Trams back with class act

Alan Salter

September 13, 2007

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Conductor Karen Marshall on one of the revamped trams

THE new boss of Manchester's revamped Metrolink has promised passengers a 'high class journey' as the entire route reopens opens today after a summer of disruption.

The massive £100m upgrade is finally over, with the Bury to Manchester leg now complete.

It is the final stage of improvements that have left passengers relying on buses as a replacement service on the Bury to Manchester line and the Altrincham to Manchester line over the last three months.

The Altrincham line reopened at the end of last month. Now all work is complete, Andy Morris, managing director of Stagecoach, who took over the Metrolink operation in July, has declared that passengers will be happy with the end result.

"It's been hectic but it's gone very well," he said.

"Let's just say they were in need of some tender loving care.

"There just hasn't been enough emphasis on the ambience of the system and the passengers do notice that. They will feel that they are getting a little bit more of a high-class journey. It will drive down graffiti and make the whole experience more comfortable and clean."

Stagecoach

Mr Morris is also in charge of the Sheffield Supertram system, which was in disarray until Stagecoach took over from South Yorkshire PTE in 1997.

And despite admitting that the tram system he runs in Sheffield is far better than he will be able to offer in Manchester, he did promise passengers they will receive the best possible service.

Mr Morris said: "We've got the Rolls-Royce here in Sheffield. In Manchester, you've got the Fiat.

"But in fairness, that is all the government was prepared to pay for at the time. I promise that we will make Manchester as good as it is possible, given the fleet we are inheriting.

"I want to make it a totally different experience." As part of his improvement plans a further eight trams will be introduced by 2009.

Every ticket machine will also be ripped out and replaced with new ones which will have credit card readers and note changers.

And some time next year, the entire current fleet will go into the depot in stages for a complete refresh, a 42-day process to gut the interiors and replace all the fittings as well as repainting the outside.

What do you think? Have your say.

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Colin W, Abroad (13/09/2007 at 07:10)

great news but how long before they get vandalised like the last ones....

Mr Angry, Bury (13/09/2007 at 08:09)

I always thought the old BR electric trains which the trams replaced were much more comfortable and nicer to travel in

Kurt Stephens, Sale (13/09/2007 at 08:45)

Umm, that picture is of a Sheffield tram - not a Manchester one.

Come on MEN, the amount of inacurate stories recently about the trams (new ticket machines and trams last week) is not very good for what claims to be a quality newspaper.

Mr Manchester (13/09/2007 at 08:52)

Colin 'Blakey' W could patrol the trams with his bright and shiny outlook...

Jimc (13/09/2007 at 09:14)

Caught the tram this morning, on the Woodlands Road to Weaste, i cant say that i noticed anything different, still overcrowded with people treading all over your feet. Still as grotty as before. A 1 hour journey that can be done in 20 minutes by car. Stop blowing your own trumpet Stagecoach, its not like you have landed on the moon.

marc (13/09/2007 at 09:19)

i can imagine him chasing some scally down the aisle, waving his fist in the air and shouting,

'i hate you Butler!'

Joey, Ashton under Lyne, (13/09/2007 at 09:19)

THE new boss of Manchester's revamped Metrolink has promised passengers a 'high class journey' as the entire route reopens "
The first four passengers get to go in his chauffeured Limo!

Colin W, Abroad (13/09/2007 at 09:23)

Mr Manchester, I would prevent people getting on trams without paying by EMPLOYING ticket desks with real people manning them and barriers to stop dodgers. How much would this save ?

How long before we have grafitti artists defacing these new trains at the expense of Manchester tax payers. Maybe you should be rechristented Mr 'Anti Manchester Taxpayer' ?

Are suggesting this is a bad move

Kurt Stephens, Sale (13/09/2007 at 09:37)

Colin - I am sure that someont has done the maths of manning 40 odd (at present) tram stations over 18hrs a day (presumably some will require more than 1 person at some times of the day) and decided it would be more expensive than the current method of ticket collection.

The logistics of 'manning' stops aloong Phase 2, or the city centre would also be quite a challenge I'd have though.

Black Sabbath (13/09/2007 at 10:17)

I agree with Jimc, what a waste of money. Slow, expensive, unreliable, smelly, dirty. No incentive to change from the car at all.

Kurt Stephens, Sale (13/09/2007 at 10:55)

Black - thankfully over 2m car journeys a year are removed from our roads becuase of Phase 1 and 2, meaning your car journey is that little bit less congested.

Mr Manchester (13/09/2007 at 11:04)

It was in response to your initial comment, Colin, and yes, most of your suggestions are bad, granted...

Thanks for caring about your favourite city though!

Manchester by Day (13/09/2007 at 11:06)

A couple of notes;
1. You never see Ticket Collectors / Enforcers beyond Salford Quays in areas such as Weaste. These areas are prone to vandalism and the tracksuit passengers. They are never challenged.
2. I find it astonishing that there are regularly only 2-carriage trams at peak times for a city this size.
3. We should look at Germany for a model of public transport. Incredibly efficient, affordable and a pleasure to ride.

Kurt Stephens, Sale (13/09/2007 at 11:18)

Manc by day - no doubt you realise that each and every tram that is available is out during the rush hour, and the lack of trams dates back to the late 80's when the then government insisted that Phase 1 was built with the minimum cost - i.e. not enough trams for the system.

Thankfully, during 2009 this should be resolved by the addition of 8 long over due trams.

From now onwards, with the new tracks, the new trams on the way, the new ticket machines on the way and eventually Phase 3a and hopefully 3b then the system will only start to become more and more like th German systems that you praise.

Make no mistake, the vast majority of the problems we have on Metrolink date back to the lack of funding when it was built.

SoftCentaur (13/09/2007 at 12:11)

Well - I just hope things will now improve. I have my doubts, especially as recently - when two thirds of the network was not running due to the upgrade - there still were those all too regular PA announcements 'Although the service is operating normally, passengers on the Eccles line may experience delays of up to 24 minutes' I've never got my head around that one !

sam mack, monsall (13/09/2007 at 12:24)

The metro will be great when the 'congestion charge' kicks in to pay towards the new tracks and rolling stock.

Stagecoach can then take all the credit for improvements to the network whilst taxpayers foot the bill and bolster their profits.
Ho-Hum

Re-regulate public transport now.

Christopher Woodcock (13/09/2007 at 12:27)

You know i am so sick of hearing how good stagecoach are, and all the improvements they are going to do.

The drivers who have bent over backwards the last couple of months to help the company out during the bury/alt track upgrades have not even had any thanks or been congratulated. Most drivers do not know any of the stagecoach management team as they seem to never talk or even acknowledge us.

I cannot wait untill stagecoach start to get fined over lost miles and late trams. I sure will be running late all the time and no performing and quick turn arounds. I am sure most of the other drivers will follow suit. Lets just hope the GMPTE see how poor stagecoach will run the system. And take the tram system on themselves like it should be. Lets face it they have no power of bus services, so why not make a stand and make the system look good to people visiting manchester for the first time.

Good look stagecoach with your latest venture. I sure hope the MEN has a full page spread in november with tram drivers striking. Then lets see who has egg on their face

colin smith (13/09/2007 at 13:18)

seemed very smooth today when i used it but shame there are no new ticket machines as stated

malcy (13/09/2007 at 13:25)

i have never seen a tram on metrolink that looks like that in you picture or a conducter on the tram.

I feel they need conductors on them trams as they carry lots of drunks, and dangerous people.

I used it once and there was a teenager waving a knife in the air.

I stick to my car now at all times.

Black Sabbath (13/09/2007 at 13:45)

Kurt do you by chance work for one of these tram companies or are otherwise in their paid employment? Bit of a tram apologist on here you seem to be.

AH, Manchester (13/09/2007 at 14:47)

I got on the number 86 bus yesterday and there were three prams at the front so no one could get past to sit on the seats!

Kurt Stephens, Sale (13/09/2007 at 15:16)

Black - prehaps having some knowledge of what you are talking about helps you understand why we find ourselves where we are.

Sam - I think you'll find Stagecoach get a flat rate for running the system, they do not keep the fare revenue. They are probably running the system at a lower cost than could be done in public hands.

Pete (14/09/2007 at 08:34)

Conductors would be useless on the trams in Manchester, they wouldnt be able to move in rush hour let alone walk up and down the aisle!

Black Sabbath (14/09/2007 at 09:42)

Kurt stop dodging the question and just answer it or have you got something to hide? Or perhaps you are a politician as they are well known for being economical with the truth are they not?

Jimc (14/09/2007 at 09:57)

Black Sabbath, maybe kurt is a new breed, a tram spotter.

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