Transport for Greater Manchester has announced that the first test tram has traversed the Trafford Park line track.

This has capped off a milestone week for the £350m Metrolink extension project.

Travelling along Trafford Wharf Road between the Pomona Metrolink stop and Warren Bruce Road overnight on Sunday, the short journey kick-started a thorough safety and testing process.

A team of engineers accompanied the tram and carried out essential safety checks as it travelled at walking speed.

Testing is expected to last several months before driver training can take place ahead of the line opening in the first half of 2020.

What did the officials say?

Greater Manchester Transport Committee Chair, Councillor Mark Aldred, said:

“The development of the Trafford Park line is excellent news for Greater Manchester, and I’m delighted to see it progressing with the start of tram testing.

“When the line opens next year, it will provide a major boost to regional regeneration and economic growth by improving access to the large amount of retail, leisure, business and employment opportunities that exist in Trafford Park.

“It will also help towards reducing congestion and tackling air quality as we give people another, more environmentally-friendly alternative to the car.”

Transport for Greater Manchester Head of Metrolink, Danny Vaughan, said:

Last week we poured the final bit of concrete, all but marking the end of construction, and this week we’ve undertaken the first tram testing.

“This is another significant moment on our journey towards completion, as our focus now turns to the safety critical signalling systems and driver training.

“We’ve still got quite some way to go, but things are progressing very well and people can expect to start seeing a few more trams running up and down the line over the coming weeks and months ahead of the line opening in the first half of 2020.

“None of this would be possible without the work of our partners, including contractor M-Pact Thales (MPT) and the operator KeolisAmey Metrolink, and my thanks go to all those involved.”

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