Metrolink’s new Chorlton line opens for business

New Firswood stop on the South Manchester Line

Passengers are now able to travel on Metrolink’s new Chorlton line, Transport for Greater Manchester has announced.

New Firswood stop on the South Manchester Line

Following the successful completion of comprehensive testing and commissioning work, the new line came into operation from the start of service at 6am on Thursday.

Services on the South Manchester line run:

• Every 12 minutes between: 6am and 11.45pm (Mon-Thurs); 6am and 00.45am (Fri & Sat); 9am and 5.30pm on Sundays.
• Every 15 minutes between 7am to 9am and 5.30pm to 10.45pm on Sundays.

The journey time from St Werburgh’s Road to St Peter’s Square is approximately 15 minutes.

Councillor Andrew Fender, Chair of the Transport for Greater Manchester Committee, said: “I am absolutely delighted to be able to announce the start of services on the Chorlton line.

“It is both an historic occasion and a sign of the exciting future in store for the network, as we continue our £1.4 billion expansion – the single biggest investment in public transport outside of London.

“Residents and businesses have been eagerly awaiting this news and I would like to thank them for their patience, understanding and continued support while we completed the essential testing and commissioning.

“I would also pass on my thanks and appreciation to all of our existing Metrolink passengers. Investment on this scale is bound to cause some disruption somewhere and I want to thank them for their patience too.”

The new line forms part of a £1.4 billion investment in Metrolink, which will provide new lines and new trams for a network that will be three times the size it is now.

Further lines are being delivered through Oldham and on to Rochdale, to Ashton-under-Lyne via Droylsden, from the Chorlton line to East Didsbury, and to Manchester Airport via Wythenshawe. A second line across the city centre is also being developed.

The new lines will be controlled by a new tram management system, which allows more trams to run more reliably on the network, making it much easier for drivers and controllers to manage and respond to different scenarios.

The benefit to passengers will be more consistent departures and arrivals, particularly at busy times. When the system is rolled out across the network it also means that passengers will ultimately be able to receive real-time information about their tram and when it is expected to arrive.

The new system is currently being integrated onto the existing lines. This complex operation involves new technology working effectively with systems from the late 1980s.