The long-awaited south Manchester tram extension is set to open within weeks, the M.E.N. has learned.
An announcement from Transport for Greater Manchester today was expected to reveal that the Chorlton line could be ready for passengers around the end of June if tests this weekend are successful.
A timescale for the line to Oldham is also due to be revealed.
Extensions to Chorlton, on the south Manchester line, and to Central Park at Newton Heath, on the Oldham line, were due to open this spring but it is understood problems have appeared during previous tests.
Both are part of the multi-million pound ‘big bang’ Metrolink expansion. Cash for the project was initially offered by the Labour government but was withdrawn in 2004.
The money for a smaller ‘little bang’ project was reinstated after a massive campaign led by the M.E.N. Parts of the project – the extensions to Didsbury and Ashton – appeared under threat when the current government announced it was slashing public spending last year. But Chancellor George Osborne confirmed those two extensions would go ahead, costing £170m.
An extension to MediaCity is already open and an extension to Droylsden is due to open by spring next year and Ashton by winter 2013. Metrolink will reach Oldham Mumps by this autumn, and then Rochdale railway station by spring next year.
The Rochdale and Oldham town centre stations will open in mid 2014. The airport line will be finished by mid 2016.
TfGM committee chair Coun Keith Whitmore said that testing problems appeared to have been resolved.
He added: "If hopefully all the tests are completed and Metrolink is ready to come to south Manchester this is going to be an extremely good day."
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Great news. 'Mancherster will not get Metro Link funding unless they accept the congestion charge' Congestion charge? What congestion charge? We won.
When is the one at COMS due to be open?
good day for who ? metrolink is the biggest failure known to any person who has been un fortunate to have to use it.
please answer me a question councillor whitmore, how can you say metrolink has been a success when the two lines you measure this success on now carry less passengers and at a slower more expensive rate than they did when they where run by heavy rail ? your "new" trams have less seats than a very old british leyland class 142 and less standing room, they travel at 25 mph less than the slowest of heavy rail trains, the oldham loop was 60 mph metrolink can only do 50 mph the fastest train from oldham to manchester victoria was 9 minutes metrolink will be nearer 35 minutes.
in fact the only thing metrolink can claim to have improved is the general health of passengers since they now have amazing upper body strength through having to hang on due to the rough ride conditions.
what's the betting this thread receives no answers from the councillors or does not even get published, just in case i will post this question on numerous other sites relating to the appalling metrolink system.
@JGP
You morn the loss of heavy rail lines, yet fail to realize this metro line goes right down the alignment of an abandoned railway line, given up by your precious heavy rail in the 1980s.
What do your propose? Go and dig up all the Chorlton / Didsbury line and return it to an abandoned railway? Get over yourself and for one day be happy with progress
Great news, this is the best thing to happen to Chorlton in a long time, possibly ever.
It is indeed fantastic news. It seems very likely that passenger numbers on the Chorlton line will exceed predictions and all the new lines will provide people with excellent new and long awaited travel opportunities, access to work etc.
Fantastic news for Chorloton, can't wait till the airport line continues through the rest of South Manchester and connects us with the whole and our family will have affordable stress free travel to all corners of our city with just one ticket. It's this big picture that really matters. Joined up modern transport in a grand city like Manchester is good for everyone. Keep on building those lines.
So we still don't know exactly when it's opening then! You would have thought by now they would have precise dates considering Spring 2011 was the given timescale.
Why not delay publishing this article until somebody can give us better information. This tells us nothing from what we already know.
The metrolink website is also very poor at giving progress reports on the new lines.
This is only a mini-metrolink.
If Manchester had voted 'Yes' to the TIF proposals, a world class transport infrastructure would be on the way!
Yeah, "THANKS", MEN, for your campaign. I live and work in different parts of South Manchester, I get the bus to and from work, and will continue to do so when the tram is (FINALLY) done near me, in like FIVE years from now or whenever it is.
When that "happy" day comes, the tram will be FAR more expensive than the bus, and would still involve more walking in my case than getting the bus.
Meanwhile, my bus journeys are being delays, and will continue to be for years, by the tram-related roadworks.
What a waste of money, and what an inconvenience to other road users in the meantime. And what about all the land and road that's being bulldozed or taken over by the tramways? Much of it is currently green.
Some absolutely astonishing comments on what presumably should be seen as pretty good news! The 86 bus is very regular but glacial in speed, driving in from chorlton takes 15-20mins, bus more like 45 - trams clearly going to be great for anyone commuting in on that line.
June 27th possible opening date - morrisons car park goes pay and display then
@Anthony Cutt
How can you say the tram could possible take longer than the leisure ride that is the number 84 / 85 / 86 bus route?
Last time I looked the same bus route wasn't particularly cheap either, or that reliable
I say them that are negative or dont want it ...dont use it.... simple. The ones that do want it, will use it and benefit from it. It is called progression, or we could all go back to horse and carts.
The best thing to come into Chorlton,since Kingbee Records (Hi Les & Neil)
The tram will take around 15 minutes to get to St Peters Square, how long does the 86 take? At least half an hour.
Off peak returns should be a lot cheaper than the Dayrider on the 86 too.
Stagecoach may however reduce bus services if the Metrolink weakens the demand for bus services.
The Metrolink can only be a good thing and is vital for the long term success of Manchester.