‘Good chance’ late night trams will return this autumn, Andy Burnham says

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham

Late-night trams could be returning to Greater Manchester this autumn, Andy Burnham has revealed.

Metrolink services currently run until around midnight, but Mr Burnham says he wants trams to run later on weekends. The Greater Manchester mayor says he has asked his transport commissioner Vernon Everitt to look into it.

While on BBC Radio Manchester this week (6 July), he revealed that later-running trams could return in the autumn. He received a message from Mr Everitt while he was answering questions on his weekly radio phone-in.

He said: “I asked him to take a look at this issue about late running and he’s just text me to say there’s a good chance we can bring it back in the autumn. I’ll try and confirm that soon.

“We’d all love to do it if we can do it prudently by not creating a bigger black hole in the budget.”

Later-running trams were introduced in November 2019 for the festive period. The timetable changes meant that the last trams on Friday and Saturday nights would leave St Peter’s Square in Manchester shortly before 2am.

However, late-night trams were not reinstated after the pandemic. Since then, there have been calls for Metrolink services to start running later again.

Liberal Democrat councillors in Manchester, Salford and Trafford put forward proposals for late-night trams to be trialled on certain lines. But just last year, Transport for Greater Manchester said later-running trams were not being considered.

While being quizzed by presenter Mike Sweeney on the radio, Mr Burnham said he believes late-night trams should be reinstated on weekends.

He said: “I think we do need to reinstate later running on Metrolink at the weekend. The only reason why I hesitate is because we’ve got a shortfall in passengers still and we haven’t got the funding. It will happen in the future. I will bring back later running Friday, Saturday as soon as I possibly can.”

Joseph Timan, Local Democracy Reporting Service