Clear the streets for the trains

AS IF having trams on our streets is not risky enough, plans are underway to allow trains to utilize the same tracks to come into Manchester city centre.

Suggested by the Mid-Cheshire Rail Partnership, the plans will allow trains from Northwich to use Metrolink tracks from Altrincham to Piccadilly rather than passengers changing from train to tram at Altrincham in order to get to Piccadilly.

This joint track-usage, common in Germany and Holland, is thought to save commuters 10 minutes journey time as well as allowing more frequent services to operate on that line.

“The tram-train concept is just one of the options available to us and we are researching it,” commented a spokesman for the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Authority.

Mid-Cheshire Rail Partnership is looking into how much it would cost and how many people would actually use the service before commenting on whether the project should go ahead or not.

“The idea is quite well-established in certain places on the Continent, but this has not been done here before. We think this is definitely possible, but we need more detail,” said John Kitchen, a rail officer.
© Faras Ghani 2005