One month to go: Metrolink passengers urged to plan for major improvement work in October

• Final major tram track upgrades of 2026 are set to start in October
• It means no trams will run on several lines as around 4km of track is replaced between Trafford Bar and Deansgate Castlefield from 19 October to 1 November
• New tram tracks to be laid as part of a wider £150m investment to maintain, upgrade and improve tram network
• Upgrades will allow for further speed restrictions to be lifted, making even more journeys quicker and more reliable across the Bee Network

Tram passengers in Greater Manchester are being urged to plan for major improvement work this autumn, with significant changes to tram services affecting large parts of the Bee Network.

From Monday 19 October until Sunday 1 November, Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) will deliver the next phase of a multi-year £150m investment programme to upgrade the network, with further work at Trafford Bar and Cornbrook.

It follows the successful work to replace drainage, foundations and track in the tunnels at Cornbrook over the summer. The work is being done in phases due to its scale and complexity, and to keep disruption for passengers to a minimum.

That means no trams will operate on the Altrincham, Eccles and Trafford Park lines for two weeks. Services from East Didsbury and Manchester Airport services will terminate at Firswood.

As a result of the investment already made, Metrolink trams are now quicker and more reliable, with work allowing speed restrictions to be lifted. Around 4km of new rails will be installed in October – along with extensive groundwork, including new drainage – as TfGM moves down the track towards Trafford Bar, helping to improve journey times for even more passengers.

It’s one of the busiest sections of light rail track in Europe, where the Altrincham, Eccles, Trafford Park, East Didsbury and Airport lines all converge, with trams passing through every 30 seconds for 20 hours a day, seven days a week.

Following customer feedback from the three-week major closure earlier this summer, TfGM is introducing several changes designed to make journeys easier.

These include:

• Changes to replacement buses: More direct replacement bus services operating between key locations rather than calling at all stops.
• More buses on the Bee Network: Putting extra buses on selected Bee Network bus routes on affecting lines to provide extra capacity.

TfGM’s Network Director for Metrolink, Ian Davies, said:

“We’re carrying out this work to make sure Metrolink remains safe, reliable and fit for the future, but we recognise that they’ll cause disruption for many people. We’re sorry about that and are doing everything we can to ensure you can still get where you need to go.

“One of the things we’ve done since the summer closure is listen carefully to the feedback people gave us. Customers told us they wanted clearer information, faster replacement journeys and more travel options, and we’ve used that feedback to shape our plans for this autumn.

“There is never a perfect time to undertake major engineering work on one of the busiest light rail corridors in Europe, but these improvements are essential if we are to continue delivering the reliable public transport network that Greater Manchester needs.”

Customers travelling during the work are encouraged to:

• Make the most of the Bee Network app journey planner: This will give you all the various options of how to get from A to B.
• Get on a Bee Network bus: In many cases, the best alternative is to catch a Bee Network bus. Existing yellow buses connect many of the communities served by trams, with a hopper fare costing just £2 which you can pay with the convenience of Tap and Go. Digital and smartcard 28 day and annual tram season tickets will also be accepted on a select number of Bee Network bus services during this period.  You can find the nearest bus stops and plan your journey on the Bee Network app.
• Take a replacement bus:  The replacement bus services – operating between key locations rather than calling at all stops – will have a different timetable and frequency to the regular tram service, and people should expect the journey will take longer than it usually would, so are encouraged to set off earlier.  Valid Tram and 1-day Bee Bus tickets will be accepted on these replacement bus services.
• Try the train: If you can get to where you’re going by rail, it may be quicker to catch the train from your nearest station. Ticket acceptance will be in place for tram season ticket holders on Northern services between Altrincham / Navigation Road and Manchester city centre, East Didsbury and Manchester city centre, Manchester Airport and Manchester city centre, Eccles and Manchester city centre.
• Consider cycling or walking: Active travel could be an option for all or part of your journey. This includes hiring Starling Bikes, half of which are e-bikes.
• If you normally purchase a Tram season ticket but are unsure at this stage as to what journeys you will make during the disruption, we advise purchasing alternative ticket options during this period of disruption.

Customers are also being reminded of city centre engineering works taking place ahead of the October closure.

From 21 to 26 September, no trams will run through Market Street and Shudehill while improvement works are carried out, with services diverting via Exchange Square. People may need to change trams, take a short walk or hop on the free bus to continue their journey. Outside of free bus operating times, a replacement bus will operate between Piccadilly and Victoria.

This will be followed by further work at Piccadilly Gardens from 27 September to 2 October. During this time, no trams will operate between St Peter’s Square/Market Street and Piccadilly.

There will also be no trams on the Altrincham, Eccles and Trafford Park lines over the weekend of 14 and 15 November due to follow-up works at Trafford Bar and Deansgate Castlefield. The East Didsbury and Airport lines will run to Firswood only over this weekend.

Further information is available from a dedicated customer information page on the Bee Network website, providing details on replacement travel arrangements, ticket acceptance and journey planning support.