Work is starting on SIX new tram lines across Greater Manchester and out to mid-Cheshire just months after the government approved Metrolink extensions.

The Chancellor confirmed the extensions to Stockport and Heywood in June, alongside new tram stops at Sandhills in north Manchester, Elton Reservoir in Bury, and Cop Road in Oldham.

But it appears Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) is not resting on its laurels, as a Bee Network committee report identified 15 'candidates for new lines and extensions'. Staff are set to start preparatory work on six new lines in the next year, it added.

"New lines and extensions are major projects," it said. 

"With the need for such schemes to develop strong business cases, identify and secure funding, undertake extensive community engagement and a full public consultation – and then complete detailed design and procure and mobilise contractors for construction, testing and commissioning – the timescale to the opening of any new line or extension is on the order of a decade (i.e. the opening date from now would be in the mid-2030s)."

Where the 'strategic outlines cases' for the Metrolink lines in autumn 2025 and summer 2026 will focus on (Image - TfGM)

TfGM will start work on a 'formal strategic outline case' for three new lines in autumn of 2025, all connected to Manchester Airport:

• Stockport to Airport (tram-train), building on Stockport-focussed strategic outlines case,
• Airport Western Leg (tram),
• Altrincham to the Airport/potential links to mid-Cheshire (tram-train).

Work on a second strategic outline case will begin next summer on three lines focused on the north-west quarter of Greater Manchester, specifically:

• Salford Quays to Salford Crescent (tram),
• City centre to Salford Crescent (tram),
• Wigan via Atherton, Bolton options, Leigh options (tram/tram-train).

If the lines become a reality, trams would run to every Greater Manchester borough for the first time in Metrolink's 33-year history.

Stockport Interchange has been designed with Metrolink in mind (Image - Nub News)

'Tram-trains' are not currently used in Greater Manchester, but are set to make their debut on the Heywood Metrolink extension. The technology sees 'tram-trains' use overhead wires on some sections of track, before switching to battery power on other stretches.

That is one reason why 'development work' is beginning on designing the 'next generation' of Metrolink vehicles.

Initial indications suggest the new vehicles will be 60m long, similar to the length of an existing 'double-tram'. However, they would have more capacity as passengers will be able to walk through the entire length of the carriage.

Another reason for the planning is ongoing is existing 147 M5000 trams currently used were only designed to be in use until the late-2030s.

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