Transport campaigner hits out at two year line closure

Transport campaigner Frank Salt is not happy that no trains or trams will run on the Oldham loop line for two years.

The closure of the whole of the Oldham loop line will cause chaos for commuters heading to and from Manchester, according to local transport campaigner Frank Salt.

The train line is due to close in just over a year’s time and will eventually be replaced with tram lines as part of the £575m expansion of the Metrolink network.

Trams are expected to begin running to Oldham Mumps in autumn 2011, and to Rochdale in spring 2012.

In the meantime passengers from Milnrow, Newhey, and stations in the Oldham area, will have to use replacement bus services or use their cars to join the Manchester Victoria services at Rochdale or Smithy Bridge.

And Mr Salt believes this will bring even more overcrowding to already crowded rush hour services.

"I am sure a staged closure could have been put into place to avoid this lengthy disruption of rail services," he said.

"Trains could have used the Rochdale to Oldham line whilst the Manchester to Oldham Metrolink was built and then Rochdale to Shaw whilst the Oldham to Shaw section was converted."

Mr Salt added: "I am a great supporter of the Metrolink system and look forward to improved services but for the life of me I cannot understand why the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive agreed to this plan. If my memory serves me right the whole of the Bury to Altrincham line was completed in well under two and a half years."

But Philip Purdy, GMPTE’s Metrolink Director, hit back and said: “We’re closing the entire Oldham and Rochdale train line while the work takes place to build the new Metrolink line so that we’re able to open it to passengers sooner.

“It would take an extra four months to complete the project, and cost taxpayers several million pounds more, if we kept sections of the line open to trains.

“We would also have to use lorries instead of trains to transport the materials needed to build the new lines, which would result in thousands more journeys being made on local roads.”