Metrolink bosses feel the heat

September 04, 2009

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METROLINK bosses are under increasing pressure to hold a full investigation into the 'unforeseen circumstances' operators are blaming for letting passengers down for a third day.

Part of the troubled Altrincham line was still closed on Thursday, a full 24 hours after services were suspended because a tram had reportedly snagged on overhead power cables.

And that came a day after the original planned reopening of the line, following a major overhaul, was called off at the last minute.

Angry commuters had slammed tram bosses when they arrived at stations to find services had ground to a halt.

Withington MP John Leech demanded a probe into the Metrolink mayhem, while Blackley MP Graham Stringer accused Metrolink managers of 'gross incompetence'.

Metrolink director Phillip Purdy has apologised to passengers for the disruption and has said it is looking into what caused the fault.

But the chairman of Greater Manchester's Intergrated Transport Authority, which sets local transport policy, has said any demands for senior managers to resign would be an 'over-reaction'.

Coun Keith Whitmore, said: "I think that's an over-reaction. It's been a massive contract. There were some tests.

"We want it up and running - that's the key thing. It's going to be looked at. There's no question about that. Obviously we're going to look at it and find the causes of it.

"Had it gone wrong after a few days, it would have been a different scenario. It's unfortunate, but we're doing everything we can to get it up and running."

The line had been open for about five hours on Wednesday when the arms connecting the power line on a tram heading towards Altrincham suddenly flipped backwards.

Passengers are being allowed free travel on all trams from Manchester to Altrincham and Eccles until Sunday. The Eccles line, which has also been overhauled, opened on time on Tuesday.

A spokeswoman for Stagecoach said: "We currently have engineers working around the clock to identify the cause of the problem and to resume services on the line as soon as possible."

Trams on troubled line to be free

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Hollingworth (03/09/2009 at 19:31)

If this debacle isn't enough to attract high level resignations, perhaps Cllr Whitmore can, now, tell us quite how bad it would need to be for resignations. I appreciate that things will go wrong, but this smacks of poor project management, not just misfortune

Member of the public, Manchester (03/09/2009 at 20:44)

One can't help but think Mr Leech (MP) is trying to champion a cause to make good for his indiscreations over expenses & tax disc.

Daniel H, Salford Quays (03/09/2009 at 23:27)

Why is Withington MP John Leech speaking out when the Metrolink has no impact on Withington at the present time?

Anthony Cutt (03/09/2009 at 23:46)

More proof, as if any more were needed, that converting the Rochdale loop from heavy rail to Metrolink is a massive, massive mistake. Metrolink is a joke & they'd be as well off putting actual trains on the former rail lines & then ripping up the city centre tracks (before someone gets run over)

PB Crumpsall, Manchester (04/09/2009 at 09:00)

I have used the Metrolink since opening in 1992, and I cannot think of a week going by without some form of delays or just not being able to get on. The most annoying thing is the complete ignorant & arrogant Customer Service, either No information or the standard " We are currently experiencing delays of upto 12 Minutes " Regardless of the problem "Stick the old 12 minute announcement on". People are"nt moaning, its just constant POOR SERVICE !!!!

Jay B, oldham (04/09/2009 at 09:14)

oldham & rochdale dont need all this. we're perfectly happy with the trains we already have. we just needed a few more services and bigger trains. surely this is much cheaper. then we also dont have to have an increase in our council tax too to fund the idiotic idea.
maybe even the money saved can give somewhere less fortunate a rail or metrolink line. i suggested that last year.

Horatio Dogsbody, Flixton (04/09/2009 at 10:16)

"Why is Withington MP John Leech speaking out when the Metrolink has no impact on Withington at the present time?"

Perhaps because Metrolink is being extended into his area and he wants his constituants to have something which will work and not just an expensive white elephant.

Stephen Morris - English Democrats Party, Greater Manchester (04/09/2009 at 10:34)

You can clearly tell when an election is looming, all those MP's who you haven't seen or heard of for the last 4 years because they have been claiming expenses suddenly start to crawl out of the wood work and give opinions.

Steven Cox (04/09/2009 at 10:40)

And just how many people does Metrolink think it will convince back with the offer of three days' free travel? I suggest we all boycott the free days - that would make these bosses in their ivory towers really think.
I've been using the Altrincham line services since June, and the wholesale incompetence with which the blockade was handled, and disregard for regular Metrolink users was breathtaking. It'll certainly take much more than three days' free use to win back the amount of goodwill lost through this whole fiasco.

johnnyboy, Ashton-u-Lyne, Lancashire (04/09/2009 at 10:45)

Bosses, who are the bosses, no one is taking responsibility shuffling around like headless chickens, bring back regulation with ballot box accountability.

Black Flag (04/09/2009 at 11:13)

johnnyboy: "bring back regulation with ballot box accountability."

A publicly owned services has problems, so the answer is to give politicians more power! Absolute genius!

alty80 (04/09/2009 at 12:34)

I decided to take the tram yesterday, thinking that all would be fine, its not it wasnt safe, kids messing about - fighting, and then to top it all its cant go past timperley, what a surprise. I notice no improvement in the tracks, what a waste of money on poor upgrade!

mole in a hole, Bowden, WA14 (04/09/2009 at 12:58)

It appears that metrolink also treat their staff as they treat their customers, poorly!
On speaking to a flame haired beauty at peters Square yesterday, I was told she had been stood on the station for five hours with no shelter from the rain and had been told by management that they were not allowed a break for a hot drink!
Apparently, the drivers are treated in a similar manner and have to have their lunch breaks in a wagon body with no running water and no toilet facilities!
With this total lack of respect for their own staff, how can we expect customer service and a decently run service?

Again, this all comes down to senior, middle and lower management. While water always runs down hill, it surely needs to be stemmed at the source. I expect a few of the "lower ranks" may be moved around, one or two possibly even dismissed, but the generals will remain the same.

Expect more of the same service (or lack of) when the new lines open from 2011 onwards. Until the rotten apples have been removed, we will continue to receive a rotten barrel!

Blue Mist (04/09/2009 at 13:51)

I was one of many who attempted to get home from Manchester yesterday evening to Sale. There was no one at St Peters Sq to give us any information about if/when the trams were running and for a long period and for some unexplained reason, trams were only goint to Old Trafford before turning round and heading back. The whole situation is a disgrace. When snow fell in London and caused traffic problems there was a huge outcry and an inquiry. When the Metro-not-linked is in total disarray no one seems to care. I waited that long for a tram (in the cold and rain) at Old Trafford that I went and bought a kebab. Little Johnny Hitler, who had been unable to or unwilling to pass on any information was quick to jump on me and say I would not be allowed to eat that on the tram !! As it was it was finished long before the tram arrived. Wjat a shambles. Heads should roll but they wont.

P Clayton (04/09/2009 at 14:03)

Stagecoach as a bus company benefit when the trams aren't running, whatever are they doing being allowed to run trams, conflict of interests or what>?????????????????!!!!!!!

confused

Black Flag (04/09/2009 at 14:39)

P Clayton, that could be a cause for concern, but as the main bus route running from Manchester to Altrincham is operated by Arriva, I don't think it's a major issue in this instance.

flipper, anywhere else but manchester please (05/09/2009 at 15:14)

"Metrolink bosses feel the heat", no they should feel the cold and be thrown out on to the streets. Bums first

Bendroflumethiazide, manchester (06/09/2009 at 15:03)

It gets me how we put up with it - shambolic is the word I would use. not only is it far too expensive to travel on the trams should be double in size = they are too small at present. Also, If the Government,The city and regional coucils and metrolink were serious about getting cars off the road - The tram system has to be seriously cheap enough to force the punters out of their cars , Altrincham to Manchester regardless of whether it's at peak time or not - say 50p a trip tops should do it.

connor wells (06/09/2009 at 19:07)

I wonder if the person who was ranting and raving at old trafford on friday night and saying do you know who i am to the driver of the tram saying "i work for the gmpte give me your name and number" obviousley he had had a few ,i wonder if he has had time to reflect.Front line staff would have been sacked on the spot i wonder if he has to explain himself on monday morning .I think not.
Double standards and nothing less.

Eamon Burke (07/09/2009 at 10:06)

I agree totally with Connor Wells. No one has the right to be abusive and in particular public servants should treat others as human beings (after all - those they were abusing pay their salaries). I give my thanks to all of the staff who tried to help customers and will have been working long hours under difficult conditions and facing abuse from the likes of the person described by Connor Wells. Well done all the drivers, inspectors, cleaners, maintenance staff and managers working to run the tram service. As for the civil servants - perhaps you would be better sticking to what they do best......

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