Work on new city line over by Christmas

COUNCILLOR Andrew Fender (TfGM) and Mark Pritchard (MPT)

METROLINK is on track to finish all major construction work on its new city centre line in time for the festive season.

The Second City Crossing - due to open early next year - is on schedule as the final rails are laid through the heart of Manchester city centre, meaning commuters and shoppers will be able to enjoy a building site-free Christmas.

All major civil engineering works -including installing overhead lines to power the trams along the route - are expected to be completed by the end of the year.

Transport for Greater Manchester said the £165 million line will allow more frequent, reliable and flexible services to run on the busy tram network, which now hosts more than 35 million journeys a year.

The first phase of the route, from Victoria Station through to a new stop at Exchange Square, opened last December, fast-tracked thanks to a grant from the European Regional Development Fund.

Due to the city's Victorian infrastructure throwing up several unforeseen and major construction challenges, including a collapsed Victorian sewer and double the number of anticipated exhumations following the discovery of a former church graveyard on Cross Street, TfGM had been expecting delayed completion in summer 2017.

But they say contractor M-Pact Thales (MPT) worked closely with utility companies and TfGM to ensure the line is on track to be finished earlier in the year.

A thorough testing and commissioning programme will resume in early 2017 before the first passenger services can launch.

Councillor Andrew Fender, chair of the TfGM Committee, said: "It's great to see these final sections of rail laid, one of the final jigsaw pieces in the puzzle.

"With some infrastructure still dating back to the Victorians, building through a busy city has not been an easy task. The scale of the venture has been impressive and, while there has been inevitable disruption, we're close to the finish line and to customers, residents and businesses reaping the benefits.

"Since the Second City Crossing programme began we've seen a huge increase in Metrolink use across the network, from 27 to 35 million passenger journeys a year. The need for a new line through the city has never been more pressing.

"To make room for more customers we've also opened a new tram stop in Exchange Square and competed major rebuilds of a further four city centre tram stops.

"This overhaul will mean we can continue supporting the demand to travel from workers, residents and visitors to our ever-growing city - connecting people with jobs, days out, family and friends."