Passengers travelling from Altrincham and Timperley will not be provided with dedicated tram replacement buses when the Metrolink line closes for two weeks next month.
Transport for Greater Manchester has confirmed that replacement buses during the closure, from Monday October 19 to Sunday November 1, will operate only between Sale and Manchester city centre.
It means passengers from Altrincham, Navigation Road and Timperley will instead be directed towards the existing 263 bus service or, in the case of Altrincham and Navigation Road, trains into Manchester.
TfGM says it will increase the number of buses operating on the 263 during the works.
But its current timetable shows that journeys on the service from Altrincham to Manchester can take up to 71 minutes during the morning rush hour.
The existing 263 runs from Altrincham through Broadheath, Sale, Stretford, Old Trafford, Hulme and the University of Manchester before reaching Piccadilly Gardens.
Under the normal timetable introduced at the end of August, buses run every 15 minutes during the daytime from Monday to Saturday, although TfGM says additional buses will be provided during the Metrolink closure.
The arrangements are different from those put in place when the Altrincham line was closed for three weeks during the summer.
On that occasion, dedicated tram replacement buses operated all the way between Altrincham and Manchester city centre, running every seven-and-a-half minutes during the daytime from Monday to Saturday.
This time, however, dedicated replacement buses will operate only as far south as Sale.
Ian Davies, Metrolink Network Director at Transport for Greater Manchester, said the decision had been influenced by passengers' experiences during the summer closure.
“We’ve listened carefully to the feedback people gave us during the closure of the Altrincham line during the summer and we’ve used that to shape our plans for this autumn.
“We’re using the limited number of buses available in the most effective way possible by running replacement bus services between Sale and the city centre and by boosting capacity on the 263 which takes passengers from Altrincham to Sale, onto Stretford and Manchester, for just £2.
“Passengers can use their Metrolink travelcards and tram season tickets on the 263 bus or on the train between Altrincham and Manchester city centre.
“There is never a perfect time to undertake major engineering work on one of the busiest light rail corridors in Europe, but these improvements are essential if we are to continue delivering the reliable public transport network that Greater Manchester needs.”
Passengers with travelcards and seven-day, 28-day or annual tram season tickets will be able to use them on the 263 during the closure.
Those without a season ticket will be able to buy a £2 single ticket from the driver or use contactless tap-and-go.
Ticket acceptance will also be in place on trains between Altrincham and Manchester city centre for passengers with travelcards and seven-day, 28-day and annual tram season tickets.
The entire Altrincham Metrolink line will close from October 19 to November 1 while improvement works take place at Deansgate-Castlefield and Trafford Bar.
The Eccles and Trafford Centre lines will also be closed during the works, while services on the East Didsbury and Manchester Airport lines will terminate at Firswood and Rochdale services will terminate at Exchange Square.
TfGM says additional work will be carried out in the city centre at the same time in an attempt to reduce the need for further closures of the tram network.
Normal tram services are due to resume from the start of service on Monday November 2.
