Taking a tram to the Metrolink took a step closer today – but the journey from Altrincham is likely to take around an hour.
Council leaders from the region’s 10 local authorities today officially signed off the money required for the Metrolink extension, to include a stop at the intu Trafford Centre.
Detailed designs will now be drawn up ahead of a final decision from transport ministers this summer.
The project – which will cost £350m – has been made possible by Greater Manchester’s £1bn devolution deal, which was agreed with chancellor George Osborne in November.
Below: A CGI of the proposed Trafford Centre stop, and (above) of the EventCity stop
Trafford Council is also contributing £20m and the council leaders have signed off £37m to allow 10 trams to be purchased.
The extra lines are scheduled to be ready by 2019.
Trafford council leader Sean Anstee said: “This is a really welcome milestone to secure the deliver of Metrolink to Trafford Park, which is a key strategic transport priority for Trafford and the wider Greater Manchester community.”
Going on the plans revealed in a video today, travellers to the Trafford Centre from Altrincham will need to change at Cornbrook and take a connecting tram to the Trafford Centre.
The line, which would include a stop at EventCity, is at least as long as the Eccles connection, and an Altrincham-Eccles journey lasts 55 minutes.
