Metrolink second crossing on track
New Tram line a step closer to opening
Manchester’s new tram line is a step closer to opening following another successful round of testing over the weekend.
Councillors Andrew Fender and Pat Karney joined engineers to ride Metrolink’s new Second City Crossing and witness first-hand the rigorous testing and commissioning process.
The new route, which will connect the major new St Peter’s Square tram stop with Exchange Square and Victoria Station, is on track to open to passengers soon.
It is the final piece of Metrolink’s £1.5bn ‘big bang’ expansion programme – which has seen extensions to MediaCityUK, East Didsbury, Rochdale via Oldham, Ashton and Manchester Airport – and will allow more trams to run through the city centre and across the 93-stop network.
Councillor Fender, Chair of the Transport for Greater Manchester Committee, said: “We’re on the home stretch now as engineers carry out the final phase of testing to check all the infrastructure and test out the tram management system on this important new route through the city.
“While the Second City Crossing is a relatively short stretch of line, it is a crucial piece in the Metrolink jigsaw – allowing us to run more trams on a more flexible and reliable tram network. That’s great news not just for the city centre, but for customers right across Greater Manchester.”
Councillor Pat Karney added: “It’s a thrill to be one of the first people to experience a journey on the new Second City Crossing. We’ve all seen the progress as the work to lay the line through the city has gone on, and to be able to see the finish line in sight is fantastic after the years of hard work.”