A statement released by Network Rail this week has confirmed what has been feared for some time – the redevelopment work at Manchester Victoria station, which includes major work on the Metrolink stop, has been delayed and will not now be completed until February 2015.
Since February of this year Metrolink services through Victoria have been severely affected with single line working only possible whilst the Metrolink stop has been closed in its entirety. This has meant that the Bury-Ashton under Lyne service has not run with services from Ashton being diverted to Eccles and a special shuttle service operating from Bury to Abraham Moss. The only services to run through Victoria have been Rochdale to East Didsbury and the Bury to Altrincham direct.
The Network Rail statement says: “An extended closure of the line through the area is needed to complete the complicated upgrade. We’ve delayed this to avoid additional disruption in the build up to Christmas – one of the busiest times of the year for businesses and the economy, but it means the completion date is later.” As you can see no actual reason for the delay in the project has been given but the most important thing to know is that by the time the line does fully reopen – with a new expanded stop to cater for services on the Second City Crossing as well as the original cross city line – it will have been a year since normal services have managed to run through this key section of the Metrolink network.
Meanwhile the other major project ongoing on the outskirts of Manchester City Centre at Deansgate-Castlefied, which will also receive an expanded stop when completed, is continuing and from Monday 3rd November there will be changes to the way passengers access the stop. The stairs at the Deansgate end of the stop will be closed from this date to allow improvements to be made which include the refurbishment of the existing footbridge linking the stop with the railway station and the installation of a new bridge and steps at the Albion Street end of the stop. During the closure of the steps any passengers wishing to access the stop will need to use the steps and footbridge from the railway station.