Work to build the Metrolink extension in Rochdale Town Centre is continuing from
this week with the closure of part of Drake Street. The section of Drake Street between Walter Street and Smith Street was closed to traffic from Tuesday 8th May to allow the work to progress before the line is due to open to the public in 2014.
This is the second time that this section of Drake Street has been closed with it having been shut last year for the utility diversion works. This time the closure will see the actual track and other related infrastructure installed. Traffic diversions have been put in place whilst the work is undertaken.
Philip Purdy, Transport for Greater Manchester’s Metrolink Director, said: “This announcement signals the start of an exciting new phase of work: the start of construction of the Drake Street section of the town’s new Metrolink line. The closure of part of Drake Street is unavoidable – there’s simply not enough space for both the worksite and traffic – but we will continue to work with Rochdale council to ensure local businesses retain
loading facilities and town centre traffic is managed effectively.”
The line in Rochdale Town Centre is an extension of the line to Oldham Mumps and Rochdale which is currently due to open sometime in 2012. The town centre line should open in 2014 along with the diversion of the line through Oldham Town Centre.
I don’t know what Philip Purdy thinks is exciting about this town centre link, their efforts on the first stage to Rochdale station have been nothing but a big disappointment. Traction poles had reached Newhey 6 weeks ago but since then there appears to have been no work done whatsoever between Newhey and Rochdale. The computer excuse for the delay in opening is beginning to wear a bit thin with commuters who have now been saddled with disruption on the streets and a 3rd-rate bus service for 2 1/2 years, with no buses from Newhey or Milnrow to or from Oldham after 6pm on weekdays, and no direct service at all on Sundays and bank holidays. When this scheme started residents along the route were promised regular progress updates, but when it all started to go wrong the updates stopped – perhaps because there is no progress to report! With the failure to open anywhere near on time, and from the regular news items the prospect of regular failures of trams and infrastructure, together with what seems to be regular weekend closures on the present system, I think Mr Purdy may be one of very few people who find this “exciting” any longer.