Work is to start on upgrading the track in Manchester City Centre from Saturday 27th September with both Piccadilly Station and Piccadilly Gardens being shut for eight weeks. This will be just the first stage of the upgrade work in the city centre with the remainder scheduled to be dealt with in 2009.
Philip Purdy, GMPTE’s Metrolink Director, said: “The new track on the Bury and Altrincham lines has made tram journeys smoother, quieter and more reliable but now we need to turn our attention to the city centre. The Metrolink network opened more than 16 years ago and some of the track is showing its age. We'll be putting on shuttle buses while the work takes place but there will obviously be some inconvenience for passengers. We'll be reopening the Piccadilly and Piccadilly Gardens Metrolink stops at the end of November, so people coming into Manchester for their Christmas shopping will be able to travel on the whole of the network. I hope passengers will bear with us while this essential work is carried out."
It is said that the city centre track is the busiest on the network with trams travelling over some sections more than 250 times a day. Once the extensions are opened this will likely rise to 400 times each day.
During the eight week period trams will run Bury-Altrincham every 6 minutes and Eccles-Victoria every 12 minutes whilst a replacement bus service will be in operation. This will run between Fairfield Street (outside Piccadilly Station) and Market Street every 10 minutes, with extra buses running at busy times.
Source: GMPTE