Major improvement works on the Manchester Metrolink are set to get underway from Tuesday 3rd June 2025 and last for over two months with the section between Piccadilly Station and Piccadilly Gardens to be closed, leading to changes to the timetabled service.
The works are part of a £147 million investment into maintaining, upgrading and improving the tram network. The funding package is in place until 2027 with other major projects to follow over the next few years.
Starting on Tuesday 3rd June and continuing until Sunday 10th August (with normal services resuming on Monday 11th August) the works will see the renewal of tracks between Piccadilly and Piccadilly Gardens – a section of line which usually sees around 300 tram movements every day. Piccadilly Gardens tramstop will be closed throughout with Piccadilly only served by trams from the east,
During the works the following service changes will be in place:
- No trams from Altrincham or Bury will run to Piccadilly with all services between the two running direct via Market Street (retaining the six minute frequency during most of the day Monday-Saturday)
- Trams from Ashton-under-Lyne and Etihad Campus will only run as far as Piccadilly. Trams will either have to be outstationed overnight on the line or arrangements will be needed for them to return to depot through the works at times.
- Trams on the Eccles route will all run via MediaCityUK and be diverted to Victoria via Market Street. Additional double trams will run with the intermediate MediaCityUK services not running.
- All other services will run as normal
Anyone wishing to continue their journeys across the city from Piccadilly can either follow signposted walking routes or use the free city centre bus service. Outside of normal operating times for the free bus there will be a dedicated replacement bus run from Piccadilly to Piccadilly Gardens.
Ian Davies, Network Director for Metrolink at TfGM, said: “his is a major piece of our coordinated package of track replacement works which will see a £147m investment in the network up to 2027.
“Metrolink forms a key part of the Bee Network and, as the country’s largest light rail network, carried 46 million passenger journeys last year alone.
“It plays a vital role in keeping Greater Manchester moving, supporting economic growth and connecting people to jobs, education and opportunity.
“That is why it’s so important to continually invest in the network to keep it safe, reliable and accessible for years to come.
“We’re doing everything we can to minimise disruption to people’s journeys – and I’d also like to reassure people that we have detailed plans in place to manage the big events coming up during this summer’s big events.”
The work is taking place now as its outside of the football season (when Metrolink carries large crowds to Manchester City and Manchester United matches, as well as lesser numbers to games involving Altrincham, Bury, Oldham and Rochdale) and is also partially within the school holidays when traditionally fewer people travel. It does, unfortunately, coincide with major Oasis concerts at Heaton Park as well as the regular Parklife festival at the same venue. TfGM have said they have detailed plans to still be able to cope with the crowds expected.