On the day that the East Manchester Line officially opened to the public (even if to all intents and purposes it had been open since Friday 8th February) it was announced by Transport for Greater Manchester that driver training has now commenced as far as Rochdale Railway Station on the Oldham and Rochdale Line. The first official departure from Piccadilly Station to Droylsden left at 0510 on Monday 11th February and later the same morning the first day of full driver training commenced between Shaw & Crompton and Rochdale Railway Station.<\/p>\n
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Speaking about the official opening of the East Manchester Line, Cllr Andrew Fender, Chair of the TfGM Committee, said: \u201cToday was a very special moment \u2013 an historic moment for Metrolink, Manchester and Tameside. I have been eagerly awaiting the launch of services to Droylsden since funding was confirmed in 2008. A great deal of hard work has gone into this new line, a great deal of challenges overcome, and we are now realising the benefits of all that effort. I want to thank the people of Manchester and Tameside for their patience, and trust that it will be rewarded many times over. I am in no doubt that Metrolink will be of huge benefit to residents and businesses in both areas \u2013 just as it has been everywhere else it serves.”<\/p>\n
Tickets to any of the stops in Manchester City Centre (up to and including Victoria or Deansgate-Castlefield) start at \u00a33.40 for a peak \u201canytime\u201d single from Droylsden or Cemetery Road stops and \u00a32.40 from stops between Edge Lane and New Islington. Peak returns cost \u00a35.40 and \u00a33.70 respectively with off peak (after 0930) tickets at \u00a33.80 and \u00a32.90.<\/p>\n
Trams will run to Droylsden from Bury (an extension of the previous Bury-Piccadilly service) with eight new stops now open for business at New Islington, Holt Town, Etihad
\nCampus, Velopark, Clayton Hall, Edge Lane, Cemetery Road and Droylsden. In addition trams from MediaCityUK will also be running onto the East Manchester Line as far as Velopark although they will not be in service between Piccadilly and Velopark.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile there were more positive signs for Metrolink as driving training commenced through to Rochdale Railway Station from the current terminus of Shaw & Crompton. As part of this training pedestrians and motorists in Shaw are being warned about the fact trams will be running across Beal Street. Traffic at this location will be controlled by a signal on the junction with the layout clearly being signposted from both approaches but TfGM are warning people to be careful as it has been some time since rail borne vehicles operated in this vicinity.<\/p>\n
Peter Cushing, TfGM Metrolink Director, said: \u201cThese tests are another important stage of getting Metrolink up-and-running in Rochdale. I am grateful for the patience of the community as we move forward with the extension of the Oldham-Rochdale line to the town.\u201d<\/p>\n
The extension of the line through to Rochdale will see a further five stops joining the Metrolink network at Newhey, Milnrow, Kingsway, Newbold and Rochdale Railway Station. Two further extensions to the line are due to open in 2014 when the Oldham Town Centre and Rochdale Town Centre sections will be completed\u00a0and ready to start operations.<\/p>\n
No official opening date of the line to Rochdale has yet been given but the start of driver training is a positive step towards this happening<\/a> and on the same day as the East Manchester Line opened fully to the public it is most certainly a good day for Metrolink!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" On the day that the East Manchester Line officially opened to the public (even if to all intents and purposes it had been open since Friday 8th February) it was announced by Transport for Greater Manchester that driver training has … Continue reading