1. Hannah, Tayla& Ben
Oldham Metrolink
In May 2009, a special fund of £1.5 billion was agreed for 15 transport schemes in
Greater Manchester. These include further extensions to the Oldham and Rochdale town
centres. The final funding approval was secured and the contract for the main
Contractor was awarded in August 2010.
This 14 mile (22.5 km) extension to Oldham and Rochdale will leave the Bury Metrolink
line just outside the city centre and run along the abandoned railway corridor to Central
Park in East Manchester. Here it will join the former Oldham loop rail line between
Manchester, Oldham and Rochdale, which is being converted to Metrolink. The Oldham
loop rail line closed in October 2009 to enable the work to start to convert it to
Metrolink operations.
As part of the work to build the new Metrolink Oldham and Rochdale line, we are also
refurbishing nearly 100 bridges and structures along the route.
Oldham Town Centre – overview
Work has begun to construct a Metrolink extension through Oldham town centre. This
extension will divert from the Oldham Rochdale line near the Westwood business park.
It will head north through the business park and running parallel to Featherstall Road.
The route then turns east to follow Middleton Road before heading South towards
Manchester Street roundabout. The route crosses Manchester Street roundabout, heads
along Union Street and then joins the Oldham Rochdale line again at Mumps.
This extension will have four new stops at Westwood, King Street, Union Street and
Oldham Mumps. The proposals at Oldham Mumps will see an integrated Metrolink and
bus interchange along with a new park and ride site. Once complete in 2014, the
temporary section of the Oldham Rochdale line, to the south of Oldham town centre, will
be decommissioned.
Source: http://www.metrolink.co.uk/futuremetrolink/oldham-and-rochdale-line.asp

2. Hannah, Tayla& Ben
New Oldham Metrolink tram lines to be dug up for interchange
A new bus and tram interchange will be built in Oldham under a multi-million pound
plan that also involves ripping up part of a new Metrolink line.
Under the proposals, which will cost nearly £90m, Metrolink will run along Union Street
to the new interchange at Oldham Mumps by 2014.
There will be a park-and-ride site for about 250 cars – providing a spur for regeneration
in a run-down town Centre area.
But part of the new Metrolink line being built to Oldham and Rochdale will be ripped up
less than three years after it opens.
The 1.5-mile section from Featherstall Road to Mumps – part of the former Oldham and
Rochdale train loop – will open this autumn. But this track and the old train station at
Mumps will no longer be needed when the new track is built through the town Centre
and will shut when the town Centre section opens in Spring 2014.
GMPTE Metrolink director Philip Purdy said: "To wait for the town Centre line, the
contracts for which were signed two years after the contracts for the original expansion,
would have delayed the arrival of any trams to Oldham and Rochdale by several years."
Cash will come from the Greater Manchester Transport Fund – a £1.5bn investment pot
created after the region’s failed congestion charge bid.
The new Oldham and Rochdale line will open to Central Park this spring and to Mumps
in the autumn. It will reach Rochdale train station the following spring.
The ‘temporary’ line from Featherstall Road to Mumps will run through a new junction
at Mumps roundabout. Mr Purdy said the equipment and fixtures would be recycled ‘as
much as possible’ on other parts of the network. The new interchange will be built on
the opposite side of Oldham Way, along with a new link road between Oldham Way to
Union Street.
Coun John McCann said the town Centre Metrolink scheme was a ‘massive step forward’
for local people. The proposals will be on display from 4pm to 7pm at the Link Centre,
140 Union Street, Oldham, tonight and on Tuesday.
Source:
http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/transport/public_transport/s/
1409137_new_oldham_metrolink_tram_lines_to_be_dug_up_for_interchange

3. Hannah, Tayla& Ben
People to interview
Local people
Students
Councillors – John McCann
john.mccann@oldham.gov.uk
GMPTE Metrolink Director – Philip Purdy
Transport for Greater Manchester headquarters
2 Piccadilly Place
Manchester
M1 3BG
Tel: 0161 244 1000
Questions
1. Do you feel that’s it’s going to be useful transport?
2. Will you use the metrolink?
3. How can the public benefit from it?
4. Have there been any problems with building the metrolink?
Metrolink
Work has begun to construct a Metrolink extension through Oldham town centre.This
14 mile (22.5 km) extension to Oldham and Rochdale will leave the Bury Metrolink line
just outside the city centre and run along the abandoned railway corridor to Central
Park in East Manchester.