Wednesday, 25 January 2012

Manchester Trams in Trouble

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Following a series of breakdowns during the past week on the Manchester tram system, Graham Stringer, MP for Broughton and Blackley, said failures on the Metrolink network services over the past week are "unacceptable". Manchester's tram network is "unreliable" and is "damaging the city's reputation and economy", the local MP said.
"Transport for Manchester and the tramline operators have to get their act together and ensure that when people get on a tram it gets to the destination that it says on the front."
The Greater Manchester Metrolink service includes 32 T68 trams, many which are more than 20 years old, and 15 newer M5000 trams.        The following breakdowns took place last week

  • Tuesday 17th January – points failures at both Cornbrook and Trafford Bar which caused delays for the Altrincham, Eccles/MediaCityUK and St Werburgh’s services.
  • Wednesday 18th January – a tram broke down at Piccadilly Gardens causing widespread disruption.
  • Thursday 19th January – a tram broke down on Mosley Street causing disruption for the Altrincham, Eccles/MediaCityUK and St Werburgh’s Road services.
  • Friday 20th January – a tram broke down at Prestwich during the afternoon causing delays to trams to and from Bury.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-16699824
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Focus Transport was told this week that the newer trams are failing to work correctly with the signalling on the new extensions of the tram system which is causing delays in opening the latest sections of track.

Metrolink is currently undergoing a £1.4bn ‘big bang’ expansion that will see new lines opening to Oldham, Rochdale, Ashton East Didsbury and Manchester Airport. The next stage of the expansion project has been hit by delays due to problems introducing with a new computer system that will control points and signals and pinpoint the location of every tram.

Read more at: http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/s/1471553_metrolink-chiefs-review-plans-to-replace-unreliable-older-trams-after-four-break-down-in-a-fortnight
Metrolink is currently undergoing a £1.4bn ‘big bang’ expansion that will see new lines opening to Oldham, Rochdale, Ashton East Didsbury and Manchester Airport. The next stage of the expansion project has been hit by delays due to problems with a new computer system that will control points and signals and pinpoint the location of every tram.




Metrolink is currently undergoing a £1.4bn ‘big bang’ expansion that will see new lines opening to Oldham, Rochdale, Ashton East Didsbury and Manchester Airport. The next stage of the expansion project has been hit by delays due to problems introducing with a new computer system that will control points and signals and pinpoint the location of every tram.

Read more at: http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/s/1471553_metrolink-chiefs-review-plans-to-replace-unreliable-older-trams-after-four-break-down-in-a-fortnight