Talks over Oldham trams

Stuart Greer

June 17, 2009

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Talks over Metrolink extension to Oldham

TRANSPORT bosses and businesses are holding talks on how to make the most of taking trams into Oldham.

Work has already started to convert the Oldham Loop railway line to Metrolink by autumn 2011 with tram stops at Werneth and Oldham Mumps.

But last month's announcement that a new Metrolink line will be built into the town centre itself has forced a rethink.

Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive is now looking at whether there's a future for both lines - or whether to scrap the so-called 'outer' line plan when the town centre line is built.

It will be discussing the scheme with local businesses in the next few weeks with a formal public consultation once the plans are submitted.

Council leader Howard Sykes said the proposals were the start of a debate about the future of the 'gateway transport facility' at Oldham Mumps.

The station is Oldham's rail link with Manchester Victoria and Rochdale, but is the other side of a busy dual carriageway from the town centre. The new GMPTE plan includes a Metrolink station closer to town centre shops.

Coun Sykes said: "The current facilities at the station are adequate but in no way of a high-enough standard or capacity to cope with the new transport infrastructure that Metrolink will deliver.

Prospects

"Bringing trams into Oldham town centre will transform our development prospects and provide an unprecedented economic stimulus.

"That is why it is vital that we now have a meaningful public consultation about development options and their potential implications.

"This is a decision that we have to get exactly right in order to maximise the benefits of Metrolink to the town centre and the borough as a whole."

The tram project - which has long been the centrepiece of Oldham's regeneration plans - appeared to have fallen off the rails after the `no' vote in the congestion charge referendum in December.

But it was resurrected following a government announcement last month that Greater Manchester will get a £1.4bn transport boost - even without the congestion charge.

Cllr Richard Knowles, of the Greater ManchesterIntegrated Transport Authority, said: "The fact we've not got funding for the town centre line is fantastic.

"We now need to get an idea of when work is likely to start so we can see how that fits in with the conversion of the existing line."

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Free Red, Manchester (17/06/2009 at 09:37)

So much for there not being a plan 'B' to the congestion charges when clearly the money could be raised by business anyway. It would have taken the general public 30 years of paying a congestion charge to fund this private enterprise which is now being exposed for the con it was. Well done all those who voted NO!

Jay B, oldham (17/06/2009 at 10:19)

oldham doesnt need the town centre section. its only a 200yards from the existing railway line that'll be converted first! give this funding somewhere more deserving!

its only Oldham council who think that bringing it through the centre will solve all their regeneration problems.
wrong! many many years of badly thought out urban development plans have created the mess that is oldham.
and by loosing the original railway line it'll free up a load of space next to the bypass. they'll have some secret plans for that land too!

they love knocking things down here but they dont replace them with anything useful!
massive compulsory purchases to make way for cinemas, bowling alley, theatre, massive leisure and retail complexes that where all promised.
nothing has ever happened. other than just supermarkets!

the metrolink will do nothing for oldham! well maybe provide a slightly more regular way of getting out of here!

Lower Broughton Soul, "In 76, oh yes it's true......" (17/06/2009 at 11:25)

"Cllr Richard Knowles, of the Greater ManchesterIntegrated Transport Authority, said: "The fact we've not got funding for the town centre line is fantastic."

Why would NOT having funding be fantastic..??

Jay B, oldham (17/06/2009 at 12:00)

the design of the oldham centre section is flawed too. its based upon the main station still being at mumps. just in a slightly different position from the existing railway staion. although this will cause havoc with the road layout and wont help oldham at all! move it up towards sainsburys where there is adequate space and provision to access the town centre!

dessie, manchester (17/06/2009 at 12:40)

if i were oldham i would knock it in the head its always breaking down!!! and fares always on the rise!!!

The Very Cheeky Monkey, in the trees (17/06/2009 at 12:56)

I'm not being funny but it's not such a mystery - the trains that come from Manchester use the same route. They are trams that are coming not space ships.

The Very Cheeky Monkey, in the trees (17/06/2009 at 12:58)

Surely, this needs 8 or 10 councillors to go on a fact finding mission to say, Barcelona, New York, San Fran and Copenhagen. That would be money well spent.

louise hotstuff (17/06/2009 at 13:27)

the tram line should go past sainsburys. That shed called mumps is on the other side of the bypass and involves walking over muggers bridge to get to the town centre. Get them spending and stop moanin.

Joe Pub, Manchester (17/06/2009 at 13:57)

Why would NOT having funding be fantastic..??
Lower Broughton Soul, "In 76, oh yes it's true......"
SO WE THE PUBLIC WILL BE PAYING FOR IT.

Joe Pub, Manchester (17/06/2009 at 14:14)

Free Red, Manchester.
Wait for plan c since Browns reshuffle there is no MP as transport secretary it is now Lord Adonis, who dose not sit in the house of commons, is not answerable to the public, has he sits in the house of lords, and the DFT can say we want this and that doing then bingo, sorry to say don't bank there will be no congestion charges if there is , it will be everywhere in the uk.

WAF (17/06/2009 at 14:37)

To all those moaning, what do you want them to do? Probably build the tracks through your council houses so you get bought out and get a pad on a posh new estate. There’s only two good things to come out of Oldham in recent years – one is The Georgian (best club in Greater Manchester) and the other is Sainsburys.

If you ask me, best not to build a tram system in Oldham because it’ll let a load of people out of there – should be a one way tram system, let people in but not let them out without a special passport!

louise hotstuff (17/06/2009 at 15:00)

lets not spend money on a metrolink and spend it on building fancy things in places where people cant be bothered finding a job shall we???
nowt up with doing the metro link.

there is also a club similar to the Georgian on Broadway called Silks. Highly recommended.

Jay B, oldham (17/06/2009 at 15:34)

louise hotstuff i agree with spending money! but not twice over! they convert the existing railway to the metro. then when they've done that replace it with the union st line. totally pointless and actually a tricky task given the incline of the hill from werneth up to king st. the cost of that alone could be put to better uses.
ask anyone who already uses the trains from oldham. they're good, just a little dated and not frequent enough! the cheapest possible option would have just been new trains.
with the metro we'll get a slightly higher frequency, but they are smaller.
and if you are a cyclist who currently uses the train as part of yor commute you'll be stuck as bikes are prohibited on the metro.

so we'll be going backwards not forwards!

Pete in Salford, Salford (17/06/2009 at 17:47)

I still dont get why they replace an existing service... shouldn't the money be spent putting in services where there isn't any to start with?

I bet the town centre extension was never off the table, they only threatened it was to twist our arm of the TIF/Con Charge, hence this Plan B is back so quickly....

A Bus Driver (17/06/2009 at 21:55)

Surely, this needs 8 or 10 councillors to go on a fact finding mission to say, Barcelona, New York, San Fran and Copenhagen. That would be money well spent.

San francisco..... you're having a laugh aren't you. I#ve watched the sun going down waiting for the muno metro to turn up... It's worse than ANYTHING we have in this country.

citycentre, manchester (18/06/2009 at 12:29)

JayB
"but not twice over! they convert the existing railway to the metro. then when they've done that replace it with the union st line"

it seemed to me that avoiding this duplication was exactly what was going on here, as they were trying to decide whether to build the town centre section or not, and if so to not build the currently planned line. of course had we voted for the TiF funding it would all be sorted by now

Amounderness Lad, Caithness (18/06/2009 at 12:57)

Citycentre, if you swallowed the massive con about Congestion Charging then you must also believe in Father Christmas and the Tooth Fairy along with the streets of London being paved with gold.

citycentre, manchester (18/06/2009 at 13:40)

Amounderness Lad, Caithness

the TiF proposal contained lots of things, but one of them was a definative plan for the route of this metro line

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