Improvement work begins on Manchester Metrolink
The MPT joint venture of VolkerRail and Laing O’Rourke, is back in Manchester, undertaking track replacement works across the biggest light rail system in the country.
Work to upgrade the network began in February, at Weaste tram stop, and further work is planned within Manchester city centre throughout March, including St Peter’s Square to Market Street and Piccadilly Gardens.
It is expected that over 3,600m of track will be renewed along with two S&C turnouts.
The work is part of Transport for Greater Manchester’s (TfGM) planned £147m package to maintain, upgrade and improve the Metrolink network up to 2027.
Metrolink is the UK’s largest light rail network, with 99 stops across 64 miles of track. More than 780 million journeys have been made since the network opened in 1992, and MPT has been an integral part of the network’s development since 2008.
Ian Davies, TfGM’s interim network director for Metrolink, said: “Metrolink is the biggest light rail system in the country, so it’s critically important that we keep investing in the network and making sure it remains a safe, reliable and accessible way to get around Greater Manchester well into the future.”
Sam Allen, VolkerRail’s general manager, said: “MPT has spent the last 15 years shaping the Metrolink into the magnificent system that it is today. As we begin to upgrade the network, our aim is to ensure there is minimal disruption to passengers whilst, providing communities with a smoother, safer journey for years to come.”
Bus replacement services will run between the affected stops throughout the year, although passengers may find it faster or cheaper to catch one of the frequent Bee Network buses that call along the route.
Further information on the tram service pattern for the works can be found here:
