A multi-million pound computer system designed to revolutionise Metrolink has caused misery for commuters during a trial run.
Passengers on the Manchester-Eccles line have suffered a total of 60 hours of delays due to a string of problems on the MediaCity ‘spur’ in Salford Quays.
The £19.75m extension was opened in September.
Data obtained by the M.E.N. shows it has been the site of an astonishing 24 failures – causing delays of up to five hours – since it opened as part of the Eccles route.
We can reveal the cause of ALL the problems was a new computerised tram management system being tested on the spur.
It is due to be rolled out across the whole network, costing taxpayers millions of pounds.
The new system – called TMS – uses artificial intelligence to control points and signals.
It is able to pinpoint the location of trams to within a few metres.
Comment: Danger of losing faith in our trams
Trams have been only running during off-peak hours on the MediaCity extension since late December to minimise disruption. And transport bosses point out that when trams have ground to a halt on the spur, other Manchester-Eccles services have been able to pass without delay.
Philip Purdy, Metrolink director at Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive, said testing of the new system had involved ‘working through a series of adjustments to the management of trams in that section’.
He said: “The process we are following has, on occasions, led to some disruption to services to the new stop and I apologise for any inconvenience this has caused. I can assure all passengers that while adjustments are being undertaken, the operating procedures that are in place ensure that the safety of the system is maintained at all times.”
A transport watchdog called for immediate action to solve the problem.
John Moorhouse, from passenger group TravelWatch Northwest said: “It’s bad news for passengers if the system is causing all these failures. All steps need to be taken to ensure these trams run reliably.”
The quarter-mile MediaCity spur was part-funded by Salford council and regional bodies.
It will serve more than 2,500 BBC employees when departments including Five Live and sport begin their move from London later this year.
Comment: Danger of losing faith in our trams
The data was released to the MEN under the Freedom of Information Act and can be viewed in full on this link.
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GMPTE don't care about the Eccles line beyond Mediacity. I rather they dig the line up and save us the indignity.
I wonder if Philip Purdy travels into work on the MetroLink system? Somehow I doubt it.
If he did, these problems would have been sorted out ages ago.
Typical of these top executives, they never try their own product. Top execs in the Health Service go private, top execs in the airline industry go Club Class and are never subject to delays or "bump offs".
It`s the ordinary punter that takes the strain!!
As many have already said, building of the new lines should not have been permitted until the problems on the existing routes have been rectified. Philip Purdy's apologies sound empty.
John Moorhouse, from passenger group TravelWatch Northwest said: “It’s bad news for passengers if the system is causing all these failures. All steps need to be taken to ensure these trams run reliably.”
Thank goodness for John Moorhouse. Now Metrolink know that they must take 'all steps' and not just 'some steps' the problem should be rectified immediately.
Over the years I Ihave travelled on tram systems all over the world and I can honestly say that the Metrolink system is the worst that I have travelled on in terms of reliability, punctuality and comfort. It is an embarrassment to Greater Manchester.
I have been complaining to Metrolink/GMPTE for quite a while now about the lack of the "state of the art" information system we were led to expect following the recent so-called upgrade. A reply informed me that the new information boards will come on stream after the TMS system has been rolled out. It has been all too obvious that there was some major problems with this, as these indicator boards have been installed in various stations, covered with cardbard and polythene and left figuratively to rot for over a year now. Information to passengers is pathetic anyway as regular travellers know, and the old indicator boards (just about better than nothing) went out of service a long time ago. So these reported problems/failings have an impact on the whole of the service in different ways, reducing still further any residual faith I may have had in anything Metrolink-related.
I remember not to far in the past it were an horse and cart to get from Manchester to Eccles, and they didn't fall over quite so often. Occasionally stopped whilst Ned rested and had a pee but otherwise you knew where you were with horse and cart.
Those shoes are made for walking.You lazy Lot....
Breweries and boozy occasions come to mind whenever the Metrolink is mentioned. It is an amateurish joke.
what is it about publc funded computer systems that always seem to fail? Could it be linked to expensive maintanance contracts by makers greedy for an even bigger piece of the cake. Or is it just that metrolink has always failed to deliver on time. Perhaps they should have bought a laptop from Argos or get one of their many inspectors to wave a flag at junctions instead.
Another meaningless metrolink apology.
Coming back after my Xmas holidays - faced with a rise in fares on my journey to work on the eccles line - then told that my stop (MediaCity) is only operating between 10-4pm. A rise in fares and a reduction in service. Aswell as this, the trams are supposed to run every 12 minutes. Several times a week I am waiting for much longer than this and when I contact 'customer services' they tell me that it is impossible to run a punctual service when you run trams on the road! what a joke. Im sacking it off and bringing my car if its not sorted soon.
I am quite amazed that Peel Holdings have not requested an inquiry into requirement for MediaCity:UK to provide a tram stop. It is quite simply an embarrasment both in planning and operation and this becomes painful when you put the estimated £10m cost for carrying out the works in the context of MediaCity:UK having two stops within 500m.
I am no stranger to the Eccles line and for the 3 months when the stop was in operation found that because of the two embarrasing points made above what was normally a 20 minute journey into town took 40 minutes.
How no one has been sacked over this I can hardly begin to wonder...... believe it or the Quays has never required another tram stop..... maybe a kids play area, park, etc wpould have been better use of the money.
The money poured into the white elephent that is metrolinkl over the years (and years to come) would have paid for Greater Manchesters roads to be fully resurfaced!
London Underground's Victoria Line has had "Automatic Train Operation" working on the entire line without too many problems since 1968. Some sections of the Central Line now have it too.
But 33 years later Manchester still can't seem to figure it out... How deeply embarrassing for this system that's never yet given a better service than the old trains they replaced.
I have given up complaining now, its pointless, the worst service in Europe by far, in fact ive asked Philip Purdy to confirm in writing that the planned extensions wont impact the existing lines with even more delays, he ignored me. If like me anybody else thinks it is time he resigned, please feel free to let him know, his email is philip.purdy@gmpte.gov.uk