[guide.chat] Metrolink
- From: "Carol O'Connor" <missbossyboots33@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: "guide chat" <guide.chat@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 18 Sep 2012 10:07:57 +0100
Twelve of Metrolink's oldest trams are about to be taken off the track in a bid
to improve the reliability of services.
Their withdrawal by the end of this month marks the beginning of the end for
the old blue and grey vehicles, which began riding the rails when the network
opened in 1992.
Passengers faced major disruption in January this year when four broke down in
a fortnight.
Transport for Greater Manchester are phasing out the T68 vehicles and replacing
them with their yellow and silver counterparts, which are four times less
likely to develop a fault.
All of the old trams will be withdrawn by 2014 after funding to replace the
remaining 20 was approved by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority as
Metrolink celebrated its 20th birthday in the summer.
Coun Andrew Fender, chairman of the Transport for Greater Manchester Committee,
said: "The decision to replace Metrolink's original trams is already paying
dividends because we've been able to bring more of the new and significantly
more reliable yellow-and-silver trams into everyday services.
"For passengers, that means fewer disruptions caused by vehicle problems and
more modern, spacious and brighter new trams serving the network.
"The first 12 T68s are due to have been phased out by the end of this month and
the final 20 will have been replaced by 2014. It's a great investment in the
future of the Metrolink network."
Transport leaders agreed to replace 12 of the 32 original trams in September
last year. They are expected to be stripped of their equipment for use in other
trams.
There will be 93 of the new trams on the network when all the new trams have
been delivered.
Work is continuing on the 'big bang' Metrolink expansion, which is expected to
see the East Manchester Line opened to Droylsden later this year.
It will be the country's biggest tram system by 2016.
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