One of the lines currently under construction as part of the plans for a major expansion of the Manchester Metrolink system is that to Manchester Airport. Due to open in 2016 and leaving the South Manchester line shortly after the St Werburgh\u2019s Road stop work is progressing well with a new viaduct currently being constructed over the River Mersey and now starting to take shape.<\/p>\n
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This viaduct is considered to be one of the key structures on the route to the Airport and\u00a0 will carry the tramway not only over the River but also its flood plain. It is a special design which will allow wildlife to inhabit the area underneath it and to allow plants to regrow.<\/p>\n
Elsewhere on the line tracklaying has commenced and some of the 15 new stops have also had work started on them. The line will be nine miles in length and is currently planned to open in summer 2016 although as with all projects of this kind this timeframe may change. A service should run through to the Airport every 12 minutes.<\/p>\n
Cllr Andrew Fender, Chair of the Transport for Greater Manchester Committee, said: \u201cIt’s great to see work progressing so well on the Airport line. The Mersey Valley viaduct is a major piece of infrastructure on the route, so the start of its construction is a milestone for the project. Once the line is complete, it will provide a fast, efficient and environmentally friendly public transport link to employment, education and leisure. It will connect Wythenshawe with not only the major employment centre of the Airport, but also with Manchester city centre and beyond, and will support regeneration along the route.”<\/p>\n
Transport for Greater Manchester\u2019s Metrolink Director, Philip Purdy, added: \u201cThe new line to Manchester Airport is all part of the wider expansion of Metrolink, which will see the network treble in size by 2016\u00a0to become the largest light rail network in the UK. So far, a lot of the work people have seen along the route has been to divert and protect utilities such as gas, electricity and water, so that future tram services won’t be affected
\nby utility maintenance or repairs – but now we’re really into the construction phase of the project. People will now be starting to see not only structures like the new viaduct taking shape, but also stops being built and track being laid. The building of a new Metrolink line is a major undertaking and we’re grateful for the patience and understanding of local people during the construction phase. We’ll do our best to keep disruption to a minimum, and don’t forget that local businesses along the route will remain open throughout.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
One of the lines currently under construction as part of the plans for a major expansion of the Manchester Metrolink system is that to Manchester Airport. Due to open in 2016 and leaving the South Manchester line shortly after the … Continue reading