No trams to operate between Eccles and MediaCity for three months

From Saturday 16th July until Friday 21st October, engineering work will take place on the Eccles line, Transport for Greater Manchester has announced.

As a result, no trams will operate between Eccles and MediaCity for the duration of the works.

A replacement bus service will operate between the affected stops, says TfGM, while services will continue to operate as normal between MediaCity and the city centre.

The line will close after the final service on Friday 15th July and will reopen for the start of service on Saturday 22nd October.

This essential maintenance work is part of Metrolink’s planned track renewal programme, and represents the third phase of activity on the Eccles line this year.

“The work will see the replacement of worn rails in a number of locations and we apologise for any disruption or inconvenience which may be caused, but they are essential to keep the line safe for passengers,” said TfGM.

Replacement bus service

Replacement bus services will be available to board and alight from Eccles, Ladywell, Weaste, Langworthy, Broadway and MediaCityUK, say TfGM, although they add that some replacement bus stop locations may change during the works.

If you already have a Metrolink ticket and plan to use the bus replacement service, TfGM ask passengers to ensure that your pass is valid for the date of your journey and that you touch-in and touch-out at the on-stop validators before boarding the bus.

Other ways to travel

On the Metrolink, the Trafford Park line is only a 10-minute walk from MediaCity and close by stops (Broadway and Harbour City).

For customers in the MediaCity area, you can connect to Cornbrook for all services towards the city and to other lines at Imperial War Museum.

For buses from Eccles, the 67 and 100 services, operated by Go North West, run frequently between Eccles and Manchester city centre.

Both services depart from Stand A at Eccles Interchange and journeys take around 35 minutes.

Between Eccles and Langworthy, the 33 service, operated by Go North West, connects Eccles to Ladywell, Weaste and Langworthy (before connecting to Manchester city centre). At peak times there is a service every 30 minutes.

From Langworthy to MediaCity, the 50 service, operated by Stagecoach, connects Langworthy to Broadway, Harbour City and MediaCityUK (and all stops in Salford Quays). Services operate every 12 minutes at peak times.

From Salford Quays and Exchange Quay, the X50, operated by Stagecoach, is only a five-to-ten-minute walk from both stops to Trafford Wharf Road. Services operate every 30 minutes and provide fast connections to Manchester city centre.

An hourly train service operates between Eccles and Manchester city centre, and the journey from Platform 1 will only take around 12 minutes.

Some of the transport options above may not accept Metrolink tickets and passes, so you may have to purchase a separate ticket to be able to make your journey.

Rather than drive into the city centre, you can also drive to one of the Park and Ride sites close to the M60 where you can park for free and then complete your journey to the city on the tram.

There are sites at Parkway (341 spaces) and Sale Water Park (285 spaces).

Find out the latest updates at tfgm.com/eccles-line.