SalfordOnline

Tram services are on schedule to return to Altrincham and Eccles next week, when several major projects on the two Metrolink lines are due for completion.

GMPTE has been overseeing several major refurbishment and engineering projects at stops and key junctions on the two lines, which have been closed since 1 August.

Work is progressing well on all of the projects, and trams will start running to and from St Peter's Square again from start of service on Tuesday 1 September.

Replacement bus services will continue to run until the end of August.

Philip Purdy, GMPTE's Metrolink Director, said: "There's been a mammoth amount of work to fit into a short space of time so I am pleased we're on track to start running trams again from 1 September. I'd like to thank passengers for bearing with us in the meantime.

"Passengers on the Altrincham line will see a lot of improvements at their stops - which have been refurbished - and all services will be more reliable thanks to the upgrades to the overhead lines. Things are going to keep getting better too.

"In coming months we'll reopen the new and improved city centre tram service, we'll start to install new touch-screen ticket machines and we'll be introducing the new trams. We'll also be refurbishing the lifts along the Altrincham line.

"These are really exciting times for Metrolink and I am sure passengers will feel the benefits."

By the end of August, new connections will have been built at the Trafford Bar stop to link up with the tram line now under construction to Chorlton, as well as the new Trafford tram depot.

A junction will also have been built between the Harbour City and Broadway stops on the Eccles line to allow trams to join up with the new spur to MediaCityUK from summer next year.

The track layout at Cornbrook will have been extensively remodelled to accommodate the new MediaCityUK tram services and to provide greater operational flexibility and service availability for all the lines.

All the overhead electrical cables on the Altrincham line will have been replaced, and some supporting structures upgraded, and a range of improvements will have been made to all the stops on the line.

In particular, the underpass at the Old Trafford stop will have been replaced with a crossing, and the length of the platforms will have been doubled.

As part of the programme, work on some projects will continue into the autumn - including the installation of a new gated queuing system at the Old Trafford stop, the expansion of parking at the Navigation Road stop and some minor works to a number of other stops - but tram services will not be affected.

The installation of new touch-screen ticket machines at all stops will start later this year and continue into early 2010.

Comment by Guest  4th September 2009 Don't waste you're words trying to get one over me . I'm a red like you but I'm fed up with wingers like the first comment you made [if it's still you]. Remember you are watching the best team in the world. I'm just honest, we know it's costly. Walk [Eccles aint far away] if you need to and save a few quid. I will not be returning to this page so feel free to comment to someone else it won't be me.

Comment by Guest  4th September 2009 Not many will admit to being one.

Comment by Guest  3rd September 2009 I'm not a City fan. Ha!

Comment by TomSO ( member )  3rd September 2009 The only cups Man City have are in the canteen

Comment by Guest  3rd September 2009 Didn't Man City bring their last trophy home on a horse drawn coach?. Eccles Red.

Comment by Guest  2nd September 2009 Yeah! all being bussed in from other Cities.

Comment by Guest  2nd September 2009 At least there is enough Man United fans to fill the trams and buses, unlike our massive neighbours....

Comment by Guest  2nd September 2009 Typical moaning United fan.

Comment by Guest  1st September 2009 I used the tram from Eccles to Old Trafford last Saturday, plenty of doubledecker buses going to Old Trafford from Eccles, coming home was a complete nightmare, I was stood waiting at the Quays bus stop for nearly an hour along with about 200 other irate people including a chap who had his son in wheelchair, when the bus finally arrived it was a single decker almost full with people coming from Manchester The bus driver was the most obnoxious piece of work, I asked him why there was only one bus in an hour and that being a single decker,he shrugged his shoulders and said, "Not my fault" and stared ahead with a smirk on his face. Why were there not extra buses laid on, they must know that the football matches attracts large crowds,plus it is almost a £1 dearer by bus than tram, a complete shambles. Eccles Red.