Plans for direct rail link from Rochdale to Manchester Airport scrapped

Long-awaited plans for a direct rail link from Rochdale to Manchester Airport have been scrapped, Rochdale Online can reveal.

Following the completion of the Ordsall Chord railway line in December 2017, it was announced that Rochdale was on track for a direct rail link to Manchester airport.
 

Read more: Rochdale set for direct link to Manchester airportPublished: 13 December 2017

The Ordsall Chord links Manchester Victoria, Oxford Road and Piccadilly stations in the city centre, providing a link to the airport by passing through Manchester Piccadilly.

Currently, a train service from Rochdale to Manchester Airport is available, but a change is required either at Manchester Victoria or Salford Crescent.

It was expected that passengers would be able to travel directly to Manchester Airport from Rochdale without changes at Manchester Victoria by the summer of 2018.
 

Read more: Rochdale still doesn’t have a direct link to Manchester AirportPublished: 04 December 2019

Despite earlier reports, Northern confirmed to Rochdale Online on 14 December 2021 that there are now “no plans” to operate direct services due to “limited track availability.”

A spokesperson for Northern said: “There are no plans to operate direct Rochdale to Manchester Airport services. This is due to limited track availability in the Manchester Oxford Road area.”

When asked when this change was made, the spokesperson said: “After 2018 there have been a number of industry and stakeholder reviews that looked at the number of trains running on what is known as the Castlefield Corridor and how this impacted service reliability. It was deemed that too many trains were planned to operate and initial proposals had to be amended.

“Transport for Greater Manchester, Mayor Burnham and Transport for the North have all been part of the discussions.”

Local rail community group STORM (Support the Oldham Rochdale Manchester lines), which has long called for a through service between the airport and Rochdale, says it is “dismayed” at the news.

In a statement, the group said: “STORM is dismayed to have confirmation that there are no current plans for a through rail service to Manchester Airport from the Rochdale area.

“Back in 2014 there was a definite promise in writing from Transport for Greater Manchester and Manchester City Council that one would be provided as soon as the Ordsall Chord was built. It has now been built but the promised service is not forthcoming and has the negative overtones of never being provided.

“Rochdale Borough Council taxpayers contributed to the cost of the airport link and station. Many other towns who did not contribute are the beneficiaries of our local taxpayers: Liverpool, Leeds, Preston, Blackpool, Huddersfield, to name a few.

“The position is even worse because the two trains per hour from Manchester Victoria to the airport which have provided a connection from Rochdale are being reduced to one an hour.

“The Rochdale area has been let down very badly, going back on the clear promise of 2014. Rochdale seems to be treated as somewhere to be abandoned in favour of every other town and city.”

Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham said: “It is deeply disappointing that, despite assurances, Rochdale still does not have a direct rail service to Manchester Airport. Over the last decade, Government has repeatedly promised new rail infrastructure for our area that would unlock these services, but has failed to deliver.

“As a result of the congested lines through central Manchester, the rail industry is now proposing a temporary reduction in services. We will continue to push Government for a clear, committed timetable to deliver the rail infrastructure that Greater Manchester and the wider North so clearly needs.”

Transport for the North has also been approached for comment.