Bold new transport vision set by Transport for Greater Manchester

Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham has set out the region’s wider plan for transport which includes expanding the Bee Network with new Metrolink lines to surrounding towns including Stockport, Rochdale. and Bolton all set to be included under the new plans. In total, Burnham also wants to bring eight rail lines under Bee Network control by 2028 with full integration intended by 2030.

At a press conference to launch the plans which were called the “Rapid Transit Strategy”, Burnham also confirmed that he would be asking the new Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves to green-light proposals as soon as possible for the new West coast mainline station at Golborne which has been stuck at the approval stages for months. Another new train station is planned at Cheadle.

Both Stockport and Rochdale’s Metrolink extensions have been in the planning stages for years with Stockport’s extension in the final stages of its business case proposal but now Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) is setting its sights on further integration and expansion over the next decade.

It is now planning on 4 new tram lines; Salford Quays to Salford Crescent, Didsbury to Stockport, Trafford Park to Port Salford and Harpurhey to Middleton.

The current eight suburban lines which TfGM are planning to bring into its control are currently subsidised by an estimated £100 million with some stations currently “under-serviced” according to TfGM’s figures, however Burnham believes that it can do more for passengers with less subsidy once it is place.

Burnham told RAIL: “I have written to the new prime minister this week to say this is a prime example of how Greater Manchester can deliver more for less, if we work by the devolved structures that we now have.

“Whilst we have this subsidy, you can see on the passenger loadings that some are well used, others are essentially carrying fresh air across Greater Manchester. So, we think we can do much more, for less.”

He cited figures from Transport for London (TfL), that showed when London Overground was integrated into the wider TfL network in 2007, patronage grew by 160%, purely on the original network.

Simon Elliott, Head of Rail at TfGM outlined the authority’s ambitions for increasing the frequency of trains across the region’s network to ensure the ambitions can be met, commenting, “We are aiming on having at least two trains per hour at all stations by 2027, with that increased to four where needed.”

Both Elliott and TfGM’s Head of Rapid Transit, Luke Bramwell who also attended the press conference acknowledged that capacity was an ongoing issue, in both south Manchester and through the Castlefield corridor, for both Metrolink and train services with a need for that to be addressed as quickly as possible.

“Even if we bring forward the new Metrolink fleet with longer vehicles, effectively doubling capacity on every service, the longer term planning we are looking at suggests we will run out of capacity in greater Manchester as we head into 2040.”, Bramwell added.

Commenting on this, Burnham believes the solution lies underground. “Whilst we have seen rapid growth in this region, the lack of connectivity in the area will limit our growth eventually. So, we will have to go underground, like most of Europe’s second cities, to continue to support economic growth.”

Whilst no underground network is currently on the table or necessarily planned by TfGM just yet, it did confirm that where the pressure points are currently seen in central Manchester, tunnelling will be required.

Part of this growth will also mean extra trains, with TfGM planning new tram-train rolling stock which it hopes could be in place in 2030 as well as hoping for a stronger say in the current procurement process for Northern’s 450 new trains. The mayor also said that TfGM was “taking a keen interest in Liverpool’s battery train operation” with the view that it could help plug the regions gaps in electrification. Liverpool’s new rolling stock came into service earlier this year but has been plagued by issues with reliability since its launch.