Salford residents were able to make their morning commute by tram for the first time in three weeks after one of the biggest upgrades ever carried out on the region’s tram network was completed.
The Eccles line was one of several routes closed on 13 July as part of a £150m upgrade to replace ageing sections of track across Greater Manchester.
The line reopened on Monday morning, with passengers able to make their usual journeys to work after a lengthy break
It connects commuters from Metrolink stops at Eccles, Ladywell, Langworthy, Broadway, Media City, Harbour City and Salford Quays to Manchester city centre and Piccadilly Station, the region’s main rail hub.
Passengers were forced to take replacement buses and trains for weeks while the work was carried out.
A curved section of track on the Eccles line was upgraded during the three-week hiatus.
Meanwhile, the work included the largest track improvement in recent years, with 1.6km of track replaced between Trafford Bar and Deansgate-Castlefield.
Ian Davies, TfGM’s Network Director for Metrolink, said: “This was the biggest track upgrade project we’ve done for years and will make the tram network more reliable, resilient and safe for years to come. It also allows us to lift the speed restrictions in place on some sections from 5mph to 20mph.
“This was a large and complex piece of engineering on one of the busiest sections of light rail in Europe, and the only way we could do it was by closing some of the lines for three weeks.
“A massive thank you to passengers for their patience. We know people have had to make alternative travel plans over the last few weeks, but we’re ready to welcome people back on to our trams.
“We’ve listened carefully to passengers throughout the closure, in particular about the reliability of our replacement buses. We’ll take on board the feedback for the next phases of work.”
Businesses affected by the line closures can now breathe a sigh of relief now the latest Metrolink improvements have been completed.
James Bennett, one of the managers behind the popular Bee Orchid bar at Clippers Quay, told Salford Now that the work had been “a bit of a nightmare” when we visited at the height of the refurbishment.
The 31-year-old said that custom has been steady thanks to the number of thirsty office workers popping in from the commercial hotspot, but said attendances at Bee Orchid’s entertainment nights have been hit hard.
“We do quiz nights and open mic nights on Tuesdays, alternating and for both of them we get regulars who come down but don’t live around here,” he explained.
“With the trams being off, and obviously you have to get a bus, it puts people off a little bit. So the last couple of quiz nights and the open mics have been a lot quieter.
“As soon as the tram work is done, I expect it to pick right back up. Hopefully on the first quiz night, everything will be back to normal.”
Thankfully for Salford’s Bee Orchid bar, and commuters across the city, the Eccles line will not be directly impacted by further upgrade work set to take place this August.
