The opening of the next phase of the £1.4bn 'big bang' Metrolink expansion looks set to be delayed by a troublesome computer system.
Transport bosses are set to tell the region's council leaders that completion work on the planned extensions to Oldham, Rochdale and Droylsden could have to be put back.
The new system, called Tram Management System (TMS), is designed to electronically 'map' the position of every tram and automatically control points and signals.
But it caused major disruption after it underwent trials at MediaCity last September and separate problems also delayed the Chorlton extension.
A report now says 'technical complexities' are delaying the roll-out of TMS across the expanding network.
Bosses said in summer that the first stage of the Oldham line to Central Park, which had been due in spring, was being put back until winter and the second phase to Oldham Mumps was being delayed from autumn to next spring.
The Central Park stage is not now expected to open until the Oldham Mumps stage opens – and transport officials are assessing whether that will be put back from spring.
A report also says a delay of between two and three months 'may arise' on the already-delayed Rochdale extension – putting it back to next autumn.
The report says a three month delay on the Droylsden line is also 'likely', which would also put it back to next autumn.
Progress on the Droylsden and Rochdale extensions will be kept under 'close review'.
Planned extensions to Ashton, Didsbury and Manchester Airport are unaffected.
Philip Purdy, TfGM Metrolink director, said the new system would deliver a 'great deal of benefits' for passengers including real-time passenger information.
He said: “The problem is that the new system is as advanced as the current system is old and making them work together at this higher level is proving to be a significant challenge.”
The 'big bang' is earmarked for completion in 2016 and would make Metrolink the biggest tram network in Britain.
Earlier this year the M.E.N. revealed that the TMS system was responsible for 24 service failures on the MediaCity 'spur' between September 2010 and February this year.
Engineers spent eight months sitting in a van next to the line watching trams go through the junction as part of 'manual monitoring' of the system.
We can today reveal that TMS has been behind tram disruption totalling more than 80 hours on the MediaCity 'spur' between January and May this year.
Data obtained under the Freedom of Information Act shows that this included a single 72-hour period of disruption due to a 'signalling irregularity' at the MediaCity junction on April 9.
TMS has not been to blame for any disruption on the spur since May.
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How much extra is this delay likely to cost? and who will pay the extra cost?
Hee by Gum, "the tram extentions to Rochdale and Droylesdon will be kept under close review ",well there's a revelation whats been happening upto now then as it just been mentioned at brew time on thursdays what is happening on these projects.For gods sake get a grip the only thing this bunch of clowns are good at is making excuses and then telling us how good they are at making excuses .
Dont worry all you Blues fans..... it will be ready in time for when City move from Maine Road to Eastlands.............
Metrolink would like to apologise for delays to your upgrade...
Why doesn't this surprise me? The old heavy rail technology was tried and tested. For a fraction of the cost which has been spent on this Metrostink rubbish we could have had a Oldham-Rochdale loop line that could have lasted many more years and would have provided the service the people wanted.
What a disgrace! what next, over budget by 10 billion.
I want metro tram system to be succesful but its frankly embarrasing specially when places like Wythenshawe are having roads dug up for the Tram when there is a railway track in place that no one is doing anything with even a fraction of the tram cost to build a station in Baguley.
Carry On Britain at it's best - massively over budget or late, take your pick
In October 2009, we lost a perfectly good train service from Shaw to Manchester and for what? It wouldn't surprise me if it is another three years until this joke of a tram will be running. The majority of the Oldham Loop users were against this nonsense from he start as we all knew what a debacle it would and has turned out to be.
Why is Mr Purdy from TfGM not dealing with the problems he is paid £130,000 to oversee?
The TMS is being installed by giant rail technology firm Thales. They were paid to ensure it is up and running correctly, so why has a pile of our public money been slung at these amateurs with not a lot back?
Mr Purdy's TfGM should take action urgently to ensure it's contractors pull their weight. If the construction contractor has got most things signed off on time, why should the signalling contractor be allowed to lag behind?
this is appalling, Metrolink should be fine for this, the distruption in droylsden and surrounding area has been shocking, and when we finally were due to see light at the end of the tunnel it is being put back. Just run the bloomin trams as they are run on the old system!! if they are every 6 mintues why do we need an electric screen to tell us where the flippin trams are!
Already running problems for Droysden and its not even running yet !!!!!!!!!!!what a farce
Investing in the private sector LOL!
What is a compexity, is the spelling of complexity too complexed for the perplexed!
(Ed - Apologies, corrected)
At last a half honest admission that this extremely expensive and unreliable system does not even work properly. This was and is the system that our politicians wanted to inflict upon us all ,and wanted to bully us into paying for via the totally rejected congestion charge.
There is already not a week goes by without a problem on at least one section of the existing network ,never mind the parts yet to be operational.
Save money and SCRAP any further expansion of this failed and expensive system. Cut the losses and halt now ,and put the money into improving the local train and bus system.
No surprise there then! Next thing you know they'll shelve all the out of town work and the horrendous mess in each area of tram work will continue to fester. The bus system is grinding to a halt - even with the help of buses that don't turn up through lack of drivers! The tram works in Oldham are now adding 10 mins onto each bus journey - totalling another full working day over a month. It's horrendous.
I live in Firswood.
Just got the metrolink in June.
Its great.
We love it.
You will too.
Stop moaning.
It's a disgrace, poor excuses, heads should roll.
Compexities ? Who is the proof reader at the MEN ?
(Ed - Apologies, corrected)
Private industry behind schedule, never.
pave it all and use the mk 1 eyeball bendy buses that has been tried and tested over 1000s of year and bendy buses. Problem solved and it aint rocket science.
so it is not the old green trams that are the problem after all, TfGM are telling porkies
This man Purdie makes misleading and non-information a point of honour; they will NEVER tell the truth. So we can safely assume that the real situtaion is far worse/late/more expensive than this. Probably a pay rise and extended contract for Mr Purdie - will he NEVER 'go back' to Australia?
Metrolink is a failed system.
expensive,unreliable,fault ridden,and not needed. Scrap any more work on this failed system and spend the money on improving and upgrading the rail network and buses. Now that would be a boost for everyone,who knows it may even be possible to reduce fares...