened at 0950 with the tram able to move again from 1020. During the disruption trams between Victoria and St Peter’s Square were all sent via 1CC.
- It hasn’t just been Manchester where this sort of thing has been happening either as on Sunday 5th March there was disruption on Nottingham Express Transit after a car struck of the side of an Alstom Citadis tram. The collision happened between Queens Walk and Wilford Village. Trams were suspended between these stops from around 1220 to 1340.