Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has announced the continued running of late night trams into the New Year. Plus, more frequent and extended Metrolink services are being introduced at the start of 2024 to meet increased demand.
According to TfGM, passenger demand across Metrolink has recovered to pre-pandemic levels in the run up to Christmas with passengers making the most of the service to get about during the bus festive period. The full week from Monday 11th December 2023 saw 940,000 trips made on Metrolink, and Wednesday 6th December 2023 saw 160,000 trips made on a single day.
To meet the increased demand, there will be a revamped timetable from Tuesday 2nd January 2024 which will see a new six-minute service between Etihad Campus and Manchester city centre from 7am until the end of service. This will be made possible by extending Altrincham-Piccadilly services to the Etihad Campus at the following times:
- After the termination of MediaCityUK-Etihad Campus peak service (After 8pm, Monday to Friday and after 6.30pm on Saturdays) until the end of service
- All-day on Sundays
Plus, double trams will now operate between the newly extended Altrincham-Etihad Campus service as well as Bury-Piccadilly services. Between Monday and Saturday double trams will operate from the start of service on the Bury-Piccadilly and Altrincham-Piccadilly lines, with doubles introduced on Altrincham-Etihad Campus services after 6.30pm. On Sundays there will be a mixture of single and double trams, with the majority being doubles, between Altrincham-Etihad Campus and Bury-Piccadilly.
Late night tram services, which have proven popular since their reintroduction in September, will continue to run until 1am on Fridays and Saturdays. This will include several doubles operating between Altrincham-Etihad Campus, Bury-Piccadilly and to East Didsbury.
Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, said: “I am delighted that Metrolink will be introducing extra capacity and frequency onto the Altrincham and Bury Metrolink lines, which provides a vital connection for people travelling between the north and south of our region.
“These changes, combined with the late-night trams, will provide a real boost to regular passengers while also presenting a compelling case for those who perhaps don’t travel on trams as frequently to use Metrolink, which plays a central role in our integrated Bee Network public transport system.”