Tram lines to close for two weeks for engineering work
LDRSPassengers in Greater Manchester have been warned no trams will run on three Metrolink lines for two weeks from Monday.
Improvement works will take place until 1 November at Deansgate-Castlefield and Trafford Bar, as well as in Manchester city centre.
No trams will operate on the Altrincham, Trafford Centre and Eccles lines, while services operating on the East Didsbury/Manchester Airport lines will terminate at Firswood. Tram replacement bus services will be in operation.
Services operating on the Rochdale line will terminate at Exchange Square.
While trams are due to resume from the start of service on Monday, 2 November, passengers have been warned that some minor route changes through the city centre will be in place until 4 November.
Football fans who usually travel by tram to either Manchester United's Old Trafford stadium or Manchester City's Etihad Stadium have been advised to check the Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) website.
City are due to host AEK Athens in the Champions League on Tuesday, Brighton in the Carabao Cup on 28 October, and the same opponents in the Premier League on 31 October.
Meanwhile, United will take on Bournemouth at Old Trafford on 25 October in the Premier League.
This summer, the Eccles, Trafford Centre and Altrincham lines were closed for three weeks in one of the biggest ever upgrades to the region's tram network.
It was part of a £150m upgrade to 3.7 miles (6km) of track between Trafford Bar, Cornbrook and Deansgate-Castlefield.
Passengers had to rely on busy replacement buses and trains while the work took place.
A section of 30-year-old track near Trafford Bar was ripped up and replaced.
Transport bosses said the tracks would not need replacing again for another 30 years.
The Metrolink network opened in 1992 and has 99 stops on eight lines across Greater Manchester.
Tram replacement buses
TfGM has advised that express shuttle buses will operate as follows:
- Every 10 minutes: Sale - Stretford - Trafford Bar - Deansgate-Castlefield - Piccadilly
- Every 15 minutes: Chorlton - Firswood - Deansgate-Castlefield - Piccadilly
- Every 15 minutes: MediaCityUK - Deansgate-Castlefield - Piccadilly
- Every 15 minutes: Trafford Centre - Trafford Palazzo - Parkway - Village - Imperial War Museum - Wharfside - Deansgate-Castlefield - Piccadilly
- Every 15 minutes: Altrincham - Piccadilly (direct shuttle & only operates 7am - 7pm)
TfGM also advises that for seven-day, 28-day and annual pass holders only, ticket acceptance is in place on rail services between the city centre and Navigation Road/Altrincham/Eccles/East Didsbury/Manchester Airport and on the following Bee Network bus services:
Altrincham line: 15, 23, 25, 41, 53, 79, 245, 248, 249, 250, 255, 256, 263, 281, 285 & 286 .
East Didsbury line: 15, 23, 25, 41, 42, 42A/B/C, 43, 50, 85/A, 86, 101, 103, 111, 142, 143, 147, 171, 172, 370 & 371.
Eccles line: 10, 29, 30, 33, 50, 52, 53, 67, 79 & 100.
Manchester Airport line: 19, 23, 25, 41, 43, 85A, 101, 103, 248, 249 & 368.
Trafford Centre line: 30, 150, 248, 250, 255 & 256.
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