Trafford Council approve motion for late night Altrincham to Bury Metrolink

The plans will now be sent to Andy Burnham‘s office for approval.

Salford Council also approved a similar scheme back in November.

The motion at Trafford Council had been put forward by Will Frass, a Liberal Democrat Councillor for Timperley.

His Motion read:  “Trafford residents, either working in the hospitality sector or enjoying the night-time economy, face a curfew for the tram, expensive taxis, or a risky walk home in the dark.

“Tackling both violence and against women and girls and gender-based violence more widely are priorities for Greater Manchester Police across the region.”

Speaking to I Love Manchester, Mr Frass said he was thrilled with the result.

“It’s very pleasing to see all the parties at Trafford Council approve this motion.

“There are long ranging benefits for having later services – they can boost the nighttime economy by people staying out for longer and not having to curtail their nights out to get the last train home.

“I was looking for the latest time you could get back from Altrincham to Bury, and I think it was a bout 11:54pm It’s not much of a night out if you’re having to wrap things up by 11 and those businesses where you were enjoying your evening are going to miss out too.

“Secondly, the later trams will be a huge help to those amazing workers who serve us food and drinks and keep the City moving. Keeping the trams running later would be amazing for hospitality words who can get home quickly and safely.

“If people have to book a taxi on the way home, then that’s eating into the money they earn and can demotivate them too.

“In some case, people might be tempted to walk home to save money on a Taxi fare. Walking home alone at night obviously comes with its own safety issues. By keeping the trams running we could reduce the risk of people who were thinking of walking home instead to save money.

“The most developed economies aren’t just those where everyone owns a car – they are the economies where the public transport is so good, everyone wants to use it.”

The details of the scheme haven’t been ironed out yet, and are open to suggestion to allow the scheme the best chance of it getting through the scrutiny of the Mayor’s office.

It has been suggested however that the initial implementation of the late night trams will be a trial period to see how things can progress, and to optimise the service based on experience.