City's Metrolink work 'on track'

Metrolink lines are planned for Chorlton and Oldham

Work to upgrade the track on some of Manchester's tram services is on target to be finished by November, transport bosses say.

The work has caused disruption to services with Shudehill, Market Street, Piccadilly Gardens and Moseley Street stations closed.

It includes improvements to the stations, including York stone running alongside the tracks.

Work is now due to start at Piccadilly Gardens and St Peter's Square.

Alongside the city centre work, the Altrincham and Eccles lines will close in August to build connections to the new lines to Chorlton and MediaCity at Salford.

Extension plans

Philip Purdy, Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive's (GMPTE) Metrolink director, said: "I'm pleased to say we are on target for the contracted completion date to get trams back up and running in the city centre on Monday 2 November.

"We are aware of the disruption that such a major project has on passengers, businesses, residents and other people in the city centre and we're doing we can everything to complete the work in as short a time as possible."

GMPTE is overseeing a £600m expansion of the Metrolink network to build four new lines to Oldham and Rochdale, MediaCityUK, Chorlton and East Manchester and Droylsden.

The MediaCity line will be the first to open in summer next year.